First Pulse

Static ticked across my hat before I realized my fingers were actually gripping the handheld pad. The glowing ring behind me hummed at a frequency I could suddenly feel right down to my soles. I lifted my right foot mid-stride, testing the traction against the road, and thumbed the digital screen in my hand. A tiny blue spark leaped from the glass to my knuckle—clean current, zero delay. I took one solid step forward out of the vortex, planting my feet as the neon glow illuminated the pavement around me.