Chapter 4
An immense fusion of colourful strands faded to reveal one pure
white glow before dispersing into familiar greys and blacks. Kevin stepped
out of the AR machine onto the firm polished floor. Tears hung in his eyes
and began to trail down his darkened face. Although his time with miles
had been brief, he had felt something which had not been familiar to him.
Friendship. Everything he'd seen in the AR had never given him the feeling
of that last world. Where had they been? What had Miles typed? The image
of crimson on pure white haunted his mind. A slow-motion replay of Sam
was playing in there as well. Why did it feel so different in there? Kevin
had to find out. Driven by his curiosity he walked to the console where
Miles had entered their destination. It still flashed this destination,
but with an additional message that Kevin had been dreading.
WORLD WHERE AR WASN'T DISCOVERED
!! NOTE: REALITY DESTROYED !!
Kevin was broken and shattered. It felt like someone had shown
him heaven but he had been cast back to earth. He'd heard of realities
being destroyed but it was just a rumour. An event you thought would never
happen to you. Why hadn't Miles left the AR instead of saving him? It was
then Kevin recalled Miles final words. So he was to do some special deed,
intriguing. And if Miles had died for him, he must repay Miles by carrying
out his last wishes. Miles had given him a purpose and shown him the true
heaven Kevin longed for and the intended path. He must find Sam. Turning
towards the AR machine as a final tribute to his dear friend Miles, he
placed the reality pad on the console. Quietly, as if his spirit was still
watching somewhere, Kevin whispered ,
"I will not forget you, you have not died in vain".
He must find Sam.
Heading out into the grey sea of rain and remnants, Kevin slammed the door of the AR centre.
Retracing the steps he had taken down to the winding cobbled
lanes it dawned on Kevin that he would desperately like to see his old
house, after all he thought maybe it will help in this quest. Again, so
that he could prove to himself that he had learnt something he shouted,
" Summersgate Lane".
He felt a flood of built up knowledge was trapped behind
a dam in his mind. Invigorated by these new thoughts Kevin suddenly felt
hungry and was concerned by how dirty he had become. Maybe he could clean
himself once he got to his old house. It seemed that this aim had again
made him think of his fallen friend and inspired Kevin. Like a bubble
of air from a fish deep underwater escaping towards the surface of a aquamarine
rippling sea, knowledge of where his home was came to the surface of his
mind and showed him the way. It came in a few stills into Kevin's mind.
A tainted brown image where everything was in its own hue of dark and light
brown of his former sanctuary, darkened perhaps by the years or simply
in a nostalgic style because the actual image was far worse.