Level Nine: Inklet, #19

By Liana Brooks

Andrea plays the Game—a massive, interstellar, virtual reality experience—as often as she can. And she plays well. Really well. 

…Well, she cheats, actually, which she feels ambivalent about to be honest. 

Except on Level Nine. Because no matter how hard she tries, Level Ten remains out of reach… until a wholesome newcomer arrives. 

A light-hearted, feel-good story about the power of online gaming to bring people together. 

1230 words / virtual reality science fiction

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inkprint Press
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386225652

Liana Brooks

Liana Brooks once read the book GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and noted that both their biographies invited readers to send money (or banana daiquiris). That seems to have worked well for them. Liana prefers strawberry daiquiris (virgin!) and will never say no to large amounts of cash in unmarked bills. Her books are sweet and humorous with just enough edge to keep you reading past your bedtime. Liana was born in San Diego and in addition to there has lived in Illinois, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Kansas. We'd like to tell you where she is right now, but last we checked she was researching books on both Alaska and Africa. Not only are the bookstore algorithms breaking trying to track this lady, but we can't tell you where to mail that daiquiri. Your best bet is to try Twitter where you can often find @LianaBrooks talking about her four kids, her giant dog, and plans for world domination.

Book preview

Level Nine

Andrea stood at the edge of the clearing studying the opposing force. She counted three hundred and seven killerbots loaded with every armament the engineers could think of. They stood there, a lethal wall of AI menace separating her from her goal.

The bushes behind her shook. Puzz-led, she watched a man roll into view. Lasers seared the bush, setting it on fire. The man stood up and brushed the dirt away. He looked... wholesome.

Andrea tried to find another word. Crazy? He only had a small destabil-izer, no armor, no vanguard of cohorts.

Hello. He smiled.

Andrea smiled back. All alone?

No one else could play today. You?

Flying solo, Andrea confirmed.

Can’t figure out how to get past? the man asked.

I can’t figure out how to get   past without cheating, she corrected. This is only level seven, I’ve gone past a dozen times. But I always cheat.

You can’t cheat the game.

You can, Andrea said. You aren’t supposed to, but you can.

How? He looked over the massed infantry of death in confusion.

She knew what he was thinking. The gate leading to level eight was plain to see. All you had to do was charge in, kill all of the killerbots in your way, and run through the level gate.

"If