OK - So what has happened is that when the explosion occurred they actually died and then went into the Bardo states. The Bardos are 4 (really 8) states of consciousness - waking life, sleeping life, sleeping death, waking death - that's not really accurate but it's close enough. As I mentioned it helps to understand some Buddhism and I don't mean exoteric Buddhism I mean esoteric budhism. Yes one is lower case. Ubik was based on Timothy Learys Tibetan Book of the Dead - which is basically a guide to Gnosis via acid. Soma was the traditional gnostic imbibement but Gnosis can be achieved in multiple ways - so if you're willing you can actually see what death is before you have your final death - this prepares you for travel through the bardos. When in the Bardo's you will be distracted by lights that represent your karma. If you are say distracted by the red light - you will not complete the incarnation cycle and instead be reborn as an animal. The ultimate goal is to not be reborn - Moksha, Samadhi - Annihilation. One with the void - this takes years of meditation to achieve which is why everyone just ends up reincarnating again. I could actually write a book longer than Ubik itself about it. There are two traditional Mystical Schools - In the East its Mahayana Buddhism (esoteric not exoteric) and in the West it is the Gnosis of the Essenes which was passed on to the Rosicrucians. In essence Initiation is death and rebirth. Death itself is the cessation of all information - very hard to achieve as the mind usually has latent energy which generates thoughts. However it is achievable as I can personally attest.