‘I know you’re both keen to experience death, and you probably will,’ continued Tom. ‘You won’t be disappointed with that experience. But a nasty fate is to get terribly injured. If that happens, you just have to endure the pain. Believe me, ten minutes can seem like hours. But try not to freak out, okay.’
Zak knew this, but hearing it right now turned his excitement into anxiety.
‘Thanks for that Tom,’ he said ungratefully.
‘What if your Mum drags you off the Mind Mat?’ said Van, chuckling.
‘Yeah,’ laughed Tom. ‘The game can’t stop Zak’s Mum. That is another way out.’
Zak blushed with embarrassment. But he held back a retort as he had a question. He had wondered whether it was possible to deactivate the cheat. If so, returning to the junior version would provide yet another way to quit the game. He hesitated about asking, in case Tom took it to mean he was worried. He would never do it anyway.
‘Quick! They’re coming,’ said Tom. ‘Type in the code then find cover immediately.’
Video on the wall showed CCTV of the castle corridors. Purple and orange suited guards hurried along.
He approached the desk and held up the piece of paper in his hand. It contained a sequence of twelve letters and numbers. Sweeping his right hand across the keyboard, he typed the code.
The Visitor’s Book faded to black. Zak looked at Tom, who showed no sign of concern. There was a beep, and a message appeared – “Cheat activated”. As this happened, the lights dimmed for a second, and the entire wall of video sheet flickered. The music stopped and the room fell silent but for the distant sound of boots clacking.
