The Fabric Of Reality Read Online Free PDF

workstation and tweaked the settings of the active noise-canceling system he had cobbled together from spare parts. It wasn’t sophisticated enough to dampen every decibel, but it reduced the constant booms to a level that allowed him to keep his sanity.
    A beep came from a workstation across the room. Gil hurried over to see what was happening. A red dot was pulsing on the screen. He tapped the dot with his finger. Well, hello, gorgeous. What are you, and how can I detect you from the other side of reality? He played his fingers across the keyboard. A window containing data opened on his screen. You’re not a malfunction or a random energy spike. You’re definitely coming through the Window to the third site, but if you’re alive, why can’t I detect anyone else? Surely you couldn’t be all alone—like me. Maybe you are alone. He opened another window and gathered what information he could about the signal, but the results were inconclusive. If I had known I was going to get stuck here, I wouldn’t have let them erase so many applications. I can’t even do a decent signal analysis. Maybe you’re not a life sign. Perhaps just a Locater Beacon, but why are you showing up now? Someone must have set you off. If you’re trying to get my attention, why aren’t you transmitting coordinates? He sifted through the data for a moment. No message at all, just noise. You’re not calling to me , are you? The real question is who would use a Transuniversal Locater Beacon in a Reality with no detectable technology?
    Gil grabbed his Junction Locater and headed to the position of the Window to the third site. Chances were slim that it would form into a Doorway. As long as the scientific community had been studying the junction point, no Windows had ever morphed into Doorways. Most appeared briefly and disappeared permanently after only a short time, but this one connected to the third site and perhaps, was special somehow. It had never exhibited any unusual readings before the second site disappeared. Gil could only hope that some realignment of the sites was taking place.
    The muffled noise from the constant bombardment on the protective Barrier reminded him of thunder far off in the distance. A terrible storm raged overhead, getting ever closer to unleashing its fury upon him as each hour passed. Gil had come to accept the relentless determination of his enemy to destroy him, but knowing his death was inevitable didn’t help him make peace with the universe. He had gotten a bum deal and wanted a chance to play a new hand. His purpose for existing had to be something more than holding the fort while his colleagues escaped. He was thrilled they had gotten away and believed in his heart they were safe, but that one small act had left him unfulfilled. A greater purpose had to be awaiting him.
    He strolled into the corridor and took a reading of the Window. The sensor on the corridor wall was functioning normally. The beacon signal coming through was real. On the surface everything appeared normal, but a more detailed check of the data showed tiny energy spikes and variations in the emission frequency. Something apparently unrelated to the beacon was disrupting the Window’s normally placid state, like an unshielded electrical device causing interference in an analog radio broadcast. Whatever it is, it’s getting stronger.
    ***
    Regardless of how frightening walking through the forest all night had been, nothing bad happened to Alesia. With the first rays of dawn, she saw the castle rising up out of the trees in front of her. The canopy was so thick she couldn’t get a good look, but it was there, not too far away.
    Not one shred of hope remained that she’d find her hero waiting for her in the castle. Short of returning to the village, her life had been reduced to two possible paths, and one of those was extremely unlikely. If the castle spirits proved to be a myth, she would climb to the highest window and dive onto the rocks