The world changed. Every living creature saw the game, the digital world, and even their own physical bodies vanish as if lights in the room had been thoroughly doused. They all could feel their bodies, hear, and see yet this was a higher layer of consciousness.

Every inch of every form was touched lightly by a gentle, cold breeze, one that brought chills. A pale grey light began to fill the void, coming from both everywhere and nowhere, as music began to play. The music felt tribal in nature; subtle Japanese drums pulsed out a slow, syncopated beat that promised more to come. Then a woman’s a cappella began to ring out over the music, the mist, and the light. Her words had meaning.

“Float in eternity,” she sang as it became evident that each soul within the sound of her voice would float alone in an endless volume. “Touch me today,” continued the voice, allowing the words to flit free as if they were birds moving between clifftops. “Live for eternity,” the simple touch entreaty of her tone shifted, becoming a more insistent, sexual energy. It was building like hormones in the body, slowly weakening the mind’s control. “Joy for today. . . .” As a mind on LSD, strange layers began to build.

The grey color began to transform into the darkness of the Universe, made more seductive by the unknowable backdrop of constellations and galaxies. The allure was breathtaking, but then there was more. The voice resumed, singing “Large and small,” at the same moment every being felt the touch of the medley of the Universe, from most massive of stars to the unseen worlds between atoms. “Beauty and fear,” the minds were being stretched beyond natural consciousness. The sensation of tickling and smells followed closely behind. “Small is large,” trilled their invisible songbird, leaving each soul feeling still a short step from understanding. The experience was overwhelming but satisfying. The humans next drank, and everyone was allowed to take a deep breath of cold, fresh air. “Fear or beauty.”

The combination of energy, emotion, connection, vastness was indescribable; an impossible a roller-coaster ride through a fathomless mountain lake.

Sophie spoke, “This is your world, felt through the senses you possess."

The minds' were allowed to be blown open. There was more than images: a flow of raw energy began to flood in. “The Multiverse has many more. This is her sixth dimension,” but the Attractor was far from done. This was difficult to describe, like hallucinogens prying open the mind, but far more personal and intense. Everyone felt torn apart yet whole. There was no longer any notion of time or space; instead, there were flashes and colors. Next, there was a flood of varying emotion. They began simply with fear, happiness, and doubt. They then transformed as more complex music filled the void with love, hatred, and fatigue. Then it was depression, euphoria, and glee. Humans were being either tortured or taught.

***

At first the images were positive but then something went bad.

As the human race floated, images of strains of black oil began to form like roads of death or highways of dying nerves, snapping from one place to the next. It appeared to be nothing short of being trapped under dark oily water, while on the surface above, a gunman took aim at them with random bullets. The lines ripped from left to right, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The Multiverse began to be filled by these tightening ropes the bullet-trails created.

Something was wrong, very wrong.

The music stopped only to be replaced by ugly, deformed music from the lower dimensions. After a while, in the greatest of shame, the voice began to percolate and make sense. This was Frank Sinatra singing "My Way," as broadcasted days earlier by Marilyn but this time, the sound was bubbling from a geyser of pain. It now echoed from Marilyn’s misuse of power and echoed back. There was pain, hurt, and fear. The Multiverse was suffering.

Energy came.

***

Emilio’s coffee cup hit the floor. It broke in pieces as the man passed out along with most of mankind.

***

Marilyn stood up in her chair, had convulsions and vomited.

***

Georges lost consciousness in front of his screens, lifeless in his chair.

***

This was death.

Days passed.