Dear Mr. and Mr. Wachowski,

The following is an untitled short story I wrote for a creative writing class in my Sophomore year of high school, transcribed verbatim, errors and all. It dates from 1994, some time before the script to your film "The Matrix" was written.

I had been walking for over an hour, straight into the forest. It had been such a nice day that I simply had to out of the city and enjoy a hike through the forest. Every now and then, I checked my compass to make sure I had been going north, and not let my leading leg lead me into circles. It was a part of the forest I had never been to before. I enjoyed hiking at a completely new spot each time, and just heading straight out into the wild. Strangely enough, I hadn't seen very many birds or woodland creatures, but I enjoyed the flora more, and did so, losing track of time after awhile, but I had kept on my straight-north course.

As I trekked on, the woods adapted a strange quality to themselves, sort of geometric, there weren't as many curves to them, and the leaves seemed to get flatter. I came upon a high, thick bush and bushed through it. As I emerged from the other side, Everything changed, the landscape was a flat barren plain, a grid! Which extended so infinitely far that my eyes strained to see the edge. I swiveled around and the trees were still there.

A voice spoke out of nowhere, startling me, "Subject number 97021369 has gone beyond simulation limits." I pushed back through the brush and ran through the forest. "Reverse simulation 5 point zero zero and adjust fatigue level, raise fifteen points."

Everything stopped.

I had been walking for over an hour, straight into the forest. It had been such a nice day that I simply had to out of the city and enjoy a hike through the forest. Every now and then, I checked my compass to make sure I had been going north, and not let my leading leg lead me into circles. I was getting very tired of this, though, checked my compass and headed back to my car.

As you can clearly see, you owe me approximately $20 million dollars. A personal check will be fine.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Moodie