Page 55 of Tapeworld Induction

A cathode ray madness pushed through his eyes. Sparkling colours and swirling shapes formed and dissolved around him. The holographic tunnel leading into the Tapeworld welcomed him with palpable eagerness. For a moment, Isaak thought he sensed an almost eerie presence there. Like someone or something was watching him. But before he could formulate a complete thought, or file away the feeling for later examination, the idea was gone in a flash, and no memory of it remained in his pulpy, soft, gelatine brain.

20

Something Unresolved

Dylan

The trip into the Tapeworld always got her heart pumping. But this must be just another day for Isaak, strider extraordinaire.

She was a bit worried by how fast she’d caught feelings for this man. But, then again, this man came with an invitation to a kaleidoscopic hallucinatory realm few even knew about, much less had visited. No. I’ve always had a crush on him. I simply never thought any of this would happen.

Dylan had felt insecure for years now, tired of waiting for something to happen in her life. Thoughts of her identity – as a climate change activist, freedom fighter, and environmentalist – were at the forefront of her mind. Dylan Colt, heir to the Apocalypse Revolt. In a Kingdom where ninety percent of the population was vegan and whole Tech Kingdoms were devoted to halting climate change, did she even have a reason to exist? The dreamland she’d been invited into had given her a new purpose, or a chance of finding one, at least.

Out of the swirling madness of a tape-tube popped Isaak. Her eyes locked onto his while he gained form in front of her, her own feet already planted on the fake concrete slab floor of the Boulevard. It started a tingling in her stomach.

First his head appeared, quickly followed by his taut neck and chest, while his clothes assembled around him, the t-shirt sliding over his chest like Superman ripping open his shirt but in reverse. Then his arms, legs, and booted feet shimmered into view. By the time he unfroze, she realised she’d been staring and looked away, shrugging apologetically. Her breathing was rapid. Logging in with him was the biggest excitement of her life.

“Hey, Dee.” His smile was effortless, his confidence boosted in the Tapeworld. Because his knee didn’t trouble him here, or because of all his other powers?

“Hi, Zak.” Good Goddess, girl. Get a grip. “Boulevard’s looking quiet today.” The street was nearly empty, only a few other striders here and there, keeping to themselves, no different than commuters in London.

He nodded. “Why don’t you try calling your cat?”

“Miss Kitty? Sure.” She waved her hands in almost an incantation, curious to see the little bugger again. Shortly after, the cat plopped into view.

“Hello, baby.” She knelt, petting Kitty’s head. The cat closed her eyes in appreciation, emitting a soft purr.

“Hi, Dee-lan!” Kitty was always in good spirits. Dylan was still confused about what exactly she was if she wasn’t AI. Was she a creature born in the Tapeworld? Was she a real cat with a piece of tape on her head? So many questions.

Miss Kitty joined them as they walked around the Boulevard. East London had nothing on this place. The buildings thrummed with effervescence. Some of them were updating in place, flipping through different façades, zapping between different architectural styles and periods. It was a parade of neon lights.

The air was pleasant with hints of metal and smoke. In the distance, a constant horizon enveloped the whole area, a dark sky tinted blue and purple, clouds and stars flickering with electricity. It didn’t matter how far you walked, the horizon and the clouds always looked the same distance away.

“You know, we’re just walking out of habit,” he said, hands in his jeans pockets.

“What do you mean?”

He smiled. “I could open a portal to my space anytime. But I like the ritual.”

His demeanour boosted her confidence, helping to calm her anxiety and nerves. They meant to investigate the box he’d stolen, and despite her earlier boldness, she was beginning to fear what that might bring.

Maybe she’d get to meet Astrid, and tell her to her face that she was a bitch… So there were positives.

Isaak led her around a corner onto a side road. It didn’t lead anywhere. No buildings on either side. The alleyway was empty, with only the blue-purple sky in the distance.

“It’s like a video game. There’s nothing useful down there, so the tape doesn’t render anything,” Isaak explained, catching her staring down the bare side of the road.

“Do you think whoever created the Tapeworld is a game designer?”

His forehead wrinkled. “Probably. I learned most of this stuff from my time at the Lazarus, back when I was a neophyte. Knowing how a game engine works gave me an edge when trialling for the team. Later, when I first popped the tape on my head, everything clicked.”

He drew a circle in mid-air and a blue shimmering portal materialised in front of them. “Let’s get going.” Ripples of blue, pink, and gold unfurled inside the portal’s oval shape. She stepped aside and looked around the outside of it. It was less than a millimetre deep, yet looking into it from the front, it seemed to be a vast corridor.

They walked into the portal, arriving at his tape-space, which turned out to be at the summit of an active volcano – or the simulation of one. Screens lined a sleek desk set-up.

“Oh, wow,” she said, taking it all in. “It’s a bit supervillain’s lair, isn’t it?”

He laughed. “It’s supposed to be like Greenland. It was beautiful there before the data centres.”