1 Welcome To Godsland

The orange flickers of Gabriel's apartment mixed into the tar-black night as he caught the last glimpse before it disappeared behind the turn. The final piece of his life was reduced to ash. All he had left was the drab olive green suit that hung off his portly frame and the black duffle bag of cash he had stored in case of emergencies. His hand began to shake as he gripped his phone.

"So, Mr. Stone, you will either give me back the money you embezzled, or you die. You have till midnight," the deep voice said.

"But that's in thirty minutes? How am I supposed to get one point two million dollars in thirty minutes?"

"You stole that much from us?!"

"Should not have said that. That's on me. I'm going to hang up now."

This was it—rock bottom. Gabriel had spent the money at every chance he got. Booze, women, the six-month drug binge, and the subsequent stint in rehab. In the Caribbean. He had twelve thousand dollars left over. Not enough to get him far enough to escape the Fizzaro mafia, not with the escalated rates of sky fair.

Gabriel's thoughts became a jumble. Each part of his body became a buzz. He had thirty minutes of life left, and the only thing he felt was regret. Regret of a wasted life that would end with him dismembered, stuffed in a barrel, and left to drift along the bottom of the Atlantic ocean.

The screen attached to the back of the seat in the cab flashed with bright colors of gold, blue, and pink. A man with slicked-back pure white hair, tanned skin, and an expensive suit appeared.

"Hi, my name is Salvadore Gold. Twenty years ago, I started Zenith Corporation with a dream. To build a world where anything is possible, thanks to all the amazing employees who shared this dream, we have achieved it. It may not have been in the way we intended, but we did it thanks to. Godsland."

The scene transitioned to a high-panned shot of a spire-like mountain that led into a lush green forest as the words Godsland faded onto the center.

"A year ago to this day, we opened our first virtual reality center for Godsland. A virtual world where you can be whoever you want to be, do whatever you want to do, and live with no limits. Now we have centers built in major cities across the world, but it all started here. In this great city where our dream became your new reality. With cutting-edge technology and the brightest minds maintaining it. Godsland has become a new reality for over five million people worldwide, with more coming every day. Whether you are young, old, of sound mind, or frail body. We have a new life awaiting you."

Salvador moved to the side, and a wheelchair-bound man was brought next to him.

"This is Gary Winslow. He was diagnosed with ALS at just eight years old, and this terrible disease has rendered him unable to move, speak, and without medical equipment, unable to breathe. A year ago, there was no hope of a happy life for Gary but in Godsland? Well, he is the mighty warrior Winter the Unbreakable. Who strikes fear into his enemies and inspires awe in his allies. How is this possible, you may ask? Well, thanks to this."

A metal pod-like device appeared. With an entire body glass pane and Gary becoming submerged in liquid. With a grey bodysuit and a bulky helmet that began to close around his face.

"It may look scary, but this is the Zenith Reality Pod. The body is hooked up to equipment that helps feed and sustain the body for the long periods of time one can spend in Godsland. The helmet puts the body in specialized REM sleep, utilizing technology that stimulates and codes the brain's neural pathways. It allows the player to enter our highly secure game server and become fully integrated into the game. With a quick and relatively painless process, players can be plugged in and playing within ten minutes."

This was it, Gabriel thought to himself. Zenith Corporation became a powerhouse that had enough power to rival nations around the world. There would be no possible way that Fizzaro's hitmen could get to him there.

"For the nominal fee of one thousand dollars a month, you can play Godsland until the end of your days, and even better. We have made it possible to earn your game time inside Godsland itself. The potential to live in Godsland forever is a reality more attainable now than ever before. So come down to your nearest center, and ascend to your new reality. That's the Gold guarantee." Salvador smiled with his perfect pearl white teeth.

"Driver, take me to the Zenith Reality Center now!" Gabriel exclaimed.

The tallest skyscraper in the city. With a giant ZC in gold that stood tall above the entranceway awning. The doors parted and led into a white marble lobby, with Godsland banners that hung off every deep red pillar that supported the half-moon-shaped second floor.

"Excuse me, mam, hi. I would like to get plugged in, now." Gabriel said as he ran up to the front desk.

The young receptionist looked up from her monitor, the keyboard still clacking away.

"New sign-ups are only open between nine and eight. You will have to come back tomorrow," she replied.

Gabriel dropped the canvas bag onto the desk.

"I have twelve thousand in cash. Get me in now. Please," Gabriel pleaded.

Tears began to fall as the receptionist met his gaze once more. With an eye roll, she grabbed the gold-plated phone next to her.

"Ok, thank you." She put the phone down. "Please head into the elevator, bring this...bag with you."

The elevator ascended, floor by floor, until Gabriel reached the thirty-third floor. He stepped out into a pure white room. Light musical tones rang through the bare room. The wall in front began to rise, and a woman in a long white coat emerged.

"Mr. Gabriel Stone, I am Dr. Dolus, and I will be in charge of your plug-in process." Dr. Dolus motioned him over.

"I didn't even mention my name. How did you-?"

"We have already run a background check on you. We know why you are here. A man shows up with twelve thousand in cash in the middle of the night. What did you expect?" She sighed.

"No, that's fair, but you will get me in, right?"

"Yes, and no one will be able to access your body," she said knowingly. "Please follow me. You will need to shower, put on your haptic suit, and leave your cash in the personal item locker. It will be used accordingly per month."

"Haptic suit?" Gabriel replied.

"It is a suit that simulates everything you should feel while in-game. It helps the brain assimilate and not reject the process. Now go shower."

The hot water was the only relief Gabriel had experienced in the past few hours. His muscles had a brief respite from the tension as he ran a towel over his body. The mirror showed his aged pox-marked face, with his uneven black beard that did nothing to help cover his double chin and thick black hair that could never stay straight and curled in random places. The cool grey suit that was provided took some work to get into as he wriggled and pulled it over his loose skin. Dark lines ran across the suit, especially around the joint areas, hands, wrist, knees, shoulders. The elastic clamped down around his neck.

"Please lie down onto the bed there." A voice filled the room from a small speaker on the ceiling.

The bed began to move as soon as he laid flat on the bed. It passed through a transparent tube and ended in an empty room with dimly lit bulbs.

"Please remain still." The voice instructed

A loud grind and rumble filled the room. A large metal object descended from the ceiling that covered the bed with a click. Gabriel could barely see through the tinted green pane.

"Please do not move. This next part will be slightly uncomfortable."

A bright blue light moved from the top of his hair down to the crusted skin of his heel.

'SCAN COMPLETE. PROCEEDING TO INITIAL INTEGRATION PROCEDURE'

The pod lid began to vibrate as his feet became covered with metal boots with foam insides that suctioned around his ankles. Restraints wrapped around his wrists, waist, and soft biceps.

"Fuck!" Gabriel shouted out.

Immense pressure was applied up his entire spine that made his muscles tense and fists clench. As his head was lifted from the bed, the helmet he saw on the advert placed itself around his head. He felt the same foam from the boots form itself around his skull.

'INITIATING NEURAL PATHWAY MAPPING'

His eyebrows twitched as small shocks began to repeat over and over, each on different parts of his head. It felt like someone's fingers pushed their way across his brain.

'NEURAL PATHWAYS MAPPED. READY TO PROCEED'

The helmet began to close and cover his face. With a click around his neck, he felt fully submerged in the deepest depths of the ocean, but still better than being trapped in the depths of the Atlantic. The rubber fabric of his haptic suit began to feel damp.

"Do not be alarmed." Dr.Dolus' voice rung through the helmet. "The reality pod is being filled with a nutrient-rich solution. This keeps your body healthy until your monthly reset."

The pod began to vibrate, although he felt disoriented from being submerged, he could feel it move and raise itself upright.

'ALL FUNCTIONS COMPLETE. INITIATING LOG IN, IN THREE. TWO. ONE'

His eyes were filled with bright blues and whites. His stomach dropped as he fell, spun, and flipped. The soles of his feet flattened and he stood within a void white room.

'Welcome to Godsland. Let's begin.'