The Eye of Minds

Teenage gamer Michael speaks to Tanya, who stands on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, planning to die by suicide. Michael tries to convince Tanya to step away from the edge, but she protests that it’s “not a game—not anymore” (12). Michael reflects that Tanya has forgotten an important element of the VirtNet, known as “the Sleep” to people who frequent the virtual world: She no longer maintains the core feeling that what happens to your Aura, your computer counterpart, isn’t actually real. 

Michael urges Tanya to remember that this is all part of a game, reminding her of the “Experience Points” they can gain before returning to the real world. Tanya argues that her suicidal ideation isn’t about Lifeblood Deep, a hyperreal virtual world which Michael, as well as many other gamers, aspires to gain entrance into. Michael regrets referencing the game, as this is something that causes players to lose points, but he knows he will lose even more points if Tanya’s Aura dies by suicide, which will delay his potential entrance into Lifeblood Deep.

Tanya protests that “he” won’t let her “Lift” out to the real world. Michael grows frustrated, seeing Tanya’s inability to remember that Lifeblood is merely a game as a weakness.