As Vanda’s dad chatted with Mrs. Peterson about her exotic herb garden, Vanda wandered over to a dusty table filled with old electronics. Among a stack of VHS tapes and a broken radio, something unusual caught his eye. It was an old gaming console; unlike anything Vanda had ever seen. It was sleek and metallic, with a single, large button in the centre that gleamed under the morning sun. “Hey, Mrs. Peterson, what’s this?” Vanda asked, his curiosity piqued as he picked up the console, feeling its weight in his hands. “Oh, that old thing?” Mrs. Peterson glanced over, wiping her hands on her apron. “Found it in the attic. It belonged to my nephew, or maybe it was my son... I really can’t remember, dear. You can have it for five dollars if you like. No use to me, and it’s just gathering dust.” Five dollars was a steal for any kind of gaming console, old or not. Vanda pulled out his wallet, handed over the money without a second thought, and tucked his new treasure under his arm. Back at home, Vanda hurried to his room, the console gripped tightly in his hands. His room was a gamer’s paradise, posters of space battles and dragon quests covering the walls, and two shelves filled with gaming magazines. Placing the console on his desk, Vanda inspected it for a power slot or a battery compartment. It had neither. Instead, there was a smooth, seamless surface except for the big button. Shrugging, Vanda pressed it. The console hummed to life, its surface glowing with pulsating lights. The screen on his wall flickered and then displayed a message in bold, pixelated text: “Welcome, Gamer! Ready for a real adventure? Press the button again to enter!”
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