My eyes remain closed during the logoff procedure. To be honest, it makes me feel sick--too much motion--all tunnels and flashing lights. The sound of the restraints clicking open signals I’m out.

Every time I lift the neurolinx helmet from my head, I’m surprised how light it is--this thing must contain serious tech to interface with the mind. But thank god, cause with all the hours I play, any heavier and it would kill my neck.

I hop out of the game chair and crash into the rattling office chair in front of my computer. Spots where the duct tape has peeled up poke me in uncomfortable places. Why the hell do I still need to use a mouse or a keyboard when technology exists where I can play a game with my mind? Stupid.

The active window is black except for white blocky letters that spell out Revelations. I click to quit the program.

Are you sure you want to Quit? Y/N

I click ‘Y’ and open my email program. It's a pretty sweet deal--for thirty bucks a month I get an email account, rental of the gaming equipment, and unlimited access to the game servers. In the past, I think people paid the same just to log on every month and play using their mouse and keyboard.

FuknDemon1's email has no subject and no text, just an attachment. The file downloads to my drive and gets hit with every piece of antivirus software I own. I even run it through a few free trials, just to be sure. The file shows clean in every single one.

Huh, maybe he really is a Boy Scout.

The installation is as simple as he said. As the hourglass spins, my fingers tap some random rhythm. Several songs worth of drum solos pass before a small popup box alerts me that the operation has succeeded.

I reboot Revelations.

My monitor goes black. A thrumming bass, unsettling in its urgency, comes through the speakers. Above this dark foundation, horns, bright and cheerful, play a triumphant march. White lettering floats toward the screen, the letters twisting and turning. I swear they form specific shapes--most of the people on the boards disagree. What the hell do they know? I bet none of them even take the time to watch, much less appreciate, the opening. Besides, I’m not alone--a number of websites agree with me.

When the title Revelations displays prominently on the screen, it’s time. It loaded without any noticeable glitches or changes. For all I know this won’t work. Hopefully, FuknDemon1 hasn’t taken off--it took longer to load than I figured.

The game chair is a mixture of molded plastic and memory foam. The manuals say you can play lying down on a bed, but there’s also a warning your body may respond to the mental stimulus which could result in injury. The game chair has restraints to keep that from happening, and supposedly uses other bio-feedback to heighten the sense you are physically in the game. What the hell, the chair only cost an extra five bucks a month.

I’ve sat in this chair every day since Revelations released eight months ago. After all those hours, the foam conforms to my body like it was custom made. I pull on the neurolinx helmet, covering my entire head.

“Load.”

The restraints lock into place over my wrists, ankles, and midsection. I close my eyes--the initial dive is just as puke-inducing as logging out.

“Descend.”

Bright strobing lights flash against my closed eyelids. When the light becomes consistent and my ears are bombarded by the noise of thousands of voices, I open my eyes.

Welcome to Hell.