As Jacob walked into the living room, it felt like he was stepping into another time. The room felt small compared to the ones they had just been through, though it was spacious for a living area. A short 3 foot hallway extended past the door, opening up to a medium sized room. As Jacob walked in he noticed the room seemed to get wider every 3-4 feet, with the wall on his left almost appearing like a giant staircase that opened up into the primary living area. A large curved staircase with simple banisters arched up to another floor above them, with a hallway that seemed to continue on above the entrance. A soft chocolate brown carpet covered the floor and stairs, while a large ivy plant grew on the wall over the entry hallway. Several long windows were on two of the walls, framed by golden curtains with brown interlocking patterns. A second layer of sheer white curtains lay behind them, obscuring a view to nowhere. Paintings were mounted on the walls in simple golden picture frames, the works of long forgotten masters hanging behind thin sheets of glass. Several comfortable white armchairs were scattered around the room, with a glass and wood coffee table placed in the center of the space. Against the wall farthest from the entrance a large boxy television even older than the one in Jacob’s apartment sat on the floor, framed on either side by simple wooden shelves holding a variety of bric-a-brac and two massive speakers. Just past the stairs he spotted a small bar, with simple wooden bar stools placed up against it.

  The room was homey, and slightly disconcerting. As the tour group walked into the space Jacob couldn’t help but feel uneasy; the room looked normal, but something felt off. Something in the air wasn’t quite right, like the living area was somehow affected by the uncanny valley effect. Jacob shuddered a little bit involuntarily, and glanced over at his Grandfather. The old man’s lips were pursed; he wasn’t saying anything or being obvious, but to Jacob’s eyes was clearly uncomfortable.

  “Alright Rama, I’ve had enough.” Veronica’s father turned to face the woman as she closed the door behind them, the noise of the battle and the testing area disappearing as she did “I want a copy of that contract, and out of this factory. Right now.”

  “You’ve been in my living room for less than a minute, and alright you’re scolding me?” Rama hung her coat on a coat rack next to the door, and leaned her walking stick against the wall next to them. “Such poor manners.”

  “Enough nonsense.” Veronica’s father stood his ground “One man is a bag of rocks, and you have two women transformed into who knows what in the room behind us. North Korean soldiers are storming the factory, and you’re talking about niceties. I want out right now; you will be hearing from my firm.”

  “I’m sure I will.” Rama walked past the man and grabbed a glass from the bar. She poured herself a drink as she spoke, reaching behind the bar to add ice to the drink “To address your points now: Kerl was petrified into marble and was carried out as a pile, ergo he is not a bag of rocks. Amaryllis was petrified in the same manner and Ku Do-Yeon was transformed into a Light Crystal Creature - therefore I know what. And the North Korean soldiers are currently being either killed or consumed by a variety of creatures, including what appeared to be those from our upcoming Dinosaur themed creature pack. We are over ten thousand feet below the water’s surface, and the only other exit is at the other end of the factory. You are free to try swimming your way out and making your way through the half a dozen battles currently waging behind us, but other than that the only way out is through. As Jacob Charles Olivier the First so eloquently put it earlier.”

  Rama sat down on one of the armchairs and took a sip as Veronica’s father fumed. The old man looked at his daughter - who was still shaken from the last encounter - then marched directly up to Rama.

  “When all of this is done,” Veronica’s father pointed a finger directly in Rama’s face “I’m going to take you for everything you have. For everything you’ve done, you will pay threefold. I will make sure of it.”

  “Finally some fight.” Rama smiled a little, and took another sip of her drink “I look forward to you doing all of that. Though I think you will find my contracts to be iron clad.”

  Rama glanced over at the group watching and smiled re-assuringly “For those watching, the EvBots have already taken both Amaryllis and Ku Do-Yeon to our infirmary via the bullet train, they’re going to be fine.”

  “I highly doubt that.” Veronica’s father continued to stare at Rama, who gave him a firm look back.

  “You can stand there and debate what will be.” Rama said “Or you can sit down, grab a drink if you wish, and I can explain to you the purpose of this room.”

  Veronica’s father opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by his daughter touching his arm. He looked over at her as she struggled to maintain a confident expression, and his own softened. He grimaced at Rama and sat down on one of the armchairs, muttering under his breath. The rest of the group stood around awkwardly, unsure of what to do

  “I think I’m going to help myself to that bar.” Stan walked to where Rama had poured her drink, and began looking at the options. “Anyone else want anything?”

  “I’ll take a glass of whatever’s available.” Jacob glanced over at the bar “I’m not picky.”

  Stan glanced at the others around the room, who shook their heads. He looked over at his wife, who nodded slightly. He turned to the bar and surveyed his options, then poured two glasses of beer from the tab built into the bar. He pulled a bottle of wine out from the bar and poured a glass, sliding it over to his wife. He grabbed one of the beers and handed it to Jacob, who took a sip. It was a light beer, and he could feel his tension unwind slightly as it went down.

  “Like the room before it,” Rama glanced around the space, looking at each of the remaining tour group members in turn “This room is a testing room for special inventions - though these are all designed to be used by the average person, not competitive casters. Though it may not look like it, the room we are in is filled with things running on the cards. The Bar, the television, even the wallpaper is specially designed for domestic card use.”

  “The wallpaper?” Veronica looked around the room incredulously “Looks normal to me, what’s could you possibly do with wallpaper?”

  “I’m so glad you asked!” Rama stood up and walked to the closest wall “Take a closer look, it’s really quite extraordinary.”

  Veronica moved over to the wall, and looked at it supciously. Jacob glanced over at his grandfather, who shrugged, before the two of them looked at the wall closest to them. The wallpaper was a simple light yellow coloration, with slightly darker rectangles spaced evenly across the wall that were slightly bigger than a single card. The pattern wasn’t visible unless you were looking at it closely, and was otherwise entirely unremarkable.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “I don’t get it.” Stan stared closely at the wallpaper close to Jacob, squinting slightly “It’s just wallpaper.”

  “Wrong!” Rama proclaimed boldly “It’s the most fantastical, magical, special, important wallpaper ever to exist.”

  “Are you going to explain how?” Veronica looked over at Rama suspiciously “Or you going to keep babbling about how great it is?”

  “Just building the suspense.” Rama winked at Veronica “I like when it lasts.”

  Rama walked over to the shelves by the television, and picked up a small stack of cards that had been sitting there. She suffled through them for a moment, then handed one to Veronica

  “Try placing this onto one of the squares.” Rama stepped back and looked at Veronica expectantly. Veronica glanced at the card suspiciously, then back at Rama. Rama gestured at the wall, and Veronica sighed. She rolled her eyesand placed the card on one of the slightly darker squares. The square seemed to glow slightly, before a tiny glowing sheep appeared in front of Veronica. She looked down at the little sheep in amazement, as it looked around the space. It bleated lightly , then took a bite out of a nearby couch.

  “Why don’t you all try.” Rama walked around the room handing out cards “It really is quite marvelous.”

  Jacob took the card and paused as he stared at it. He glanced over at his grandfather, who exchanged a knowing look with him. Rama had handed him a Wonder Corp. Card he was familiar with, a card he already had two copies of in his deck.

  Lamb of the Forgotten Apostle - Creature - Light Type - Strength: 1900 - Defense: 1700 - A shining sacred lamb of the apostle that has been forgotten. While on the field all light type cards gain 200 Strength.

  It was the card that National Intelligence had ordered him to recover; the proof they needed to attempt to raid the factory, and seize all of its secrets. To bring oversight to the most mysterious of the corporations, and allow their country to finally understand what Wonder Corp. had been up to. Somehow Jacob needed to get a copy of this card out of the tour. In the split second he stared at it he thought of the soldiers dying in the rooms he had already passed through; he wondered if Cascadian enforcement officers would face a similar fate. The factory held secrets and terrors he couldn’t begin to describe - terrors and secrets Cascadia would not be able to face. The image of each of the other tour members flashed through his mind as well. Kerl’s paralyzed form, broken in three. Ku Do-Yeon’s crystalline monstrosity, slumped against the ground. The tears that continued to flow out of Amaryllis’ eyes, even after the rest of her body had turned to stone.

  “This card looks familiar.” Stan broke the silence, looking the card over.

  “You’ve probably seen the Shadow Card.” Rama smiled gently “We were surprised when it was offered in challenge. Turns out there’s not mechanism in the machine that prevents it from producing a Wonder Corp. version of the shadow cards, so long as the regular discovery and production process is followed.”

  Jacob pressed his card against the wallpaper, feeling the surface automatically grip it to the wall. The square underneath it glowed and Jacob pulled his hand away, the card remaining attached where he had placed it.

  There was a small bleat at his side, and Jacob saw the Lamb that he had summoned. It was gently butting against his leg, demanding attention much in the same way any other lamb would. He knelt down and began to scratch the lambs head, which bleated appreciatively. The lamb’s fur was incredibly soft and warm to the touch, and Jacob couldn’t help but smile.

  “Go ahead and keep those by the way.” Rama placed the small stack of cards back on the shelf they had come from “They’ll be entering production next week, they just finished their testing period. Not incredibly powerful, but incredibly cute.”

  “So this wallpaper casts cards?” Stan looked at his own sheep confused, having placed his card on the wall shortly after Jacob did. “What’s so special about that?”

  “It’ll change everything.” Rama sat on an armchair and began to sip again at her drink “You can cast anything you want, just by putting it on your wall. No fancy equippers or casting platforms. Just wallpaper that can go on almost any surface. We’re planning on giving the first production runs away to nations where equippers are scarce as a part of our international aide agreements. Once tests are done.”

  “Let me guess,” Veronica looked at Rama sarcastically “This one also has a few bugs?”

  “No, so far it’s worked perfectly.” Rama got up and walked over to pet Veronica’s sheep “But I’d like do a few hundred more castings before calling it ready. Better safe than sorry.”

  “I still can’t imagine why anyone would want to cast something with Wallpaper.” Veronica turned and grabbed the card off the wall, her sheep disappearing as it was pulled from its casting surface.

  “We think,” Rama suddenly stood up straight and grabbed Veronica’s arm before it could lower the card any further “therefore we are. We are, therefore we can be.”

  Rama stared deeply into Veronica’s eyes, before the woman finally nodded slightly. Rama let go of Veronica’s hand, allowing her to lower the card and add it to her deck.

  “Cards should belong to everyone.” Rama looked around as the tour group marveled at their lambs, who were making a mess of the space. “But giving everyone cards means nothing if they cannot cast them. Wallpaper is a fraction of the cost of an equipper; it’ll bring casting into households that couldn’t dream of using cards before. I think that could make a huge difference, wouldn’t you agree Mr. Wilcox.”

  Stan jumped a little at suddenly being brought into the conversation, stuttering slightly as he answered “Depending on the cards themselves, yeah. It could change a lot of lives.”

  "Picture it." Rama looked out the window as she spoke “Power cards don’t need electricity. Creatures are cheaper to maintain than pets, with many of the same benefits. Equip cards like Awaken could be cast on entire families, making sure everyone is awake in time for school or work. Focus cards could be cast on all the children doing homework instead of just one. It would democratize card use. Make it affordable to almost everyone on Earth, in all but the least developed nations. Cards you otherwise would have needed half a dozen copies of can be used once, for the whole family. Cards that summon food and sustenance, cards that heat in the most freezing winters, cards that give access to every resource and treasure the less fortunate are desperate for.”

  “Sounds impossible.” Jacob muttered, looking again at his lamb.

  “Nothing’s impossible.” Rama looked away from the window and walked to the nearest section of wallpaper “Everything in this room is proof of that. All of it runs on card. The TV, the Bar, the sound system. Everything is designed to be inexpensive and run on cards. Including the security system.”

  Rama placed her silver card onto the wallpaper, and a section of wall slid in place in front of the entryway. Similar sections of wall slid in front of the windows, leaving them completely shut into the room. Rama smiled mischievously at them.

  “What just happened?” Stan asked nervously

  “This room no longer has any windows or doors.” Rama said ominously “I offer you a simple challenge: to find your way out.”

  Rama twisted the silver card, and the room plunged into complete darkness.

  If you can guess the movie the living room is a recreation of before it’s revealed in the next chapter then massive kudos, you’re awesome. While growing up I loved Thriller and Horror novels, the next chapter is my opportunity to very lightly touch on that love. This isn’t a horror novel, and I don’t expect audiences of this book particularly want to read Horror or Thriller (there are plenty of horror books on Royal Road for that market); I promise the elements will be light. I enjoy writing sequences where Rama has had a little fun, and missed writing in the genre. My first fiction - Death of the White Rabbit, currently on hiatus due to my personal life - contained a lot of those elements, this is my chance to gently revisit. If you read the next chapter and like the elements then maybe give that book a try. I got 15 chapters out before having to mysteriously vanish myself; it’ll be restarting in the next few weeks along with an explanation.

  Speaking of explanations, this is the third week in a row I’ve had a large amount of chapters late. I’ve struggled to stick to my own schedule, and the story (and its growth) has suffered a bit as a result. I’ve hinted at this before in other author’s notes, but I’m having a very tough time in my life right now. I’m having landlord and job difficulties, I live in an unsafe household, I’ve been struggling with balancing it and my mental health, and it’s been stacking up recently. I am adjusting my post schedule and I am not abandoning the series. I have the rest of book 1 fully planned out and Book 2 already in progress; I love writing this and reading all of your comments and thoughts in the polls. I’m sorry that it’s been inconsistent; I promise you all that I am very much trying to get that backlog rebuilt and the story back on track in terms of release. I am committed and not abandoning the story, please bear with me as I work through one of the more stressful and difficult times in my life.

  That being said, if you liked the story then consider leaving it a comment down below (and huge thanks to all of you who do, including ‘thanks for the chapter’ and edit suggestions; it makes my day when I see the interaction), rate the story, follow the story, and maybe even leave a review. Every little bit helps. I don’t have much of anything on it yet but also consider checking out my Patreon, I’ve had some behind the scenes content in planning for a while I hope to drop soon.

  Until the next chapter, trust in the cards…

  Why do you think Rama turned off the lights?