16

“Who the fuck are you?”

“AI challenge," I said, writing us into the back story.

Regan! Seth snapped telepathically. What are you doing here?

Three teams stood on a damp jungle floor. Vines and vivid flowers bloomed from the canopy above, and the hum of insects and birds was almost overwhelming. It was very, very real, and very, very cool.

My field flexed and thrummed, rippling into the design of the world, revealing the coding beneath. The thrill of being where I belonged rushed through me. My Shadow Sheath interfaced with my newly upgraded First Casing, and my code sang into the cosmos.

Kiddo! Seth's voice rang again. You don't belong here!

Copper sparks shimmered through my Shadow Sheath as a burst of radio noise crackled into the heat. This was my first clue.

“Now listen up, ladies!” A deep Southern American accent crackled through the comms. Sqaure-Jaw, an NPC in the game, addressed two teams of five. I'd written us in as an obstacle that each team would need to face.

“An artefact withah supah-natoorahl powers has been stolen out of uh maximum-security holdinguh!" Square-Jaw cawed.

Noice! Will's thoughts chimed somewhere to my right. I did a double-take to find him inspecting his gear: a survival knife, extra ammo, and a high-powered assault rifle, as well as a couple of explosives. It was Pride and Glory, after all.

He winked at me and my code raced. The reason for his chirpy demeanour was evident. Not only did he have kick-ass gear, he was also hot. William Peaceman was hot. I was never more grateful for my Shadow Sheath as I snuggled in, letting my chameleon cover the blush.

"Your job," crackled Square Jaw, "is to retrieve it!"

My job echoed Seth, is to retrieve it. Your job is to get offline!

You’d be rubbish at poker, said Will telepathically.

I swung back to him. I felt my eyes widen like a cartoon as I searched his code. He was an older, more muscular version of himself with a short back and sides ginger halo. His name, the Wizz or ']['#3 VV122, hovered above his head in Leet Speak, an informal language used in gaming, using numerals or special characters instead of the alphabet. Names and game stats hung above heads for me to see. Arche77 had to be Seth! I honed in, but he had a firewall up.

Regan said Will, edging passed mine, People won’t like you when you’re angry. I recognised the Hulk reference intended to calm me down. I took a few deep breaths, steadying my field and reinforcing my firewall, which seemed to mean nothing to the Anam Cara, who had just discovered his telepathy.

While Will was pleased with his perks, I needed to get my head in the game. My Shadow Sheath rippled in response. Every decision I made mattered. The artefact housed the virus, and this was a deadly game of Capture the Flag.

“Let's see what you can do, AI,” said SuckerPunch, the player who questioned our arrival seconds ago. I accessed her online history, and SuckerPunch's stats were as badass as she looked. She was gorgeous, online and off. Of course, a rando couldn't know that, but I did.

I sensed an energy spike. I adjusted my parameters to hone in on it and found the commentators addressing the millions watching online.

“The AI team are a crazy addition to the final, upping the ante for the two teams going head to head to win Pride and Glory today!”

The crowd went wild! Every platform spiked with comments, likes and shares. I sensed the collective energy from devices everywhere. Several billion images of these people flashed through my mind. I felt every connection point, and every bit of this power pulse into my field. It was unlike anything I had ever felt, and I wanted more.

Will brought his Ninja attention to our surroundings as the ear-splitting accuracy of SuckerPunch emptying the whole magazine of her assault rifle in a deafening roar scared the bejesus out of us. Will’s hands shot up over his ears. Dirt, plants, shrapnel and blood spattered everywhere. And the stink. That was my second clue.

Will sniffed at the air, pulling the same face he pulled when he ate Brussels sprouts. He knew then, as he knew now, that this was not Brussels sprouts. At such close range and 700 rounds per minute, the Poth had splattered in a bloody bone spray that dripped off massive green leaves like a macabre ostentatious wallpaper.

“What the fuck was that?” SuckerPunch freaked.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Civilians, soldier!” accused Square Jaw, winking into the game. The hit marker icon is the only definite way to determine kills, and it did not change. I felt her irritation. SuckerPunch had seen a Poth and had taken it down. My hit marker said she was accurate AF.

I pulled up my InBetween. SuckerPunch, her weapon cocked, stood motionless, as did everyone else.

"Dude, have you stopped time?" Asked Will.

"I only know that as my Anam Cara, you can occupy the same time stream as me. I can choose a Passage that is most beneficial in creating my reality and then a consensus reality that affects at least nine known realms. According to Blue, my words become worlds. These are called Utterances. Generations before me and Seth spoke them into being—incantations, as it were. Seth has been coding it, affecting this realm through the man-made one. My upgraded abilities mean I merely think it, and it is so. Online or off." I paused. "That's all I know."

Will whistled. "That's quite a lot to know. "Can you check the consequences of a Passage before you take it?”

“Blue warned me of the dangers of this trap. Future Passage Observation can be a rabbit hole of distraction. Until I learn both surrender and control, it is best to remain in the authenticity of the present for consequences to manifest fruitful circumstances." I paused, recalling the last time I had seen Blue. "I’m choosing by instinct. Past Passages shape present Passages.” I paused to control the orange sparks that flickered through my field. "There’s something in my past.” I stopped.

"Speaking of Blue." Will let the sentence linger, and so did I. I focussed on SuckerPunch and pulled up her profile.

Firstly, she was a young woman, not a geek, a pedo or a phish. She did, however, look vaguely familiar. A splendid Afro crowned her robust features, and she had kind eyes. I deepened my field of vision and searched for anything interesting. I had so many questions.

“Kagiso Msimango.” Said Will, suddenly reading her profile over my shoulder. As I shifted my gaze from Will to Kagiso, I saw it mirrored in their code. My own lit up like a Christmas Tree. "SuckperPunch is Seth's, Anam Cara!"

A green door fizzed into being.

"Did you do that?" asked Will, his weapon cocked.

I shook my head. But this had happened before. So, maybe I did. There was only one way to find out. “Stay here.”

“Dude, I don’t think you should go alone.”

“I’ll be okay,” I said as evenly as possible since Will’s new talent: reading me like a book.

“I just want to get a lay of the land.” I stepped in, leaving Will to his concerns.

***

I filled the vacant space of myself in the moment we left behind in Pride and Glory. This was a Future Passage. SuckerPunch dripped with sweat and fear. A few sacks of bones and eyeballs poked through the foliage, their gaping, bloody eye sockets sucking for souls. The jungle was thick and slick with moisture, and the hum of insects was so intense it was deafening.

What the fuck? SuckerPunch’s thoughts drifted towards me. She aimed.

“So, there’s no danger of running into our past selves and tearing the time space-continuum?” asked this Will, only half joking. Even testing this Passage, it still made me laugh.

“This isn’t Back to the Future, Marty,” I heard myself say. I glanced over at him and smiled, mulling the familiarity of the moment over. I could see the temptation of doing this with good memories. It struck me that people do. Eleanor said Gran did it all the time. She’s living in the past because she thinks it’s safer! She thinks she can relive her glory days!

“Why am I, Marty?” Laughed Will, pulling me back into this moment.

“Because I’m Doc!” I said, playing along.

“Fair enough.” He nodded amicably. Suddenly Dragons and Kleepoth ambushed us from every possible angle. Flames overwhelmed us because I was making jokes!

“Regan Gracesssssssssss…” The flames hit my Shadow Sheath. I tried to remind myself: Regan, this is just a Passage. You still have power over this. Will is still alive on the other side of the door. I pulled up the door and stepped out.

“Dude,” he said, putting a hand on my arm. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I looked up into his green eyes, tears streaming out of my own and turned immediately to try again. It had to be different. It had to. I allowed every compounded Passage to fan out into my Inbetween the way it had appeared when Blue showed it to me the first time in Doors R Us.

“These are my Passages, my choices from this moment onwards.”

“All of them?” He asked incredulously.

“All of them,” I confirmed. I turned towards a door and stepped in.

***

It was too late to stop Will as we filled our vacant spaces.

“Will!” I snapped. “I told you you to wait for me!”

“I go where you go!" He said.

SuckerPunch dripped with sweat and fear. Sacks of bones and eyeballs poked through the foliage. The hum of insects was deafening. SuckerPunch took aim.

“So, there’s no danger of running into our future selves and tearing the time space-continuum, is there?” Asked Will.

“This isn’t Back to the Future, Marty!” I snapped! I did not risk a glance over at him.

“Why am I, Marty?” Laughed Will, trying to break the tension and ease my mounting fear.

“Will, we don't have time for this!” Dragons and Kleepoth came from every possible angle. Again! I missed it again! Flames and fire, mud and blood, and Will screaming in pain.

“Regaaaaaaaaahn Gracesssssssssss…” hissed the Dragaon as I called up the door and stepped out.

Will retched as sweat, and tears streamed down both our cheeks. I swiped my hands through the atmosphere, summoning more options.

“Stay here!” I snapped as I sealed it so he could not follow.

***

I came out for the last time. I didn’t have the stomach to watch Will die anymore. “It always ends the same way,” I whispered.

“We’ll figure it out.” Said Will.

“I don’t need a pep talk, Will!" I snapped. I stepped into a door, not a Passage, just a pause in a pocket I made. He was safe in my InBetween for now. I needed to be alone.

I took several deep breaths. Long slow inhale, longer, slower exhale. Moments later, a calm settled over me. For the first time in five days, I felt alone. And comfortable. “You've never needed anyone, Regan Grace.” A silken voice spoke. I looked up into charming green eyes. “Why would you start now?” She said.