This was it. This was the moment. The fridge had been empty for 37 minutes and the children would be home in another hour. Noa paced back and forth in front of the sliding doors which led out of the building, glancing at her wrist pad.

‘Okay’ she thought, ‘this time’. “Load ‘Lost City Adventure,’” she said. A couple checking their letterbox in the lobby gave her a puzzled look. “Level 2. Home start. Map destination to Magdi’s Market.”

There was a click in her ears as noise cancellation kicked in and the noise of the city outside was replaced with the sound of insects and the pattering of rain on a thatched roof. Her retinal display flashed a dull white light before fading to reveal an old wooden archway.

“3…2…1…go!” came a disembodied, yet enthusiastic voice.

She leapt through the arch into the vivid colour of dense tropical jungle and was immediately sideswiped by an amused looking Tapir. She cused, regained her footing, and took off through the underbrush.

The Tapir laughed. So did its companions as they jumped back on their skateboards.

The jungle was busy today. Insects were everywhere. Obnoxious parrots swooped across Noa's path. A parade of monkeys flung themselves from tree to tree sending palm fronds and fern leaves hurtling towards her face. An endless column of rhinos stood nose to tail on her right, a vast and poorly researched mess. But up there, in the distance, she could see it. The great pyramid. Monument to the gods. Filled with ancient treasures, and a 20% discount on microwave meals. She pushed on.

Expecting the rhinos to give way to a path at some point, Noa was disappointed to find no such access. Instead the wildlife seemed to mock her as she wove a path through the foliage. After coming almost parallel to the pyramid's entrance without any sign of a crossing, she decided to brave the smelly menagerie that lay in her way.

“Excuse me!” she called, as she approached the small gap between two of the beasts. The rear rhino rolled its eyes and snorted. The one at the front stepped forward and farted. Noa slipped through, wiping the sweat from her brow with a sense of accomplishment. She checked her wrist. 40 minutes left.

The entrance to the pyramid was covered in vines and strange symbols indicating the price of coffee. A large stone tablet embedded in the wall served as a warning to trespassers. Inside, everything was surprisingly well lit. Flickering torches revealed vast stone columns connected by rows of what looked like, but obviously weren’t, supermarket shelves. The not-shelves were conveniently inscribed with the names of all the treasures she had come in search of - golden apples, ruby tomatoes, and a variety of ornate pastas. But before she could extract her prizes, a shadow appeared. There, at the end of the colonnade, looking towards her with orange and black stripes glowing in the torchlight, was the jungle’s apex predator. She froze, hand gripping a bag of fusilli, hoping the creature would pass her by. But alas, it lowered its gaze and advanced.

Noa looked around. There was a gap in the wall about a few steps behind her. Perhaps she could get through. If she could make it to the mortuary, the animal might be distracted by the smell. She took a deep breath and leapt, scraping her arm as she rounded the corner and sprinting as fast as her legs would carry her towards the back wall, ducking under vines and narrowly avoiding a barrage of arrows that sprung from a carefully concealed indent in the wall.

* * *

Magdi stood behind the counter and watched as a customer ran like a maniac towards the deli. Maggy, the old lady from upstairs was watching too. She glanced back at Magdi and shook her head before placing a bag of apples in her shopping cart.

* * *

Noa had made it. The tiger had moved off and she was left panting, leaning against a totem that depicted the ritual used to create her favourite salami. She took two and moved silently towards the rear of the structure. Here were the most prized treasures of all. Frozen in time. Bolognese. Butter Chicken. Beef Stew. If nothing else, these would certainly appease her illustrious benefactors. She packed away as many as she could and glanced back towards the exit. There lay the final challenge, designed to prevent brave travellers from leaving, without an offering worthy of the gods to whom the temple was dedicated. Only something of sufficient value could prevent their wrath. She took a deep breath, patting at her satchel and hoping her husband had paid the credit card bill.

Arriving, she saw that which had eluded her before. Visible only from this approach, set back into the wall, a life size statue, its arm outstretched, pointing towards a surface inlaid with gems. She withdrew the golden mastercard, prostrated herself and laid it down gently. There was a beep.

“Thanks,” the statue boomed. “See you next time.”

Noa withdrew the card, nodding towards the ancient figure. She picked herself up and made her way towards the light of the jungle outside.

* * *

Magdi turned his head and watched as she left.

“Who was that?” asked Maggy.

“I have no idea,” Magdi replied. “But this AR nonsense is really starting to get outta hand.” He turned his attention back to the next customer, “That’ll be twenty seven fifty.”

* * *

Back outside the pyramid, Noa was taking a well earned breath of fresh air. ‘I did it,’ she thought. ‘I finally did it!’

“New High Score!” exclaimed the disembodied voice. “Would you like to try level 3?”

“Perhaps tomorrow,” she replied. “The kids have soccer practice." She turned to face the journey home. The level was over. The rhinos had moved on. But there would be other challenges.

The Space Between the Stars

Daniel Mackisack

Deli of the Lost

Daniel Mackisack

ăzāzêl

Daniel Mackisack

The Election of 2072

Daniel Mackisack

Daniel Mackisack