Page 44 of Tapeworld Induction

It hit him like a gut punch. He let go of her and walked back. “Yes! Of course.” He had been so focused on kissing her, feeling her lips on his, her mouth, blindsided by her presence. He tried again to open a tape-tube, and this time it worked. In endless electric blue, an oval shape hung in the air. “Let’s go.”

They walked through.

Sweat coated both of their faces. He held her hand to steady her as she walked out of the tape-tube into his chosen tape-space.

Laguna Beach.

The waters washed on and off the shore in a soothing rhythmic motion.

“I really wish we didn’t have to kill those creatures,” Dylan said sadly.

His heart ached. “They were gonna kill us. You know that, right?”

“Can they kill us? In here, I mean?”

He didn’t answer, avoiding her gaze. He looked at the watch on his wrist. “Wait, shouldn’t you be at work?”

“I am at work.”

“You’re taping in from work?!” he asked, raising his voice, panic in his chest. “I told you not to tell anyone about the tape!”

“I didn’t! I’m in the toilet. I just needed to see yo— I mean, to see the Tapeworld, and Kitty!”

Needed to see me?

She shook her head. “I’m not the one who needs to answer questions here, Isaak. I have to go back to work right now, but we’re going to meet after I finish tonight – in real life – and you’re going to explain to me what the fuck just happened.”

He hadn’t met her in the flesh since… well, since they met at Aftershock. It only kind of terrified him, especially now that he’d fucked things up so badly. Meeting outside of the Tapeworld…

Shit.

“Okay,” he agreed. He didn’t know how the fuck he could explain any of it, but he knew he owed her that much. “You tape out first. I’ll wait here. It’s unlikely anything will get us here, but… I want to make sure you get out safely. It takes a while for our tape-selves to fully derezz. I don’t know what would happen if you’re attacked in that form.”

She looked like she wanted to say something more, but instead just took a deep breath and put her hand to her temple. “I’ll see you after work then.” And she ripped it off, leaving him alone.

17

Metallic Taste

Dylan

Machined coffee filled the plant-based plastic containers to the brim, the cups proudly stencilled with logos and messages of various kinds, branded vegan, Earth-friendly, recyclable, compostable, biodegradable. Isaak sat across from her in the coffee shop, fiddling nervously with the lid of his drink.

They were at one of the last remaining branches of what had once been a popular coffee franchise, kept open mainly for tourists. And there seemed to be no shortage of them in Oldton. The recently re-established borough took its name from Old Street, once famous for its Silicon Roundabout. Tech start-ups had boomed here in the early 2010s, nearly all of them gone by 2020, trading London’s foggy world for sunny California and its wonderful social media money. The few of those founders that didn’t commit suicide or die during the virus were now living in Senator Luke Glacier’s city.

She wasn’t sure this place was the best setting for this conversation, but it was close to the office, and unlikely to be visited by anyone she knew – so they’d at least have some privacy. After what had just happened, she didn’t think meeting at either of their flats was a good idea. Not until she felt like she could trust him again.

He was wearing the same black fake-leather jacket from the night they met at the club, paired with trademark faded jeans. Dylan still had her same Dr. Martens on.

“Have you ever fought wolves like that before?”

He shook his head, looking at his drink. “No. It was either us or them…”

She nodded. Yes. “But seeing even a heavily modified, brutal-looking animal get shot and spray its blood all over my face… You can understand me being upset.”

He sat straight up. “Of course. Fuck. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m sorry I summoned you.” There was a pause and then he slapped the table, startling her. “No, actually, I’m glad I did… The more I think about it, the more certain I am I might not have made it out without you.”

She wasn’t too comfortable with his impulse to hit the table in frustration. Anger management issues? Deep-seated trauma? Something to do with his dramatic exit from the ReSports scene?