Page 18 of Tapeworld Induction

“Uh… and I’ll appear,” he said. “And don’t walk around anymore until I get there, unless you wanna end up with a bruise.”

7

Fancy Tech

Dylan

Carl Sagan’s beach.

The tide was on the ebb. Her panic from earlier had receded into her mind’s horizon as she reassured herself this was simply a kind of virtual reality, some cutting-edge technology she didn’t yet have the words to describe.

She sat down on her bed, which was still there. She assumed that bringing her closest piece of furniture into this place with her was a way for the system to keep her calm. But even as her hands rested on the soft duvet, her brain processed the feeling of sand under her bare feet.

Hyperreal.

It was like she could feel each individual grain, with greater fidelity than in real life.

Now she’d been able to ground herself, her thoughts turned to Isaak. He said she needed to think of him. But what did she really know about him? A retired sports player, gorgeous brown eyes, tall, has a beard, vegan – but would still eat meat?! Stop that, brain, she scolded herself. He’d bought her a drink after he’d kept her from hitting the floor. They’d spoken for a bit, they’d danced, and then…

Isaak. Ex-captain of the London Lazarus. Retired because of his limp.

Dylan filled her mind with everything she knew about him, pictured his face, then spoke his name out loud.

“Isaak.”

A few slow seconds passed. Seagull cries and the waves punctured the quiet.

“Hello?”

There he was, just out of reach, walking towards her across the sand. He looked like the guy she’d met in the club, but at the same time, different. Like a high-definition version of him, every pore visible and clear, light and shadow playing over him in just the right places, as if he was being filmed for a movie. The black jeans she’d seen him in last night had been replaced with dark shorts. This version of him walked confidently towards her. Everything about it made him incredibly attractive.

She caught herself staring, then she checked herself, course-corrected.

“Hi,” she said with a demure little wave of her hand. “So… it’s a virtual world?”

Sand freckled his legs, drops of water shining like precious gems as he walked towards her. This is just what the simulation is telling my brain. This isn’t really happening.

She forced her eyes shut and reopened them a couple of times, hoping to grab a screenshot of this sight, a blossoming natural landscape more vibrant than real life, with Isaak right in the middle.

“It’s not VR,” Isaak said. Now that he was beside her, she could see that his face was sombre, tone ominous. “I don’t know how it works.” He scratched the back of his head. “I’m not sure anyone knows just yet. Someone gave me a roll of tape, and it landed me here.”

“And now you’ve given me one… When did you first try it?”

“Probably more than a year ago now… Do you like it here, the beach?” he asked, clearly wanting to change the subject.

“Sure, it’s cool.” She didn’t know why exactly, but she felt the need to downplay her excitement. Keep the boy guessing. “Does it a have name?”

“Laguna Beach. You landed here ’cause I—”

“No, I mean this whole thing,” she said, waving her arms around. “Not just the beach. You keep saying it’s not VR, but it certainly looks like VR to me, just with a fancier way to get in.” She smiled and gestured at the side of her head.

“Well, back when I started striding, I checked for wireless traffic or any sort of radio wave signal.”

“Striding?” she asked. Then something clicked. “Oh…”

He looked at her blankly. “What?”

“That’s why you said you were a strider, in the club.”