so i decided to introduce each element of my city in the book with a short story not to just diagram use, but to place the element in exaggerated urban situations, and to look at how those situations along with the element create, alter, or destroy urban space. this is my first attempt at one of these stories - its title is "web.fabric - fluid history" (imagine a layer of the city open to improvised information handling and transmission that is embedded in the fabric of the city)

his steps quickened, the flat pounding of his lo-tops echoed off of the walls of the glass and concrete around him, the clarity of the sound a reminder of how far removed he was from the activity of the city. he quickly turned around to see if he could make out his pursuer. the darkness of the night made it hard, but he recognized movement that was too quick to be a walking passerby and spun back around.

he rounded a corner, recognizing the silhouette of the familiar box, and ran towards it, his eyes searching for the next one before arriving at the first. he reached into his pocket and checked his phone - good, still some battery left after the day's business - and held it out towards a small metal protrusion on the booth. it blinked rapidly as the processors beneath began receiving the data transmitted by the phone, relaying the signal to the next point in its virtual plane.

he moved quickly to the next box with a quick intake of breath, realizing his pursuer was closing the gap. he ran by the second box, the signal from the first already having been relayed to this station, now intensified by its repeated presence through his movements. he moved quickly down th street to the third box, hoping to continue this virtual relay race, the baton containing the story of his plight.

he looked back again - the man was quickly catching up. he could make out through the dull vacant stare the flash of his malice. he could even make out the bruise he left on the nose, his impromptu “readjustment” of its structure could be made out in the soft gleam of the red glowing facade of the buildings above.

the blinking of the third box commenced, the relay now tripled. the red gleam of the buildings in he created in his wake were now as bright as the glimmering city in the distance. he felt for a moment the feather's touch of relief - a car! they must have seen! he held out his hand to signal the driver, but the white flash of the headlights quickly transitioned to red, and the car was gone.

he felt a hard thump against his chest and he was thrown to the ground. the air was knocked out of his lungs and his eyes shook inside his skull. he looked at the broken display on the phone, then shifted his gaze to the figure standing above him.

“stupid little shit-” and the man reached into his back pocket as the red faces of the buildings behind him began to fade.