[ WP ] Humans discover that our universe is a computer simulation . We try and make contact with our creator ( s ) .

“ Mr. President, ” General Kopanski said. “ We ’ re waiting on you. ” 
 
 Jim Graves never imagined he would be here, the destruction of a half-billion lives commencing with his command. *Not lives, * he reminded himself. *Not really. * 
 
 Around him, a select handful of cabinet members and army officers stood, waiting for him to say anything. He had been silent for the last fifteen minutes. The general was the first one to break the silence in all that time. Jim had almost forgotten they were there. 
 
 *Just do it, * he told himself. *This order will be the most significant event in human history. * He dwelled on that. Human history. It was a fictional history, but somehow solid. The struggles were real. The pain was real. Simulated, fake, illusory - yet real all the same. 
 
 “ Let me speak to the doctor, ” Jim said. 
 
 The staff filed out slowly. He could see the stress, fear, and excitement on their faces. This anticipation had reached a near unbearable climax for weeks, but now that the moment for his decision had come, he found invisible walls in his way. He was so close. He had only to say the word. But he wanted to speak to the doctor just one more time. 
 
 Moments later the man entered. Dr. Volgi was in his late fifties, balding, and a bit too thin. The man always seemed unhealthy. His eyes were lit up with enthusiasm, but everything else about him looked faded. His pallor was grey, his posture crooked. This man, he reminded himself, had spent his life in libraries, lost in books, in deep basement labs, at the cost of his own health and body. 
 
 “ Yes, Mr. President, ” Volgi said. 
 
 “ Doctor, you once calculated the percentage that you were wrong, ” Jim said. “ Run through the calculations for me. ” 
 
 Dr. Volgi looked surprised. After all their discussions and consultations, he had turned Jim into a disciple. A true believer. He still was, but he needed a fraction more certainty. It had all made sense during those meetings and discussions. It was only here, the moment upon him, that he saw the full spectrum of possibilities. 
 
 “ Well, ” The doctor said. “ There are endless assumptions built into this, but the basic theory about our universe is about as certain as the theory of gravity. ” 
 
 “ But gravity is another piece of your theory, ” Jim said. “ Our theories about it were wrong. ” 
 
 “ Our theories about its *origins* were wrong. Our calculations about its effects and mechanisms are accurate. The system invents the laws, and the programs abide by them. One of them being gravity. ” 
 
 “ How sure are you that this will actually crash the system? ” Jim said. He had asked this before, but he needed to ask again for his own sake. That was the worst part - the knowledge that, even if Volgi was right, the plan might not have the intended effect of summoning the virtual gods. 
 
 Volgi shrugged. “ I am confident about this as well. It ’ s clear that people are the most complex programs in this world. Even the sun is simpler. With so many… deletions at one time, I am sure it will trip up the system. It may not crash it, but the system will recognize that something has happened. ” 
 
 And then we ’ ll finally get their attention. The attention of the gods. Those who crafted this realm. At the cost of a half billion people. 
 
 Jim clenched and unclenched his fists. His mind spun with questions, half-articulated fears. 
 
 “ Alright, ” he said, his confidence returning in a sudden flare. *This will make you the most important man who ever lived. * “ Send them in. ” 
 
 President Graves gave the orders, and the bombs flew. Many flew to Asia, devastating the coastline, others traveling far into the Russian interior. The detonations of the bombs had all been synchronized to explode as near to the same time as possible. 
 
 Jim was standing in his office when they hit. As hundreds of millions died, a flash of pinkish hue shot across the world, colors distorting and flaring. It happened everywhere all at once. Lines became less defined, the earth vibrating around them. 
 
 Dr. Volgi came staggering into the room, clutching his chest. His eyes were wild. He looked at the president. 
 
 “ Mr. President, ” the doctor said. “ Your head… ” 
 
 Jim looked at himself in the mirror. A flashing red dot hovered over his head. He studied himself, his pulse escalating wildly. He felt two small horns on the side of his skull. They had n't been here before. They had simply appeared. 
 
 *Congratulations, * Jim heard in his head, a thought silently transmitted. *You have reached new levels of Evil. * It wasn ’ t this thought. It was foreign. Confusion overcame him. The words were alien. 
 
 `` What's happening?'' he asked Volgi. 
 
 `` I do n't know,'' the doctor said, voice cracking and low. 
 
 Sudden anger rose to the surface, like oil from a well. His body felt different. 
 
 *You're new level is accompanied by new powers. You'll notice you have more control over your environment now. * 
 
 With a thought, he lifted the Volgi off the ground. The man gurgled, clutching at his throat. 
 
 `` You were supposed to be sure,'' Jim said. `` You were supposed to bring the gods here.'' 
 
 He did n't let Volgi answer. Instead he flung him across the room where he slammed into the wall. Volgi slumped to the ground broken. His anger began to subside. 
 
 New powers. So his first attempt to summon the gods had failed, but it had gained him something. It had educated him. And he still had nine billion lives left to play with. He turned and began levitating down the hall to find Kopanski. He had a war to finish. 
 
 

