The Perfect Life

Chapter Four - All that Glitters isn't Gold

The light sphere released Kieran onto the cold bone-white floor. Matching coloured walls enclosed around him sharing their blandness with their new captive. The room contained nothing save a few medieval swords he had forged with his mind previously. This was his private domain, a place where all his desires and whims could be met; a courtesy extended to every user.

Hearing of other users spending weeks and months trapped in their own private worlds made Kieran cautious of the room’s power. Consequently he liked to keep his time in the domain to a minimum.

With an outstretched hand he dragged his left fore-finger downward against the wall in front until it met the floor. Doing so produced a crack mimicking his finger’s path. Inserting his hands in the newly formed gap, he pushed apart the two surfaces allowing his body to slip through.

Beyond the passage lay a blue perspex corridor and an azure pathway containing an endless binary pattern embedded within. Kieran delicately stepped onto the pathway making sure not to fall into the space between. Whilst he hadn’t known of any other to suffer that fate, he certainly did not want to be the first.

With his eyes, he scoured the multitudes of intersections interrupting the path, until he found the one he wanted and walked towards it. When he reached the intersection’s terminus, he found himself face-to-face with a large monitor. After tapping a few buttons on its touch screen, the surface broke open forming an archway.

As he passed through the archway, he arrived at the outskirts of Canaan. Fashioned from cobalt, the city towered in front of him, glistening under the peach melba sun. Tunnels for transport ripped neatly through the foundations of the architectural jungle; curving and twisting like veins through the heart of the city.

A virtual display, known as the HUD, appeared hovering in air the moment Kieran stroked the side of his cheek. He raced through the variety of options until he found the information he required and smiled at his healthy credit balance.

Months he had spent, scraping every credit he could earn from inside and outside PL just so he could get what he needed: information. The Infoseller had promised to meet him at a wine bar by Franchurch station, which to his relief was a short taxi ride from his present location.

He flicked through several more menu options, until he found and initiated the taxi call button on the HUD. Five minutes passed, before a glossy-white smoothly rounded hover-taxi parked at his feet. The door slid upwards in a 90 degree angle allowing Kieran to enter. Since there wasn’t a driver provided, Kieran plugged in his coordinates for Franchurch station into a nearby panel.

As the vehicle motioned forwards, he felt the contents of his stomach churn. Travel sickness clawed at his insides as the hover-taxi dove through the city’s transport tubes. The queasiness had always plagued Kieran since he was a child and unfortunately it had followed him into the Perfect Life. Creasing his eyes shut, he tried to stifle the sickness from erupting from his gullet by thinking of ‘stiller’ times. Luckily the taxi had reached its destination before he had the chance to redecorate its black leather seats.

Knowing that he was slightly early for the meeting, Kieran had programmed the vehicle to stop at Franchurch Street rather than at the wine bar. This prevented the Infoseller from assuming he was desperate for the information - which he was - and raise the price. One thing he remembered from his studies was that price always reflected demand. If he seemed too eager, it could affect his buying power in the deal.

Despite his eagerness, he calmed his steps as he passed through Canaan. A warm artificial breeze brushed him delicately, the sweet smell of coconut and honey emanated from within, easing his concerns regarding the meeting.

Suddenly, Kieran noticed two figures standing under a large metallic archway. One of which looked considerably like his informant whilst the other was a woman adorned in a pearl white dress which covered only half of her sumptuous skin. A bonnet sharing the colour of her dress obscured his view of her face, much to his disappointment.

Kieran drew closer hoping to glimpse the remainder of her face, until he reached the side of the arch without the couple noticing his presence.

“-rry! Like I said, if you want what I got, you pay!” said the Infoseller in a semi-infuriated manner.

The woman stepped forwards and wrapped one slender hand around his neck and held him a foot above the groud. Fear swallowed his eyes as her grip tightened around his neck.

“Youshjwbwhwh… candhdwidwh… havewhwh… it!” he mustered between gurgles.

With her free hand she grabbed a disk from his jacket pocket and slid it into a bag that hung by her side.The Infoseller’s eyes widened in surprise as her grasp tightened rather than relaxing. His eyes darted around seeking aid and they fell onto Kieran.

Still in shock at the woman’s ability to pick up a full grown male without even the hint of effort, Kieran stood numbly unable to answer the informant’s request. His eyes blinked in an attempt to make sure his imagination wasn’t misleading him. Knowing enhancements couldn’t be bought in Canaan made it difficult to for him to accept the unusual feat. Kieran’s mind raced. He wanted to help, but his body just wouldn’t let him.

The woman continued choking the man until his body fell limp and his face sagged to one side, the dead eyes still looking towards Kieran.

Murder was illegal outside of approved zones such as Canaan, Kieran knew that much, and the user would normally face an instant PL ban for several months. Whilst the death wasn’t permanent, they still liked to keep killing sprees to their allocated areas. Confusion slipped across Kieran’s face when he saw the Infoseller’s corpse still remained.

‘It should have dissipated by now,’ he thought.

Wondering suddenly whether she might have seen him, Kieran peered round further, with his back against the wall, only to be met with a pair of sepia coloured eyes staring back at him. He tried to move but panic took control of his legs. Unable to move, Kieran focused his mind on trying to move his feet, eventually he felt the weight subside and broke into a sprint.

Glancing behind, Kieran noticed she wasn’t physically moving yet she seemed to drift closer, which Kieran was sure was impossible in Canaan. Turning his attention to escape he concentrated on producing a door to leave Perfect Life, but it was too late.

Her hand clutched his neck tightly in its confines, firmly excluding all oxygen to his lungs. He gasped to breathe. A futile effort. His mind screamed for help where his vocal cords couldn’t; leaving his calls for aid unheard. Kieran’s heart pounded at his chest, like a prisoner desperate to escape. His eyes bulged,nearly bursting from their sockets until darkness wrapped itself around him, fading her hard sepia gaze. Before his vision completely diminished, the streets tore apart and shattered from his view.

From his deteriorated vision, he was left disorientated and confused. He shakily removed his goggles and found the reason for his instant departure from PL:Sophie. She was spread across him, trying to inject another one of his wires into her nose. Marvellous, wonderful Sophie had just severed his connection to Perfect Life and saved his life. He resisted the urge to kiss her.

As his normal breathing patten resumed and his heartbeat returned to its usual rhythmic pace, he suddenly came to his senses.

‘What was I worried about, it was just death in-game, right? I would’ve been fine wouldn’t I?’ he thought.

Kieran knew then he had to find out what had happened to the Infoseller to make certain.