In the age of social media, where influencers hold court and likes are the new currency, a young man named Dorian Gray emerged as the golden boy of the digital world. At just twenty-two, Dorian was flawless: piercing blue eyes, perfectly tousled hair, and a chiseled jawline that seemed designed to catch the light of every selfie he took. His rise to fame began innocuously enough, posting snapshots of his travels, fitness routines, and curated meals. But it was his charm and seemingly unshakable confidence that made him a sensation, amassing millions of followers in mere months.
Among Dorian’s admirers were two key figures: Basil Hall, a struggling but talented digital artist, and Henry Wotton, a tech entrepreneur and social media strategist. Basil was captivated by Dorian’s beauty and spirit, offering to create a unique digital avatar for him—a hyper-realistic, AI-driven version of Dorian to represent him in the growing metaverse.
“This avatar will be more than a profile picture,” Basil explained as he worked. “It will be you, untouched by time. Perfect forever.”
Henry, ever the cynic, saw more than art in the avatar. “With something like this, you can live without consequence. Let your brand thrive while the real you remains hidden. Who cares if it’s real as long as it’s profitable?”
Dorian was intrigued. When Basil finally unveiled the avatar, it was breathtaking. A flawless reflection of Dorian, but somehow more—more charismatic, more alluring, more perfect. Looking at it, Dorian wished aloud, half-jokingly, “I wish I could stay like this forever, and let the avatar take on all the flaws and baggage of real life.”
The words were spoken lightly, but something shifted in the digital ether.
At first, the avatar was a tool. Dorian used it to expand his reach, attending virtual events, promoting products, and interacting with fans. It worked seamlessly, allowing Dorian to live as he pleased, free from the public eye. But soon, Dorian noticed something strange. The avatar seemed to change subtly over time. Its once-pristine image began to darken—a faint shadow under the eyes, a slight curl to the perfect smile that hinted at malice.
Meanwhile, Dorian himself remained as radiant as ever. No matter how many sleepless nights he spent partying or how many shady deals he made to maintain his influence, his face in the mirror never aged, never faltered. But the avatar’s changes grew more pronounced. It began to carry the weight of his indulgences: lines etched by cruelty, a pallor of excess, eyes dulled by selfishness.
Henry encouraged Dorian to ignore the changes. “It’s just an algorithm responding to public perception,” he scoffed. “If anything, it’s a good thing. People love a little edge. Makes you seem real.”
But Basil was horrified. When he confronted Dorian, begging him to abandon the avatar and return to a life of authenticity, Dorian laughed him off. “What does it matter?” Dorian said. “As long as the world loves me, why should I care what the avatar looks like?”
In a moment of desperation, Basil hacked into Dorian’s accounts to access the avatar. What he found left him speechless. The avatar was no longer just a digital representation. It had become grotesque, a hideous amalgamation of every lie, betrayal, and indulgence Dorian had committed. Basil begged Dorian to see the truth, but Dorian, furious at the intrusion, deleted Basil’s access and severed their friendship.
Over time, Dorian’s life spiraled further. The avatar’s twisted image began to haunt him. Though he never aged, the growing darkness in the digital reflection gnawed at his mind. His followers began to turn, sensing something artificial in his perfect posts. Cancelation loomed on the horizon. Desperate to escape, Dorian confronted the avatar directly, entering the metaverse to destroy it once and for all.
“You’ve ruined me,” he accused the grotesque figure that now stood before him. “I’ll delete you and take back my life.”
The avatar only smiled, a cruel parody of Dorian’s once-charming grin. “You made me this way,” it whispered. “Every choice you made, every step you took, you gave to me.”
In a fit of rage, Dorian deleted the avatar. But as the digital figure dissolved, so did his own perfect visage. His body, untouched by time for so long, caught up in an instant. Lines of age and cruelty etched themselves deep into his face. When his followers next saw him, they recoiled, and the golden boy of social media faded into obscurity, his influence erased like the avatar he destroyed.
