Excerpt: The Fifth World

"What do you know of data ghosts, Annabelle?"

Annabelle drew away, confused with the sudden change in subject. "They're imprints."

"Imprints of an avatar," 043 said. "Are failed data ghosts. They are mere impressions, footsteps on the beach. Real data ghosts are imprinted from living consciousness, a remnant of a mind; a soul. A real data ghost evolves and develops its own consciousness rather than stagnating the way Circle House did. They are like children... or the next evolution. Like a clone, raised different from the original. The ghosts in the machine.

"Many influential figures in the Dreaming have attempted to create real data ghosts. Avatars on the CityWeb do not need food nor water, do not need air or rest. They are free floating strings of numbers. Surely you have noticed that there is no such thing as decay here?"

Annabelle swallowed heavily, feeling the ball of dread expanding in her chest. "I have."

"One does not age or feel pain or die here. Immortality is in the minds of children."

Immortality was in the minds of little children. The scientists at Circle House would cut open and dissect the minds of children in order to find the answer to immortality.

"I don't understand." Annabelle repeated, feeling sick.

"Children have no concept of death or illness." 043 explained. "Their worlds come from fairy tales... happily ever after lasts forever. Their imagination, Annabelle, that was the key. The creator of Circle House was trying to carry a message, although Circle House is not the truth.

"Circle House tried to create data ghosts, a way to immortalize the people who walked through the halls. But it failed. Those impressions were vague and fleeting, and didn't last. In a world where everything lasts forever, that is the ultimate of failure."

"What do you do with a world where everything lasts forever?" Annabelle muttered under her breath, eyes coming to a close. She had asked herself that before, among many other questions.

"The perfect world that lasts forever," 043 agreed. "But the avatars that inhabit the world do not. They could, though. Avatars are nothing but strings of numbers, just like the sims they roam in. Everything should have been perfect. Perfect avatars in a perfect world. Things would have been beautiful, and that beauty would have lasted forever. There was only one little problem in their solution."

"The Dreaming." Annabelle breathed when 043 paused to look at her. This was all coming together. "Human beings. We live, grow old, grow ill, and die."

She thought of Hoff and his barking laugh, that grandfatherly care he demonstrated. She thought about how happy he was on the CityWeb, and his story about what the CityWeb did for him. About the end of his life, his inability to stand and walk in the Dreaming. How that prevented him from interacting with his family.

"The CityWeb does not have tired muscles. It does not have difficulty breathing. "

He was made young by the CityWeb, able to run and play with his grandchildren. But Annabelle knew that when Hoff died from illness, from his age... his avatar would be gone from the CityWeb as well, as if it had never existed. That was how his avatar would die. Not because it was damaged, not because it had aged or grown ill... but because the person controlling his avatar would be gone.

"The CityWeb is immortal, but human beings are not. That was the problem."