Page 89 of Tapeworld Induction

“I’ve never seen anything quite like this in here,” Dylan said.

She looked behind, back through the portal to where Isaak’s tape-space should have been. It was just darkness now.

No going back, I guess…

She started walking deeper into the tunnel, and Talia followed.

32

Foam

Dylan

The swallowing darkness behind them mirrored the darkness taking over Dylan’s mind. She had hoped for some quick solution, a deus ex machina from this Elodie woman to wake Isaak up and get him back to her. But I have to carry on.

Before he found that blasted sword, and his mum’s photo, it had all felt like a dream. The tape was a world apart from reality, without consequences, a theme park for their budding love to blossom. But it all felt very real now. And somewhere in this dark place Isaak was trapped and helpless.

“Are we actually getting any closer to the end of the tunnel?” Talia asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“I fucking hope so. Navigation in the Tapeworld is weird. I’ve been only to a few places. My space, and Isaak’s space, where we just were. We had to escape from a forest, and from somewhere that looks like London.” She noticed Talia staring at her, eyes glowing. “And the Boulevard—”

“What’s the Boulevard?”

Dylan smiled. “It’s the biggest tape-space I’ve seen so far.”

“Does it have stuff in it?” Talia asked. “Unlike Isaak’s?”

“Yes, and other people too. He calls it the BBD, or Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I think it’s also a pun on Bulletin Board System.”

“Bulletin Board System?”

Talia really had no idea about ancient internet concepts. And Dylan only knew about it because of Isaak…

“It’s from before the internet. Apparently, you’d have to call an individual message board…”

“From your phone?”

“Your home phone!”

They both laughed.

“Can you imagine?” Dylan said. “Anyway, the Boulevard is like the Tapeworld’s lobby. I don’t think anyone knows who made it, it’s just kinda there. We didn’t think it was made by one of the Kingdoms, but after finding the Gunkatana…”

Talia let out another laugh.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just haven’t seen you this excited about something in a long while, Dee.”

It was true. Every tape stride felt exciting.

But it felt that way in large part because of Isaak.

The knot in her throat tightened. They needed to find him.

“You’ve gone quiet, babe.” She felt like Talia could read her mind sometimes.

Dylan tightened her fists. “I’m worried about him.”