Are we dead?

Were we alive?

Who are we? Where did we go?

Wait.

It's coming back to me now…

Some say that it was thirteen billion years, but others disagree.

No. It was quite surely fourteen. Maybe more.

But whoever’s side of the argument was right, whether thirteen or fourteen or more, the one thing they agreed on is this:

The Universe was born. And with it came the stuff of wonder, as possibility sprang into being. Several billion years after that, the Universe calmed down enough for stars to coalesce from gas, and planets from the dust. Each flicked on, one by one, until their number was untold.

Millions. Then billions. Then trillions. Then millions of billions of trillions.

Through it came the day when a planet appeared, which at one time was once called Earth. And upon Earth, Man was born.

We are here!

We are here!

We are here!

For millions of years, Man reigned supreme on his planet, cradled in its bountiful bosom. He grew great and he flourished, crafting Earth to suit his needs. But always, always, always, one thing remained unchanged.

Man grew old and he died.

Always.

Always.

Always.

Oh woe are we! We have tamed our Earth and charted her seas, to bear youth upon all her lands.

But woe! Man cried. We grow frail!

We grow old and grow weak. And we die!

Oh woe!

Then the Universe granted Man a day upon which he had made a machine. And with this machine, Man came to realize he no longer needed to die.

Huzzah! Such good news! We won't die!

It rang out through all walks of Man, and rejoicement was heard in his halls.

Today we live forever! Huzzah!

But some of Man did not rejoice. Some did not want to see all eternity. Some wanted to grow old and frail, looking forward to one day meeting Death. For through their kin, they knew they'd live on. And if they forswore their corporeal body, to no longer harbor soul in flesh, no offspring upon them would be born.

Nothing would come anew. Man could be immortal, yes, but only by becoming pure spirit. No sons and no more daughters; and thereby, forever barren.

For some, it was too great a price. They could not live without children. And thus, Man split in two.

Huzzah! Immortal Man cheered. We are free! We are free! We are free!

"We're happy for you," Mortal Man answered back, “But no thanks just the same.”

For Mortal Man thought immortality to not be a freedom, but a curse.

We’ll stay in touch, one thought to the other.

Yes! And we'll always love you.

But many millions of years would soon pass. And after that, billions more. One day, Mortal Man was alone, and saw Immortal Man nevermore.

For millions of years, or perhaps billions, Immortal Man lamented his loss.

Oh woe are we!

Oh woe!

We are all so very alone!

Immortal Man felt sure mere Mortal Man, somewhere in the unending cosmos, was getting along well without him. Mortal Man did not have to live one day after another, and another one after that.

Mortal Man got to grow old and die. Immortal Man could not. Mortal Man bore beautiful children, and Immortal Man could bear none.

Oh woe! some of Immortal Man chose to lament.

Lucky stiffs, some grumbled instead.

For a curious thing came to pass as years blew by like dust. Sexes disappeared for Immortal Man, and then beliefs, and with that, thoughts about sin and redemption. Like composite in a crucible hung over an open flame, Immortal Man burned down to his essence and found he was one of two things.

He was either Good.

Or he was Bad.

There was no in between.

So again, just like when all Mankind was mortal, and had invented an amazing machine, Immortal Man split in two.

Some were Good.

Some were Bad.

We'll stay in touch, thought one to other other.

Thank, but no thanks, just the same.

And as eternity continued to pass, they saw one another nevermore.

Oh woe! All is vanity! We are lost!

Because Immortal Man had, quite frankly, grown as boring as dirt. And perhaps more boring than that.

No wonder why Mortal Man abandoned us so long ago.

Oh woe!

As Immortal Man pondered his god-awful fate, only one thing was left to be done.

Let there be light!

And there was.

And with it sprang the stuff of wonder, and he was born anew.

Huzzah! We no longer live forever! We can grow old and frail and die!

Huzzah!

But this rebirth was a ruse. It wasn't really real. It was just a game. And the only way for the game to be played was to obey one simple rule.

Don't eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Stay ignorant and be happy and blessed.

Most of Immortal Man could obey. But Others could not. And through them, the game was often spoiled.

But again, there was a solution.

Let there be light!

And there was. And the game would start anew.

Do it again!

And again!

And again!

Each time, more of Immortal Man wanted to play, for it seemed like a whole mess of fun. But something was missing.

There aren’t any bad guys playing with us, someone who seemed like rio pointed out to someone more like hank.

Everyone is good, someone like anna remarked.

It's predictable, thought one like milton.

It's boring, one like aika thought back.

I'll invite bad guys to play, one like odeya offered as a solution

Letting them play may not be wise, the one like hank thought in contemplation.

Well I do, the one like odeya replied, seeking bad guys out and inviting them in.

And with that, bad guys joined the fun, playing the game of Reality with those who were good.

Things got to be very interesting, for those who were bad outnumbered the good by a thousand-fold, or maybe more.

They're ruining the game! I don't want to play!

Me neither!

Nor me!

And nor me!

But nobody foresaw what would happen.

Why did you end Reality on us, someone like rio thought to the one like hank, or maybe they thought it to anna.

We kinda really liked it, if you didn't know.

Ach! hank thought. It had gotten old. Those bad guys mucked up the game.

Yeah, thought rio. Maybe so. But you left them behind. Shall we end the game for them too?

The one like hank, or perhaps anna, pondered on this for a moment, or maybe for an eon or two.

We’ll check back on them later. Let’s enjoy peace and quiet for a while.

The one like odeya drifted away to explore the cosmos, with millions trailing behind like gravity.

See you later! the one like odeya called out upon leaving.

Nyah! the one like aika replied, frolicking with millions of followers.

One like milton also gamboled and played, as millions more flitted like butterflies. Woof woof!

The one like hank settled back to watch and laugh, enjoying time with one like anna, or maybe it was rio. Or perhaps it was both, as with them, many millions remained.

It sure was fun, thought one to the other.

Maybe. But bad guys do often muck things up.

Perhaps it will be better next time. That is, if we play again.

For every soul, be they good or bad, would bring elements of their own to the game. They might forge rivers to feed barren land, or poison pools of water in the desert. They'd will forests and jungles into being, filling them with delightful creations, or crisp trees up into dead bony branches, blowing leaves like shed skin with the wind.

The stars twirled, and flicked on and flicked off, as the Universe carried on without end. Planets died and were born, quite happy one way or the other about whatever choice Immortal Man made.

We'll see, some thought about playing the game again.

We will see.

THE END!