She had come out tonight because she believed there had to be a present tense, somewhere, and she'd followed Gav and Barnesy because she'd hoped they knew where it was. Is. And they'd dragged her to yet another haunted house. Where was the now? In bloody America, probably, apart from the bit that Tucker lived in, or in bloody Tokyo. In any case, it was somewhere else. How could people who didn't live in bloody America or bloody Tokyo stand it, all that swimming around in the past imperfect?
The character in the story is searching for a sense of present reality, believing that a meaningful 'now' must exist somewhere. She has followed her friends, Gav and Barnesy, in hopes that they would lead her to this elusive moment. Instead, they end up at another haunted house, which symbolizes her frustration and disconnection from the present.
Her reflections reveal a deep dissatisfaction with her surroundings, suggesting that true presence is found in places like America or Tokyo, far from her current location. This longing underscores a struggle with living in the past, as she yearns for a connection to the vibrant present that seems just out of reach.
