I sat next to the Creature on a small log that had I found wedged under a fresh animal carcass. I had searched day and night for something other than stone, and when I found it the Creature wanted it to fuel his fire, but I said no. He couldnt have it. And to my surprise he agreed. We feasted that night, and I don't know why the Creature joined in my personal celebration.
This night, I eat from the hands of the Creature. The rare animal he brings to eat is always a test of apprehension and endurance. These things don't taste like food, but I have to eat to remain alive. I won't die alone in a cave, so high up a foreign mountain that I can't even hope to find another logical being other than the one brooding by the fire. He was eating, measuring his intake, deliberatley ignoring my reluctance.
Satan would find me. What obstacle against him can defend me with God unconcerned over the one fool who chose to irrevocably run? Am I now an opponent as hated as God? Maybe hated more, because he can win. He can kill me. How close is the Dragon now?
I shivered, and drew closer to the stone pot suspended over the fire. The contents were a murky brown, they reminded me of what mud looked like on Earth. The Creature waited, He looke at me. Mouth agape, I looked back. He's never acknowledged my presense so directly. He knows I'm here.
I never fully noticed his countenance either. He seemed too glorious and too vicious to rest an eye on, and now His eyes rest on me like solid fire, burning through my skin and watching my soul. He waited for me to eat. I thought slowly that I have two choices I can take: I can refuse to eat what he made in the pot suspended on his fire, or I can have it, eat it and own it. I would be alone if I didnt eat, maybe forever, maybe even if the Creature succeeds in his war with His Creator. I would have to descend the mountain without the guidance of the Creature, I would have to betray a benefactor for the second time in these long years. Or I could eat. Eat and take the unknown consequences.
The Creature watched me, and for the first time in my 700 nights with the Creature, I watched back. I watched His image. His outline was hard to distinguish by the backdrop of the deep cave, pregnant with fire inside it. He looked like a shadow escaping lights, too dark to distinguish in darkness, but too vibrantly alive to set eyes on in light. The Creature's body was black, like all light was lost in it, but his face glowed with it's own light.
I could see my reflection in His powerful eyes, and I could see his fire deeper inside through it.
I closed my mouth suddenly, aware and self controlled. I lowered my eyes down to level of the creatures knees, where the pot hung over the fire. This choice is mine, and nothing can decide it for me. This choice is a fork in my road.
No, it's worse. This is where the road is chosen.
I opened my mouth and spoke to the Creature by my own volition, strangely aware that I had never done it before.
"I abandoned my Creator, you know. I left...I ran to escape a Being. An indescribable being, who I hate. And I escaped all hope as well."
I raised my line of vision to involve the Creature. He looked at me with solemn eyes, but burning deep as they were before, without a sign of pity or of consideration. Startled, I saw He held a place of sorrow in his eyes instead.
I sat there alone, staring at the hot coals. The fire had fell to a dieing kindle,and the Creature stood out by the roaring cave mouth, facing the wind. He left me the full portion of the Stew. We would not need it for tomorrow, he had said. I looked at the fire that left with the Creature, and I looked at the stew laid down on the rock. I felt cold.I felt an incompetent rage.
The choice is mine.
The choice is mine.
It Begins
Start at the bottom and follow the Story from there
Friday, February 5, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Stewing
I sat at the mouth of our cave leanding on the entrance wall, hugging my knees and listening to the mountain top wind rage against our boulder. The sky was at our doorstep, like an ocean seperating the Creature's cave and the rest of the world. It was like a blanket on the world, and I so desperatley wanted to go under it and let it smother me with it's warmth.
The Creature sat deep inside the womb of the cave, floating it seemed, on the island of light produced by the fire. He was cooking his kill of a mountain animal, rare to come so high up this rock and always hard to capture through the cold fog and loose gravel. The contents were being stewed with a twig, one of three we have found on this desolate mountain peak.
My stomach growled and pulled my thoughts inward, into the cave. I savored every drop of what my imagination came up with. We never ate all of what we caught, we saved half of every portion so we would have nutrition for the next day. Thats what the Creature said, and thats what I did. It's hard to imagine doing anything else.
I turned from our doormat of the sky, and looked at Him by His fire. He burned almost as fiercly, and I wondered what He would do when ready to descend onto the planet. What were His intentions, what was his drive? In his rare moments of speech, he would occasionally mention the Creator with such intensity that it was like he was growing and harboring the birth of a rival universe withing himself, seething with anticipation for the moment to burst. He looked like a firestorm ready to wipe clean the face of this new "earth", but a firestorm reluctant to scar anything. He didn't want anything damaged, and I don't know why fire would be reluctant to burn, but He held back, he held on to something that seemed like empathy.
I turned back to face the clouds below. I thought of Satan, the plague of my mind even so far away from him. What kind of dark hound would he unleash on a mortal who spurned his pride? The scar on my cheek still burns from his blashpemous touch and I don't think mind power will outdo the father of deciet a second time. God help me...God is gone.
clap
Stone pot on stone floor, the sound of a ready meal. The Creature stood and beckoned the man in. The Stew was ready.
The Creature sat deep inside the womb of the cave, floating it seemed, on the island of light produced by the fire. He was cooking his kill of a mountain animal, rare to come so high up this rock and always hard to capture through the cold fog and loose gravel. The contents were being stewed with a twig, one of three we have found on this desolate mountain peak.
My stomach growled and pulled my thoughts inward, into the cave. I savored every drop of what my imagination came up with. We never ate all of what we caught, we saved half of every portion so we would have nutrition for the next day. Thats what the Creature said, and thats what I did. It's hard to imagine doing anything else.
I turned from our doormat of the sky, and looked at Him by His fire. He burned almost as fiercly, and I wondered what He would do when ready to descend onto the planet. What were His intentions, what was his drive? In his rare moments of speech, he would occasionally mention the Creator with such intensity that it was like he was growing and harboring the birth of a rival universe withing himself, seething with anticipation for the moment to burst. He looked like a firestorm ready to wipe clean the face of this new "earth", but a firestorm reluctant to scar anything. He didn't want anything damaged, and I don't know why fire would be reluctant to burn, but He held back, he held on to something that seemed like empathy.
I turned back to face the clouds below. I thought of Satan, the plague of my mind even so far away from him. What kind of dark hound would he unleash on a mortal who spurned his pride? The scar on my cheek still burns from his blashpemous touch and I don't think mind power will outdo the father of deciet a second time. God help me...God is gone.
clap
Stone pot on stone floor, the sound of a ready meal. The Creature stood and beckoned the man in. The Stew was ready.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Devil Sideways
"Get Up".
The man formerly called wes was still prostrate and useless, lying on the foreign field. He didnt open his eyes, but by the noise he was dragged out of his dream. He could sense the shadow of a creature over him.
This creature speaks my language?
"Get Up, We Must Get Busy."
The man formerly named wes opened his eyes and lifted his head, the midnight sun searing his vision. The shadow moved and blocked out the sight, a creature stood before him, the creature looked like pure Gold.
The man immediately lifted himself from the ground and bowed before the Creature. He didn't know what he was doing, or who this Golden Being was, but he found it immoral to stand in it's majestic presence. He felt washed in it's radiance.
The Creature spoke in a harsh unknown language, and the kneeling man saw the ground move under him. Quickly the ground shifted to harsher tones and more rugged texture. They were atop a snowy mountain, over the sky and under the stars. There was a cave just below the crest with a fire burning warmly at it's heart, and here the Creature beckoned. The man moved into the cave and felt a tingling sensation all over at the touch of it's shadow, like needles into his skin. The closer he came to the hearth of the cave where the Creature sat behind, the more fervent the needle pricks became, reaching deeper into his body. He moved on, until finally he stood weary and drunken before the fire, and the Creature spoke:
"We Must All Join In Brotherhood To Overcome The Creator. I Will Bring All His Creatures Into Unity, And We Will Make Our Own Good. And We Will Destroy The Creator."
The man felt ablaze deep inside, too weary to stand. He fell forward into the fire, crashing down asleep, sending sparks and ashes flying.
The man formerly called wes was still prostrate and useless, lying on the foreign field. He didnt open his eyes, but by the noise he was dragged out of his dream. He could sense the shadow of a creature over him.
This creature speaks my language?
"Get Up, We Must Get Busy."
The man formerly named wes opened his eyes and lifted his head, the midnight sun searing his vision. The shadow moved and blocked out the sight, a creature stood before him, the creature looked like pure Gold.
The man immediately lifted himself from the ground and bowed before the Creature. He didn't know what he was doing, or who this Golden Being was, but he found it immoral to stand in it's majestic presence. He felt washed in it's radiance.
The Creature spoke in a harsh unknown language, and the kneeling man saw the ground move under him. Quickly the ground shifted to harsher tones and more rugged texture. They were atop a snowy mountain, over the sky and under the stars. There was a cave just below the crest with a fire burning warmly at it's heart, and here the Creature beckoned. The man moved into the cave and felt a tingling sensation all over at the touch of it's shadow, like needles into his skin. The closer he came to the hearth of the cave where the Creature sat behind, the more fervent the needle pricks became, reaching deeper into his body. He moved on, until finally he stood weary and drunken before the fire, and the Creature spoke:
"We Must All Join In Brotherhood To Overcome The Creator. I Will Bring All His Creatures Into Unity, And We Will Make Our Own Good. And We Will Destroy The Creator."
The man felt ablaze deep inside, too weary to stand. He fell forward into the fire, crashing down asleep, sending sparks and ashes flying.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Opposite Universe
Bombardment of vibrating colors like hornet nests into his eyes, a universe descending on his prostrate body, compressing him like at the bottom of all oceans, time itself condensing on Wes's focal point- wiping his past, warped out of old conditions. A force rises from his belly, a scream too big to let through. He can hear it, its ringing obliteration.
All he has are his eyes. Prone on a field, he stares up at the new sky of the new world, in his new body and in his new soul. He doesn't know how long he has been there. He observes unfathomable loneliness. He's destitute to his own self, not even in his own self can he confide. He is the most empty thing of the universe on the opposite side.
The strange field that he lays in is no comfort, the new sensations of the foreign world are fleeting and worthless. Not even God is here. All I have are my eyes, and I see void ascending.
All he has are his eyes. Prone on a field, he stares up at the new sky of the new world, in his new body and in his new soul. He doesn't know how long he has been there. He observes unfathomable loneliness. He's destitute to his own self, not even in his own self can he confide. He is the most empty thing of the universe on the opposite side.
The strange field that he lays in is no comfort, the new sensations of the foreign world are fleeting and worthless. Not even God is here. All I have are my eyes, and I see void ascending.
Another Dimension
The monster of Lucifer stepped backwards into the shadows- It was still screaming It's vile objection to the blinding light. Wes sensed the moment for action- yet he didn't move.
He just blighted the Devil. Wes stared opaquely at the veil of darkness that hid the location of Lucifer. He wanted to move but couldn't bring his legs up- he affronted Satan's pride. The Devil couldn't touch him in this short moment, Wes had made himself invulnerable, yet he felt the eerie air of expectation crawl on his skin. He couldn't shake it for all his effort, the morbid forethought of the Beast's retaliation just grew. It bathed Wes in cold air. The Devil is replaced by creeping insanity.
Wes felt himself lightly pushed forward by a gently sweeping wind, warmer than the oppressive forecast. The red ash that now looked so much like glowing rose petals moved with the wind into the inhaling portal.
Without even a second breath, Wes leaped into action and into the portal, forsaking all he's ever lived and all that would ever be in our unending existence.
Wes realized: "Roses have thorns"
and then he dived.
He just blighted the Devil. Wes stared opaquely at the veil of darkness that hid the location of Lucifer. He wanted to move but couldn't bring his legs up- he affronted Satan's pride. The Devil couldn't touch him in this short moment, Wes had made himself invulnerable, yet he felt the eerie air of expectation crawl on his skin. He couldn't shake it for all his effort, the morbid forethought of the Beast's retaliation just grew. It bathed Wes in cold air. The Devil is replaced by creeping insanity.
Wes felt himself lightly pushed forward by a gently sweeping wind, warmer than the oppressive forecast. The red ash that now looked so much like glowing rose petals moved with the wind into the inhaling portal.
Without even a second breath, Wes leaped into action and into the portal, forsaking all he's ever lived and all that would ever be in our unending existence.
Wes realized: "Roses have thorns"
and then he dived.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wes summoned all of his internal energy and power, concentrating on the word...
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was as if the sun had drawn infantismally closer to the earth, emitting a white light. The light was so bright, that it temporarily blinded Wes, as he heard a scream more horrid than any he had heard lucifer make since the time he arrived.
"You will never win!", lucifer shreiked, and as the light faded. A sight of Red ash could be viewed on the floor, slowly seeping into a hole leading to another dimension.
"We did it! We did it!", Wes exclaimed. He had set up the evil of all evil with his teacher's help, using his mindpower to fool the beast, leading him into destruction. Fooled into complacency by the most powerful example of pride known to man (himself), Lucifer has proven that there will always be fault in those who embrace pride. It is blinding.
Wes wondered where the small hole in the floor led to, and wondered if it was truly the end of the beast...
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was as if the sun had drawn infantismally closer to the earth, emitting a white light. The light was so bright, that it temporarily blinded Wes, as he heard a scream more horrid than any he had heard lucifer make since the time he arrived.
"You will never win!", lucifer shreiked, and as the light faded. A sight of Red ash could be viewed on the floor, slowly seeping into a hole leading to another dimension.
"We did it! We did it!", Wes exclaimed. He had set up the evil of all evil with his teacher's help, using his mindpower to fool the beast, leading him into destruction. Fooled into complacency by the most powerful example of pride known to man (himself), Lucifer has proven that there will always be fault in those who embrace pride. It is blinding.
Wes wondered where the small hole in the floor led to, and wondered if it was truly the end of the beast...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
"umm, Lucifer i guess." said Wes tentatively, his eyes darting around the office nervously. Hes never met a lord of all darkness before, hopefully he can make a good impression. The demon moved his waiting gaze from Wes to the paper and started scribbling something.
"Well hes in a session right now so you'll have to deal with that." He looked up with a cruel smile. "enjoy."
The room started fading before Wes's eyes. Wes blinked and looked around nervously and rubbed his eyes. Was it his own vision that was failing him or was something else happening? The demon's black, beady eyes, sparkled mischievously as he gradually faded out, staring unflinchingly at Wes. Eventually everything had faded out to darkness except for the sparkling black eyes and that cruel smile and in a moment that was gone too and all was black. As soon as the office had faded into oblivion so did a new image birth, a slowly fading in door, it seemed. Once his new location had completely materialized he noticed the plain wooden door had a name engraved in gold at the top of it: Lucifer. He heard a faint high pitched giggling emanating from beyond the door. It was a giggle of pure glee but there was something deeply sinister about it. He looked around his surroundings for alternate options and quickly realized that there was nothing, all else remained black except for the door that had materialized in front of him. Even the jagged rock wall that the door rested on quickly faded into blackness. He remained in a small island of physicality, the rest was unknown. Given no other option he tentatively places his hand on the doorknob and immediately feels something unwelcome surge inside his arm; a solid malevolence violating the sanctity of his body. He turned the knob and pushed in and a cold draft surged from within him, like the room had sucked out the heat in his body. Legs trembling slightly now he slowly and as quietly as possible steps in and gently closes the door behind him. The giggling stopped immediately.
The place he was now in was black, but not black for a lack of physicality but black for a lack of light. In the distance in front of him he saw a weak flickering light struggling to stay alive in the mass of darkness. There was something tall and crooked lurking around in this light. Wes, feeling drained and confused, walked stupidly toward the light like a moth. As he walked closer his body continued to feel more drained to the point where he felt like there was a heavy weight inside his every muscle, yet he continued mindlessly. He staggered into the flickering light with drool hanging from his bottom lip and his eyes drinking in the image before him without comprehension. He was staring at the bony back of a very tall red skinned creature, its spine protruding horrendously and slumping forward sharply near the neck. Its arms were long and skinny and it had long bony fingers with sharp yellow nails. Its legs were thickly muscular and hoofed and it had a long, lizard like tail. Its attention was intensely focused with something in front of him and it hadn't noticed Wes right behind it. Its breathing was jerky with bubbling excitement and glee and its long arms were fiddling with the thing in front of him.
Its head suddenly jolted up now aware of another presence. It slowly turned to face Wes who stood there staring up at the creature stupidly. Its long white hair was sparse and spider-like and the contours of its face were sharp as if it had placed a thin red layer of skin over its skull. Its eyes were small glowing orbs that had sunken deep into the sockets, staring hungrily at Wes from within their dark holes. Its thin lips curved into a wicked smile revealing its layers of sharp teeth. Its red chest rose and sank rapidly as it breathed with excitement at the enticement before him. It moved its heavy hoofs toward Wes and extended its long arms tentatively as if careful not to spoil the source of his new found joy. Its long sharp fingers stroked Wes's cheek with delicacy as its voracious eyes drank in the image before it. Its face suddenly contorted into a visage of pure malicious cruelty and its long fingers tightened on Wes's cheek and the long, yellow nails cut deep into his skin, shooting sharp pain throughout his entire body. Wes screamed in agony and Lucifer's grip was released immediately and jolted back as its lips stretched into a look of pure glee. Lucifer brought his bloody fingers up to his neck and rubbed the blood down his neck. As he did so he closed his eyes, turning his head up and letting out a breath in a display of extreme pleasure. Its icy gaze turned back to Wes and it let out a high pitched giggle of pure joy. It placed a controlling hand on Wes's shoulder and guided him to where it had been facing earlier without turning its gaze from him for a moment. As Wes walked in that direction he saw what looked like a standing strapped bed slowly sinking back into the surrounding darkness away from the light. What was strapped to the bed was reduced to a bloody pulp, its meat hanging freely from its frame to the point of being unrecognizable. It disapeared into the darkness and within the moment slowly emerged back into the light without the slightest stain of blood on it, the straps hanging patiently. Lucifer's gentle but firm grip on Wes's shoulder guided him to the strapped bed, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Wes. (i have a little bit more to add to this, please wait for it.)
"Well hes in a session right now so you'll have to deal with that." He looked up with a cruel smile. "enjoy."
The room started fading before Wes's eyes. Wes blinked and looked around nervously and rubbed his eyes. Was it his own vision that was failing him or was something else happening? The demon's black, beady eyes, sparkled mischievously as he gradually faded out, staring unflinchingly at Wes. Eventually everything had faded out to darkness except for the sparkling black eyes and that cruel smile and in a moment that was gone too and all was black. As soon as the office had faded into oblivion so did a new image birth, a slowly fading in door, it seemed. Once his new location had completely materialized he noticed the plain wooden door had a name engraved in gold at the top of it: Lucifer. He heard a faint high pitched giggling emanating from beyond the door. It was a giggle of pure glee but there was something deeply sinister about it. He looked around his surroundings for alternate options and quickly realized that there was nothing, all else remained black except for the door that had materialized in front of him. Even the jagged rock wall that the door rested on quickly faded into blackness. He remained in a small island of physicality, the rest was unknown. Given no other option he tentatively places his hand on the doorknob and immediately feels something unwelcome surge inside his arm; a solid malevolence violating the sanctity of his body. He turned the knob and pushed in and a cold draft surged from within him, like the room had sucked out the heat in his body. Legs trembling slightly now he slowly and as quietly as possible steps in and gently closes the door behind him. The giggling stopped immediately.
The place he was now in was black, but not black for a lack of physicality but black for a lack of light. In the distance in front of him he saw a weak flickering light struggling to stay alive in the mass of darkness. There was something tall and crooked lurking around in this light. Wes, feeling drained and confused, walked stupidly toward the light like a moth. As he walked closer his body continued to feel more drained to the point where he felt like there was a heavy weight inside his every muscle, yet he continued mindlessly. He staggered into the flickering light with drool hanging from his bottom lip and his eyes drinking in the image before him without comprehension. He was staring at the bony back of a very tall red skinned creature, its spine protruding horrendously and slumping forward sharply near the neck. Its arms were long and skinny and it had long bony fingers with sharp yellow nails. Its legs were thickly muscular and hoofed and it had a long, lizard like tail. Its attention was intensely focused with something in front of him and it hadn't noticed Wes right behind it. Its breathing was jerky with bubbling excitement and glee and its long arms were fiddling with the thing in front of him.
Its head suddenly jolted up now aware of another presence. It slowly turned to face Wes who stood there staring up at the creature stupidly. Its long white hair was sparse and spider-like and the contours of its face were sharp as if it had placed a thin red layer of skin over its skull. Its eyes were small glowing orbs that had sunken deep into the sockets, staring hungrily at Wes from within their dark holes. Its thin lips curved into a wicked smile revealing its layers of sharp teeth. Its red chest rose and sank rapidly as it breathed with excitement at the enticement before him. It moved its heavy hoofs toward Wes and extended its long arms tentatively as if careful not to spoil the source of his new found joy. Its long sharp fingers stroked Wes's cheek with delicacy as its voracious eyes drank in the image before it. Its face suddenly contorted into a visage of pure malicious cruelty and its long fingers tightened on Wes's cheek and the long, yellow nails cut deep into his skin, shooting sharp pain throughout his entire body. Wes screamed in agony and Lucifer's grip was released immediately and jolted back as its lips stretched into a look of pure glee. Lucifer brought his bloody fingers up to his neck and rubbed the blood down his neck. As he did so he closed his eyes, turning his head up and letting out a breath in a display of extreme pleasure. Its icy gaze turned back to Wes and it let out a high pitched giggle of pure joy. It placed a controlling hand on Wes's shoulder and guided him to where it had been facing earlier without turning its gaze from him for a moment. As Wes walked in that direction he saw what looked like a standing strapped bed slowly sinking back into the surrounding darkness away from the light. What was strapped to the bed was reduced to a bloody pulp, its meat hanging freely from its frame to the point of being unrecognizable. It disapeared into the darkness and within the moment slowly emerged back into the light without the slightest stain of blood on it, the straps hanging patiently. Lucifer's gentle but firm grip on Wes's shoulder guided him to the strapped bed, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Wes. (i have a little bit more to add to this, please wait for it.)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Rising
Wes stopped abruptly. He could not see through the darkness, but he sensed there was an opening in front of him. He guessed he was at the entrance of hell, he had to ascend no more.
What? Why am I ascending into hell?
His eyes darted in trying to discern what was past the gateway in front of him but he only saw a reddish black wall. He heard a click
Suddenly light swarmed into his vision and Wes was blinded. He inhaled sharply and expected hell to descend on him, but he heard a voice.... a nasal and tired voice...
"What the fuck are you doing, get the hell in here"
Wes stood stunned and blind: who was this??
"Get in here, you're letting in the draft!!"
Wes felt a calloused hand grab his shirt collar and pull him into the room and onto the soft wet ground, and then the sounds faded too.
Wes woke up on his back, he knew this because he was staring up at a light bulb suspended from the cramped cieling and millimeters from his mouth. He heard the incessant clicking of a pen. Someone was very irritated...
Wes sat up abruptly, avoiding the low light bulb. He examined his world...
"It's a room" he spoke from shock and regretted it at the immediate stopping of the pen.
The nasal voice spoke from behind him: "Here, sign this"
Wide eyed, Wes turned and saw a lanky demon with nothing on his green callous skin but glasses and a red and white striped tie. He was slouched behind a cheap wooden desk, scattered blank papers and piles of detached sticky notes was all that was on it. Oh The Horror!
The Nasal One spoke: "You have a choice between tea with Moloch, Badminton with Beelzebub, or a sermon with Lucifer. Sign."
Wes glared at the demon.
"Thats all I get? What is this?? I demand my service!"
The green receptionist took a blank sheet from his desk and blew into it with his nose.
"You now have the choice to sit here for fifteen minutes. Sign."
Wes, in contemplative gesture, considered his alternative.
"I'll take it. What do I sign?"
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Shrugged
Wes shrugged, feeling as though he could do nothing about his short lived companion. "Fortunately", he said, "The weight of the world is on Atlas's shoulders, and not mine". He started to descend the stairs, wondering what would happen if Atlas ran out of the delicious Hot Pocket snack. It would be very difficult to survive if the support of our society were to run out of steam.
As he took the steps one by one, he discovered the atmosphere was subtly changing, and that the steps were really not that old, but new. It was becoming warmer and darker, as a slight hint of evil in the air started to waft under his nostrils.
He pondered, "Is this really what I think it is?", "Really where I have ended up after my journey?" He was sad, but then realized that he had actually found meaning in his journey, something that was theory but had never been proved: the demons and creatures of hell have now established a direct link to the life line of the world, the producer, and the mind that keeps humanity safe...
As he took the steps one by one, he discovered the atmosphere was subtly changing, and that the steps were really not that old, but new. It was becoming warmer and darker, as a slight hint of evil in the air started to waft under his nostrils.
He pondered, "Is this really what I think it is?", "Really where I have ended up after my journey?" He was sad, but then realized that he had actually found meaning in his journey, something that was theory but had never been proved: the demons and creatures of hell have now established a direct link to the life line of the world, the producer, and the mind that keeps humanity safe...
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wes stood there, on what seemed to be an even floor, with his eyes closed. He hesitantly cracked his eyes and opened them.
"huh?" was the only utterance that could come out of Wes in response to what he was seeing. A thin man with a bald top and long thin white hair flaring out from the sides and back of his head was sitting on an exercise bike and calmly cycling while reading the magazine that rested on the handlebars. The red "walls" of the room he was centered in were of gently glowing crusted lava and was circular in shape with no corners or distinguishable ceiling. Wes imagined that this is what being inside of a very large egg shell would look like if the shell was made of almost entirely crusted lava. The lava seemed to have an inextinguishable life to it, keeping a calm glowing pulse behind the crusted scab that prevented the room from being flooded with lava. Wes saw a refrigerator sitting next to a small counter that had a microwave on it on the other side of the room. There was an oscillating fan sitting in front of the old man that would make his flaring white hair dance every time it passed him. Wes cleared his throat and the man turned his head to Wes without stopping cycling. His nose was long and jagged and his face looked bony and withered.
"Who are you?" said the man shortly.
"Um, I'm Wes. I was the oceans of Earth a couple of seconds ago and then I became pure conscious energy and came here."
"Hmm." responded the man without interest and then turned back to his magazine. Wes stood there for a moment wondering what to say.
"Sooo... what is this place?" asked Wes.
"Its my place." He said with a hint of bitter irony without turning from his magazine.
"Oh." responded Wes awkwardly, "So why are you on that exercise bike?"
"A bulb needs a power source doesn't it? Well that's me. I'm the one that keeps this thing on. I'm responsible for keeping life on Earth going. The weight of your world is on my back." The man turned to the next page of his magazine. Wes stood there in disbelief. This bony old man was the source of the great orb's energy? It couldn't be, but Wes thought it unwise to question him, he already seemed to be in a hostile mood.
Suddenly a beeping noise came from the other side of the room and the old man slowed down his pedaling and stepped off the bike.
"What's that?" Wes asked, alarmed, and also in shock that he would stop pedaling and risk the life of every being on Earth that depended on the sun. The man walked over to the microwave and popped open its door causing the beeping to stop and pulled something out of it.
"My hot pocket is done." He said. He walked back to the bike and resumed cycling while reading his magazine with hot pocket in hand.
"But what about the energy? I thought you had to keep pedaling to keep the light on, why didn't it die when you came off the bike?"
"Son, do you know how much energy this bike generates?" asked the man, this time turning his body to face Wes. "Not very much. There is enough energy stored in the sun around us to last for a long time. I would have to stop pedaling for several milenia just to dim this thing."
"So then how did all this energy accumulate?" asked Wes. The man turned his gaze away from Wes to the crusted shell wall in front of him. His gaze was distant, like he was staring past the shell to an infinitely distant place.
"Time." The solemn word came from the man with a weight that Wes could not comprehend. There was silence afterward except for the never ending hum of the oscillating fan and the old man's persistent pedaling. Wes swallowed and felt awkwardness lay heavy on him. He looked around for something to do but found only a cage of crusted lava. He wanted to leave, but oddly enough he couldn't break through the lava crust. He felt a jolt of panic seize his heart for a moment. How is he getting out of here? Is he stuck here forever like this wretched withered old man? His heart was beating into his throat with bubbling fear.
"Um, how do I get out of here?" asked Wes's shaky voice. The old man sighed and slumped his head momentarily before steping off his bike again and walking over to the refrigerator. He put his hands on both sides of it and pulled it away from the shell wall with surprising strength.
"Come here." he said shortly and Wes obeyed. There was a large and heavy rusted metal door behind the fridge. The man wraped a deceptively strong hand around the rusted handlebar of the door and slid it screechingly open. Stone stairs descended into darkness behind the door.
"Uh, you want me to go in there?" Wes asked with incredulous eyes.
"Yes" said the man without looking at Wes. Wes turned back to face the ominous stone stairs. He placed a reluctant foot on the first stone step and then he lowered the rest of himself onto the step. He heard the screeching door begin to close behind him and he quickly turned around and yelled
"Wait!"
The man obliged.
"You never told me your name." Wes said staring up at his bony and worn face. The withered old man stared down at Wes and uttered the name he hadn't spoke for milenia:
"Atlas."
And with that the heavy metal door screeched shut and all was dark.
"huh?" was the only utterance that could come out of Wes in response to what he was seeing. A thin man with a bald top and long thin white hair flaring out from the sides and back of his head was sitting on an exercise bike and calmly cycling while reading the magazine that rested on the handlebars. The red "walls" of the room he was centered in were of gently glowing crusted lava and was circular in shape with no corners or distinguishable ceiling. Wes imagined that this is what being inside of a very large egg shell would look like if the shell was made of almost entirely crusted lava. The lava seemed to have an inextinguishable life to it, keeping a calm glowing pulse behind the crusted scab that prevented the room from being flooded with lava. Wes saw a refrigerator sitting next to a small counter that had a microwave on it on the other side of the room. There was an oscillating fan sitting in front of the old man that would make his flaring white hair dance every time it passed him. Wes cleared his throat and the man turned his head to Wes without stopping cycling. His nose was long and jagged and his face looked bony and withered.
"Who are you?" said the man shortly.
"Um, I'm Wes. I was the oceans of Earth a couple of seconds ago and then I became pure conscious energy and came here."
"Hmm." responded the man without interest and then turned back to his magazine. Wes stood there for a moment wondering what to say.
"Sooo... what is this place?" asked Wes.
"Its my place." He said with a hint of bitter irony without turning from his magazine.
"Oh." responded Wes awkwardly, "So why are you on that exercise bike?"
"A bulb needs a power source doesn't it? Well that's me. I'm the one that keeps this thing on. I'm responsible for keeping life on Earth going. The weight of your world is on my back." The man turned to the next page of his magazine. Wes stood there in disbelief. This bony old man was the source of the great orb's energy? It couldn't be, but Wes thought it unwise to question him, he already seemed to be in a hostile mood.
Suddenly a beeping noise came from the other side of the room and the old man slowed down his pedaling and stepped off the bike.
"What's that?" Wes asked, alarmed, and also in shock that he would stop pedaling and risk the life of every being on Earth that depended on the sun. The man walked over to the microwave and popped open its door causing the beeping to stop and pulled something out of it.
"My hot pocket is done." He said. He walked back to the bike and resumed cycling while reading his magazine with hot pocket in hand.
"But what about the energy? I thought you had to keep pedaling to keep the light on, why didn't it die when you came off the bike?"
"Son, do you know how much energy this bike generates?" asked the man, this time turning his body to face Wes. "Not very much. There is enough energy stored in the sun around us to last for a long time. I would have to stop pedaling for several milenia just to dim this thing."
"So then how did all this energy accumulate?" asked Wes. The man turned his gaze away from Wes to the crusted shell wall in front of him. His gaze was distant, like he was staring past the shell to an infinitely distant place.
"Time." The solemn word came from the man with a weight that Wes could not comprehend. There was silence afterward except for the never ending hum of the oscillating fan and the old man's persistent pedaling. Wes swallowed and felt awkwardness lay heavy on him. He looked around for something to do but found only a cage of crusted lava. He wanted to leave, but oddly enough he couldn't break through the lava crust. He felt a jolt of panic seize his heart for a moment. How is he getting out of here? Is he stuck here forever like this wretched withered old man? His heart was beating into his throat with bubbling fear.
"Um, how do I get out of here?" asked Wes's shaky voice. The old man sighed and slumped his head momentarily before steping off his bike again and walking over to the refrigerator. He put his hands on both sides of it and pulled it away from the shell wall with surprising strength.
"Come here." he said shortly and Wes obeyed. There was a large and heavy rusted metal door behind the fridge. The man wraped a deceptively strong hand around the rusted handlebar of the door and slid it screechingly open. Stone stairs descended into darkness behind the door.
"Uh, you want me to go in there?" Wes asked with incredulous eyes.
"Yes" said the man without looking at Wes. Wes turned back to face the ominous stone stairs. He placed a reluctant foot on the first stone step and then he lowered the rest of himself onto the step. He heard the screeching door begin to close behind him and he quickly turned around and yelled
"Wait!"
The man obliged.
"You never told me your name." Wes said staring up at his bony and worn face. The withered old man stared down at Wes and uttered the name he hadn't spoke for milenia:
"Atlas."
And with that the heavy metal door screeched shut and all was dark.
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