Page 19 of Immersed
He opened his eyes, forcing himself to analyze his surroundings with clinical detachment. The meadow looked similar, but not identical. A bird trilled from a nearby branch—different from the one he heard last time. The clouds overhead formed different patterns, more cirrus than cumulus.
Subtle differences. The system was generating variations, not just replaying the same scenario.
“Every run teaches you something new.”
The thought came unbidden, in Ethan’s voice. How many nights had Levi watched his brother play those roguelike games?
“Die, learn, repeat,” Levi whispered, his brother’s gaming mantra. His voice cracked on the word “die.”
Ethan would approach this methodically. First run: understand the environment. Second run: test NPC reactions. Third run: look for exploits in the system.
What did I learn?Levi cataloged the facts: The killer was stronger than him. Direct confrontation failed. The NPCs couldn’t be convinced they were in danger. The gun was unreliable in Jasper’s hands.
A distant voice called his name—Jasper, right on schedule. Levi’s pulse spiked, sweat beading across his forehead despite the cool air.
This time will be different. This time I won’t freeze up.
“There you are, man!” Jasper called, waving enthusiastically.
Levi noted a blue flannel shirt tied around Jasper’s waist—different from in the previous loop. His beanie was navy instead of forest green. The AI was remixing details while maintaining core personalities.
Levi forced his lips into a smile, wiping his palms against his jeans before standing on wobbly legs. “S-sorry, got distracted by the view.” He gestured vaguely at the surrounding landscape, wincing at the tremor in his voice.
“Pretty epic, right?” Jasper grinned, eyes bloodshot as ever. “We found you just in time. Tyler was about to send out a search party.”
Behind Jasper stood Owen, adjusting his glasses nervously, and Tyler, whose muscular frame cast a long shadow across the meadow. No Elliot this time.
“You shouldn’t wander off alone,” Owen said, fidgeting with his inhaler. “Have you noticed the strange weather patterns here? The barometric pressure readings are inconsistent with the forecast.”
“I’ll be more careful,” Levi replied, testing a new response. He cleared his throat when his voice came out too high. “Maybe we should establish a buddy system?”
Tyler laughed, slapping Levi’s shoulder. The unexpected contact made Levi flinch. “Look at you, suddenly Mr. Safety. Yesterday, you were the one who wanted to explore that ravine alone.”
Yesterday? Levi hadn’t experienced that. The NPCs weren’t just repeating lines—they had constructed an alternate shared history. The system was building a more complex narrative around his presence. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
“Just thinking practically,” Levi shrugged, trying to appear casual while his heart hammered. “This place feels... unpredictable.”
“That’s what makes it an adventure,” Jasper said, offering Levi a granola bar.
Levi reached for it, but his fingers fumbled the exchange. The granola bar tumbled to the ground. “Sorry,” he mumbled, cheeks burning as he stooped to retrieve it, nearly losing his balance in the process.
As they approached camp, Levi immediately noted the differences. The tents formed a semicircle facing the fire pit rather than the triangle from before. Elliot sat beside his hiking backpack, organizing numerous external pouches with labeled contents. Zoe’s gear was more extensive this time—a proper first aid kit hung from her tent flap, along with what looked like bear spray. Maddie barely glanced up from her phone when they arrived, fingers tapping rapidly on the screen.
When Elliot looked up from his gear organization, however, his eyes lingered on Levi with unmistakable interest. He smiled—not the polite acknowledgment from before, but something warmer, more inviting.
Levi scanned the campsite, mentally cataloging everything while trying to keep his breathing steady. The layout provided more escape routes than before. The trees were thinner to the east. Zoe’s tent contained survival gear. Jasper’s backpack likely held his gun.
I need that satellite phone, Jasper’s gun, and Zoe’s bear spray.
This time, he’d be ready when the stranger appeared. His stomach twisted at the memory of those features, that childlike disappointment when Levi tried to reach—
No. Focus on now.
“I can help with staking the tents,” Levi volunteered, his voice cracking. He moved toward the pile of equipment, tripping over a root and nearly sprawling face-first into the dirt. Tyler snickered behind him.
Pull it together, Levi.
He grabbed the heaviest pack first, testing its weight. His arms quivered under the load. Perfect excuse to check everyone’s gear.
