Jet pushed her wheelchair into the woman’s barracks. As she glided past empty bunks, she came to the realization that Nigel wasn’t going to be found. The wilderness was too vast, and she didn’t know how far he had gone in the snowmobile.

I wonder if Nigel got my message?

Jet slid out of the wheelchair and into her cot. After a moment, she had her VR gear on her head, and she was on the load screen for the Colossal Machine Lite console. For a portable graphics unit with limited graphics capacity she was impressed that the device could take advantage of other hardware. There were limitations, but with the immersiveness of the console she didn’t notice. She let these thoughts go as the game took over her sensory control. A warm radiance washed over her. The hissing and pops of a nearby torch reminded her of the tomb she had entered before logging out of her previous session. She opened her eyes to a dimly lit chamber. There were two exits. She gazed into the dark depths of the passage that lay before her. She was about to descend farther into the tomb when a message overlaid on her visor.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

System Message: You have mail. Would you like to read it now?

Jet opened the message. It was from Nigel. A prickly sensation overcame her as she read it.

Jet, my internet connection hasn’t been very good as of late. I want to see you in-game. Can you meet on the unfinished plane at 5 p.m. server time? We have much to discuss.

Nigel

Jet checked the time. It was half-past three in the afternoon. The unfinished lands were an undeveloped section of the game that she and Nigel had discovered while exploring all those months ago. It would be tight, but she could make it.