I’m excited to share that I’m currently working on a short story titled Dream Job! It’s the first in a series that follows Avery, a man who witnesses a tragic death and begins to suspect foul play. As he digs deeper, secrets unravel that could change everything he thought he knew.

Right now, I’m looking for Beta Readers to help me refine the story and make it the best it can be. If you’re interested in suspenseful tales with a touch of mystery, I would love to have your feedback! Let me know if you’d like to join me on this journey. My contact form is here

Here is chapter 1:

Avery walked through the arch into the War Room after the torch flame turned green. Without the tether, it was an ordinary meeting room with two grim guards from the delivery gate, but with the tether, they were guardians of the realm. Pyra had died in front of Avery, not far from their gate. With a few eye movements and blinks, he opened the Players Nearby panel in his HUD. It confirmed Garry and Steve’s identities. Avery, still shaken, forced himself to nod. They returned it.

Ferrox faded in at the table’s far end, his avatar’s eyes shadowed with worry. As Avery approached a chair, it glitched into its real-world proportions. It felt lighter than expected as he dragged it from the table.

Ferrox said, “It’s just tragic what happened to Pyra. I know your team was tight.”

Avery glanced at his hands.

Ferrox said, “I know the police already questioned you, but we need to do our own investigation for HR. I’ll make this as quick as I can.” Ferrox shifted in his seat. “Raven won’t be joining us. She’s seeking treatment for shock with a counsellor. I’ll catch up with her when she’s up to it.” Ferrox’s voice softened. “Anyway, how are you holding up? Are you okay to continue?”

Avery cleared his throat. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Did Pyra seem depressed to you?”

“No. She seemed great. She was looking forward to finishing the upgrades to the NPC module. She was pumped.”

“The police are saying her death was a suicide.” Ferrox broke eye contact. “You never really know what someone’s going through… Sometimes you miss the signs.”

“Not Pyra. If she wasn’t happy, she told everyone.”

Ferrox held out both palms. “Okay, she may have been pumped, but sometimes people just need distractions.” He leaned in. “Excitement can be a fragile mask, Avery. Even you might’ve missed it.”

Avery felt his teeth clenching, but resisted the urge to shake his head. Ferrox studied him for a moment. “You were at the Mexican food stall near the delivery gate. What did you see?”

Avery looked at his hands. “Pyra just walked straight into the path of the quarry worker bus. Raven and I called out to her, but she didn’t seem to hear us. It was like she was tethered.”

Ferrox said. “She couldn’t have been tethered, Avery. The Wi-Fi doesn’t reach that far.”

“I know what I saw. She didn’t react, didn’t flinch. There’s no way she heard us. And she absolutely did not look depressed.”

Ferrox sighed, rubbing his temple. “I want answers, too, Avery, but the Wi-Fi doesn’t reach that far.”

Avery shrugged. “All I know is that she wasn’t herself.”

Ferrox turned to Garry. “Did you notice anything odd with Pyra before the accident?”
Garry glanced at Steve, who shrugged. “We were handling a delivery,” Garry said. “Didn’t see her pass the gate—not until we checked the CCTV later. The lunchtime crowd was thick. We only realized something was wrong when we heard someone scream.”

Steve nodded. “I ran up to the scene. I saw her neck misaligned, like it had a high cervical break. No pulse, no breath. So, as an ex-corpsman, I knew she was gone; there was nothing I could do.”

Ferrox sighed. “Send me a copy of the CCTV files. Every angle you have.”

Steve said, “Sure. We got the accident on video, but it wasn’t very clear.”

“Thanks, that’s all for now. Keep me updated if you think of anything at all. Avery, please stay for a moment.”

Garry and Steve logged out. Avery, immersed in tethered synth music, didn’t hear them leave the room.

Ferrox said, “Take the rest of the day off, but when you get in tomorrow, I’ll get you to rename all the NPC modules. We’ve decided to name the first release ‘Ezerboth, the Rise of the Kingdom.’ Can you edit all the place holders in your modules to reflect the new name?”

Avery’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, okay, but I was kind of hoping to have a couple of days off. I mean, I need to process it all.”

Ferrox said. “I know it’s a big ask, but we’re on a deadline—next month’s release is tight, and with Pyra gone, it’s a mess. I don’t mean to pressure you, Avery, but if we miss it, we’re all out of work.” His eyes flicked to the window, as if tracing the ocean’s edge. “Take tomorrow off. Fish at the pier—I hear it’s your spot to unwind.”

Avery shrugged. “Yeah, I’ll see how I feel tomorrow. Do you want me to check the logs or test the tether system to see if it had anything to do with the accident?”

“We’re all shaken, Avery. I’ll check the logs myself—focus on healing for now.”

“Well, I was thinking that I should do it. I did some work on the tether system module, and I kind of—well, I want to be sure it wasn’t my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault. We know that the Wi-Fi doesn’t reach that area. Anyway, you’re too close to be objective. Take the rest of the afternoon and tomorrow off, and get back on the NPC module when you return. Thanks.”

Ferrox shimmered out of the meeting. Avery’s frustration erupted. He logged out of the tether. The visor went transparent. His eyes adjusted to the room’s artificial brightness. He dropped into a low crouch, clenching his fists. It all was too much; Pyra, the deadline, everything. “Ahh.” A sharp beep and a synthetic voice cut in: “Protocol Violation: Unauthorized Logout During Work Hours. Please reconnect immediately.” He swore under his breath. Guards like Garry and Steve could log out and walk away. But developers? They had to live in the VR world, feel every challenge, like players—no shortcuts. 

Everything pulled him toward compliance—his headset, the company, even the silence around Pyra’s death. Something wasn’t right. He knew it. And he wasn’t stopping until he had proof.