[ WP ] By 2060 , mankind is able to transfer a human consciousness to the digital world . No longer inhibited by the limitations of a physical brain , these people become the technological overseers of human society , but eventually discover evidence of an afterlife they are no longer invited to .

Arthur lay atrophied in his vertical 2 by 7 pod, cords and wires etched into his brain. Next to him, lay thousands of identical pods, a majority with the word “ deceased ” written in flashing red letters. Arthur ’ s pod lacked the red letters signifying death, although his body was indistinguishable from a rotting corpse. Motionless and alone, his heart raced with excitement. 
 ***** 
 Arthur and Beth lay together on the beach, the warm sun caressing their young bodies almost as gently as they caressed each other ’ s. With their foreheads together, Arthur stared into Beth ’ s light brown eyes and marveled at her beauty. Even after all their years together it was amazing how she still made his heart flutter like a nervous little boy. 
 
 
 “ Okay, this is boring, ” Beth exclaimed in her soft and sweet voice as she rolled on her back, “ Want to do something else? ” 
 “ Not really. I for one, enjoy cuddling. ” Arthur replied matter of factly. “ unlike some people I know. ” 
 
 “ Yeah well that ’ s just because you ’ re a big softie. I need to toughen you up, and I know just the way. ” Beth said, raising her hand and swiping away the beach. Briefly the two existed in empty white space until the new environment loaded. It was an abandoned space vessel, lit dimly by flickering lights. Arthur could make out the gnarled moans of dying space marines along with the cries of alien scum. 
 
 “ Oh no, Not this again ” Arthur said, knowing Beth meant to humiliate him in a game Alien vs Marine. 
 
 “ What, are you scared? We ’ ve played this so many times. How could you be scared? ” 
 
 Beth and Arthur found themselves in a room loaded with various pistols, grenades, assault rifles, and other essential alien killing tools. Arthur went for the shotgun, since it was the easiest to hit something with and his aim was awful. Beth, however, went for the pistol. She knew she didn ’ t need to bother taking a bigger gun. 
 
 “ What, that ’ s all your using? You big showoff! ” Arthur said. 
 
 “ Yep. And I bet I ’ ll kill more than you too. ” Beth cried as she kicked open a door and blasted an aliens head clean off. 
 
 Arthur had played this game many times, but today he felt an unusual sense of foreboding. Normally fighting realistic looking aliens that are trying to murder you with acid saliva is scary, but today was different. All day they had been hearing a synthetic voice countdown. What it was counting down to, was anybody ’ s guess. 
 
 “ Five minutes in Virtual Reality remaining. ” The synthetic woman ’ s voice echoed. 
 
 “ Hey Beth. ” Arthur said over gunfire, “ What do you suppose that timer means? Have you heard that before? ” 
 
 “ Yeah got one! ” Beth said, dusting another alien, “ Umm, no idea what the timer means, but apparently we have ten minutes. ” 
 
 “ Well, I guess we had better enjoy— “ Before Arthur could finish an alien blasted acid on his face ending his alien fighting career. 
 
 ***** 
 Arthur ’ s pod opened in a puff of dank haze, ejecting his frail body onto the cold concrete floor. He looked around frantically while taking in his surroundings. Thousands of what looked like corpses lined the massive room, each in their own pod. A few of those bodies were moving although most remained perfectly still. Had he been transported into a new zombie game? No. This is no game. His face, wrinkled with age, wrinkled even further in confusion. Where was he? More importantly, where is Beth? 
 
 Arthur tried calling out but his voice sounded like gravel from years of disuse. 
 “ Beth ” he eventually managed. “ Beth, where are you. ” 
 
 It was no use. Beth isn ’ t here. Instead, Arthur tried to get information from some of the few people who were alive, or reanimated, if that was the case. Unfortunately, they were as clueless as he was. All anyone remembered was simply being transported here from their previous lives. All Arthur knew was he needed to get out of here and find Beth, so they can return home. 
 
 Arthur marched with the other survivors toward the only door in the building. People were just outside the door; he could hear them talking. Maybe Beth was with them! Arthur limped as fast as he could toward the flashing red exit sign, shoving and pushing to get there first. He pushed open the door and was blinded by white light. 
 
 Slowly, he regained his vision, but god did he wish he hadn ’ t. The sky was not blue but ash grey. There was more rubble than buildings and not a plant to be seen. And the people that greeted him outside wore little more than rags and were nearly as skinny as he was. But they had guns. Guns pointing directly at Arthur and the other survivors. 
 
 Arthur scanned the crowd gathered before him for Beth but could not find her. Please let me find Beth he prayed. Please don ’ t let me be alone here. Tears were forming in his eyes as the hope drained from his heart. But then he heard an angelic sound. 
 
 “ Arthur. ” The voice was soft and sweet. It was Beth ’ s. 
 
 Arthur ’ s flicked his eyes toward the voice. He saw Beth ’ s eyes, but they belonged to an old woman. What happened? Why is she so old? 
 
 “ Arthur, ” Beth repeated. “ I ’ m glad you are alive. I wasn ’ t sure you would make it. ” She said with a thin smile curling along her lips. “ Now I get to kill you myself.'' 
 
 “ Beth, what are you saying? We need to go back home. Let ’ s go back to the beach, how ’ s that sound? Finish our cuddling. Or we can shoot aliens if you want. Whatever you want. Just stop scaring me. This isn ’ t funny. ” 
 
 “ Oh yes it us Arthur. You pathetic little weasel. You dreamed of me in you little virtual reality life didn ’ t you. The gall. You abandon me, the real me, to live with a virtual representation of me. While I suffered through a war that almost destroyed humanity, you lived in virtual heaven. You have no idea what I went through to survive before I found this group. I watched my daughter die, while you smiled in your dreams. For that you will pay. ” 
 
 Arthur remembered now. He and Beth. They had a daughter together. Did he really abandon his family? Arthur dug through his memory and found an answer. Yes. He was scared of the war and the draft. And he was addicted to the virtual reality. In a way, abandoning his family wasn ’ t even a choice, just a survival mechanism. A stupid, selfish, survival mechanism 
 
 “ You abandoned us, Arthur. Your own wife and child you left behind as soon as the world began to turn to shit. Our family had one spot in that damned Virtual Life. We agreed to let our daughter Sam have it. Do you remember? Remember how you stole it for yourself like a coward. The others had loved ones still in the digital world so they maintained it until now. I have always wanted to kill but couldn ’ t open the damn pod until the time was up. And guess what? Times up. ” 

