on and on around the

“Backpack,” Airy says, or rather said, at some point, now played back through the tape recorder in slightly lower quality. It feels like some sort of twisted simulacrum of Liam’s life back on the Plane.Liam’s entire body freezes at the name, hates that Airy calls him that. Before he has time to collect his racing thoughts, Airy is continuing, “I hope this is Backpack, at least. I figured you would be the one. That, um. You know. Got here.” Liam has to use all the energy in him to not smash the tape recorder in his hands, if he’s even able to. He wants to find out more than anything if he is, but he can’t. He needs to get through these.“You know,” Airy says from the recording, excitement creeping into his deadpan tone. “I’m kind of your biggest fan.”