The Grid

Thomas looked around, suddenly alone in Miko’s vast woods. There were only some footprints left at the place she (Thomas was thinking Miko was a she) had been standing. The trees were black, and at the places she had built the shades, they were so black Thomas felt like he was staring down a hole in the program. Suddenly, a flock of crows flew over his head, and he watched them in admiration of Miko’s skills. He could even hear their wings move. But without anyone to chat to, even the most vivid and gorgeous background was still only a background. Thomas had his cursor on the ‘exit’ button, and was just about to click, when a new message appeared.

robot: hey

Thomas moved the cursor away and spent a few seconds staring at the avatar that had popped up in Miko’s woods. Its helmet was golden, but there was intensely dark glass in the middle of it. That wasn’t so extraordinary; Thomas had seen far more elaborate designs on avatars. But he shouldn’t be here. Without an invite from Miko, no one was able to enter the world she had made. The Grid was programmed that way. And wasn’t this a bot, surveilling the chatrooms?

binary: this must be a bug

The avatar replied so quickly, that the idea of him being a robot was out of the question immediately.

robot: !

robot: im not!

binary: you mean you are a user?

robot: yes

binary: then how did you get in here? were you invited? the user list of this world was empty when i got here

robot: i just paid a visit

robot: i was flying over and it looked nice.

Flying over? What was this guy talking about?

binary: yeah... i dont get it

robot: i can fly

robot: to every world i want to!

binary: i dont believe you.

robot: most people dont

robot: thats okay

robot: i can show you

robot: you can come along

robot: if you want to

Thomas’s confusion was growing. He thought that he understood the Grid and its limits. And flying over a world that wasn’t yours and you had never been invited to, was impossible.

binary: i really dont understand how you did this

binary: what have you hacked?

robot: i dont know

binary: well you must have hacked something in order to just fly into a private chatroom

robot: maybe i did, but i dont know how

robot: i do this all the time

robot: but im always alone

The black glass on his helmet changed into a sad smiley. A tear fell from its left eye.

robot: please come along

robot: youll love it!

A smile appeared on Thomas’s face, and he shook his head. It was only a quarter past eleven. He still had about half an hour before he had planned to go to sleep. And he was curious. Whatever this guy had done, he needed to know how he had managed to appear at will. He wished he could fly over chatrooms and just enter whenever he felt like it. Maybe old users had built the most amazing things, but the moment they had left, their work had become unavailable.

binary: well, alright

binary: im curious now.

The expression on his helmet changed to a grin, and the word ‘YAY’ was flashing on and off. Thomas grinned; he had never seen anyone program their avatar so extensively, except for himself of course.

binary: what do i have to do?

robot: ill include you in the list...

robot: done

robot: stand beside me now

binary: okay

robot: ...

robot: we should be flying now

robot: somethings not working

Disappointed, Thomas sighed and sat back on his chair. He should have known this wasn’t going to work. Adding him to the list, and he would be able to tag along? How could it be possible? This guy had hacked Miko’s room and was tricking him into believing him, that was all.

robot: i think i got it now

robot: dont go!!

Thomas had started to walk away again, not interested anymore. But the avatar was following him, desperately trying to get his attention back.

robot: i want to show you!

robot: nobody else

robot: just you

robot: because i know youre the only one who would appreciate it

robot: you are the best programmer on here

Thomas’s avatar turned around, reluctantly, but Thomas couldn’t resist flattery; not in real life, and not online.

binary: oh am i?

binary: who told you that

robot: i can tell

robot: lets go!