Chapter1Returh
Aft🅺🛵erDimitri’sfleshbodydisappearedmyst🅓🆆🍑eriouslyintothinair,aminusculeshredofhissciousness,invisibletothenakedeye,floatediuniverse.Sometimeshefeltasifhisbodycould♾🎀extendindefinitelyandmergewiththeuniverse,thoughactuallyatthatmomentitwasnomore.Atothertimes,hefeltthathisbodycouldtractatwilluntilitwassmallerthaiparticleofdust.Thus,Dimitriroamedfreelyintheuniverse,herhappynorsad,justfloatingincessantly,urainedlyandspontaneously.Forhim,timehadnotinuitywithnobeginningandnoendandspace,too,wasofnosequence.Dimitrirealizedthathewasattheveryinalspotoftheuniverse.
Dimitri’ssciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Hewastiredofwanderinganddidnotwanttodriftaimlesslyaroundanymore.Hefeltasenseofpeace.Hewasalsotired.Thesestraions,hazyand🖝📥🝀obvious,weremixedwithamildfeelingofjoy.Butno,itcouldnotbecalledjoybecauseifitwasjoy,itsopposingfeelingofsadnesswouldbesuretoexist.Norwasitafeelingoffortandeasebecauseitstr🜿🇶astiionwouldbepainandworry.No,itwasaralfeeling,seeminglytherebutnotreallythere,existient.Ithadiveortrastiions.Dimitriwasnotwillingtothinkfurtheroranalyzethequestionrationally.Hehadgivenuponthoughtandimmersedhimselfpletelyinenjoyment,fullysavthisstrange,warmfeeling.
Dimitri’sshredofscioushatnon-materialsubstance,restedcalmlyattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Tiredofroaming,hewasnotwillingtodriftaboutanymore.Suddenlyapicturepoppedintohissciousness.Apairofnakedloverswasasleep,cspedfortablyineachother’sarms.Theyseemedtobesleepingsosoundlythatitseemedasifnothingcouldeverwakethemup.Themanwashandsomeandmusdthewomanwasslenderaifusaflower.Dimitri’sheartlurched.“Aren’ttheymyfaithfulservantsCreativityandImagination?”Hehopedtheywouldsleeponforeverandneverbecauseiftheydo,themaivitywouldworktirelesslyonandthewomanImaginationwouldrackherbrainsfuriously.“Theywoulddestroytheperfectequilibriumofhispresent🕿🏖🚈stateofmind,sopeaceful,brightaiful”hethought.
ButDimitriwasdisappointed.Imagination’sslim,delicatefingersmovedandcaressedCreativity’sbroadchest.Creativityblinkedopen🐦🂇edhissleepyeyes.Standinguphestretchedhissculpturedlimbszily.Extendinghishandtohisbeautiful,curvaceousanddelicatepanionwhowasstillreingograsshecarefullyhelpedherup.Thetwoofthemthenwalk🕄edintothewoods,towardsastreamofclearandpure,waterasyetuninatedbyhumans.Theyscoopedupthecoldcrystalclearwaterwiththeirhandsandsprayedtheirheadsandfaceswithit.Thenughingjoyouslytheydivedinandswamaroundhappily.Theyfrolickedlight-hearte🇺🝩dlyierspshingeachotherinfun.ImaginationthrewherselfintoCreativity’sarmsawoembradkissedeachother.
“Look!Howbeautifulthegaxyis!”shesaid,lookingatthemyriadsofstarstwinklinginthenightsky,feelinghappyandsatisfied.“Ourearthtooshouldbeohosebrilliaialbodies,buthumanshaveusedupalmostalloftheearth’sresourdhavebroughtdestr🅫u,pollutionandinationeverywheretheywent.Ohbeesunfitasahumanhabitatweofindasafehavensomewhereelseintheuniverseahemtoit.Tosomeotherpperhaps?Buttheenviroheremayableforhumans.ThatisaproblemIhavebeentryingtosolveforalongtimebuthavefailedtofindadesirablesolution.”Cre🝠🌥ativitywassilentashetoohadnogoodaoherquestion.SuddenlyImaginationjumpedupandcppedherhandshappilylikeachildandsaid,
“Yes.Yes.Why🄈🞵😞don’tweourselvescreateanoth🔛erpsuitableforhumanstoliveandrelocatethemthere?Whatdoyouth😼ink?”
“Goodidea!Goodidea!”excimedCreativity;hiseyesalightashegraspedthepossibiliti🛪🟌🛫esestion.“IimitateGod’smightandpowerthatheusediingtheuniverseaeanotherpsuitabl🄕eforhumans,withlight,heat,air,os,ndandallkindsoflife.Theclimatewouldbewarmandfortable,suitableforpeopletoliveandprocreate.Goodidea!Averygoodidea!”Thetwoofthemdancedhappilyiream.“Whydon’twebegiaway?”hesaid.Handinhawoofthemwalkedoutofthewaterontond.
Suddenlyahuge,eye-blindinglybrilliantballoflightappearedinthedarksky.Afigurecouldbeseeninthatballoflight,whospokeinaloud,solemnvoice,“Youtwomiserable,ignoranthumanbeing!IdroveyououtoftheGardenofEdenbecauseyouhadacquiredknowledgeandthought.Nowyouhavetheaudacitytothinkofcopyingmycreationoftheuniverseanddaretothinkofcreatingapofyourown?IamtheCreatoroftheuniverse.IandIalorolit.Itoperat🇷🝍esonmyordersaypn.Howdarethetwoofyouchalleopyourcreativityandimaginationatonceoryouwillincurthewrathofheaven.”CreativityandImaginatioo🍌📇ntheground,cowed,fluster🕬ed,andpanic-stribecausetheykheyhadangeredGodhimself.Thebrilliantballoflightdisappearedandblurryandindistinctdarknessonceagainreigheuniverse.
“Waitaminute.Waitaminute”shoutedDimitri,raisinghisheadtowardsthegraypre-dawhat’snotfair!Yousaidmanwasmadetoyourownimageandlikehatmeanstherearehumasinyouanddivisinman;thereforetherearep🆄🌽🄡artsofyouinmeandmeinyou.YouarepartofmeandIampartofyou.Tobeperfectlyfair,itcouldbesaidthatyouandthehumansyoucreatedhavemuonandarecreatedmutually.Manshouldhavetherighttomakehisowndecisionsandnotbeyourvassal.”Thegrayskiesdidnotanswerhim,butwassomberandsilentasusual.
Dimitriwokefromhisreverieandfoundhimselfs😎⛻ittingonabenchbytheke,hisshouldersandhatcoveredwithdew.Hisdipidatedjacketandloosebcksckswerealsowetfromthefogandmist.Hewasdeeplyshockedtorealizethathehadbeensittihewholenight,hismindfranticallyimaginingthings.Hesuddenlyrecalledthathisfleshbodyhaddisappearedintot🎠💞hinairandhisminusculeshredofsciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse,savsensationsofpeadtranquility.Howehewasbaearthagain?Whatwasthereonthisearththathecouldnotrelinquish?Heennilesshomelesspersonandblindintothebargain.Whatcausedhimtogsotenaciouslytothismundaneworld,unwillingtodepart?Ah!Itcouldonlybebecausehevaluedthispreciousfleshbodyandtreasuredlifeitself,sohecouldnotgivethemupsolightlyandcasually.
Daybroke.Thefirstlightofdaygraduallybrighteheskiesdispersingtheblurryandindistinctpre-dawnbleakness.Afewcarsdrovepastswiftly.Dimitriuzzledastowhythestreetslookedsodesertedayasnormallytheywouldbecrowdedwithtrafficbythistime.Thenherealizeditwas🐆Sundayandmostpe🏍oplewereinchurch,sothereweren’tasmanypeopleoreetsandalsofewercarsontheroad.Herememberedthatinhisreverie,heelevatedthepositionofmantothesamelevesGodandthoughtthatresumpt🖵🖺🗬uousself-glorificationonhispartandreallysacrilegious.“IhadbetterleavethequestioionshipbetweenGodandmantophilosophersandwisermenthanItosolve.WhymakesuchadoaboutnothingandrackmybraihisinsolvableGordianknot?
JusttheigaromaoffreshFrenchfriesandpastrywaftedoverfromtheshopsacrossthestreetandDimitri’sstomachgrowled.“Ihavereallyover-estimatedthepowerofmahought.“Takemeforinstance.IamsohungrybutthereisnothingIdoaboutit.I’tevensolvetheproblemofmyemptystomach.Yes,I’dratherbeaninsignifitman.Well,IsupposeIhadbetterpluckmyselfupandrummagethroughthegarbagesarouoseeifIfi-overspeoplethrewawaysoIfillmystomach”saidDimitriless,wryexpressiononhisface.Theimageehambu🎟💒rgercameintohismind.“HowIwouldreallyenjoyitifIhadargehamburgerlikethat”hethought.“Iwouldchewandsavoreverybitebeforeswallowingit.Thefeelingofafullstomachwouldbereallymarvelous!”
Thesunrosehighinthesky.Itwasanotherlovelybrightsunnym.Carsariansincreased.Fromthefastfoodrestaurantacrossthestreetcamethebarkingofadog.Dimitricoulddetermiitwassmedium-sizedogofasmallerspecies,about15-20pounds🅗.Itshouldbeacute-looking,likablepuppy.Dimitrimadefriendseasilywithallkindsofanimalsashisheartwasfulloflove.Normallyashabbily-dressedblind🜿🇶man,tappinghiswayaroundwithawhiteewouldeasilyarousetheenmityofdogs,butnotDimitri.Somehow,eveviciousdogscouldsensehisinnateloveandfriendliness.Animals’reaoresensitivethahink.Wheneverhesatonabench,wildpigeonsflyingoverheadwoulddropdowntothegroundaroundhiminashowof♥💌trustandfriendliness,whetherhehadanythingtofeedthemornot.
SoonacarstoppedintheshadeofatreenearDimitri.Assoonasthecardooropened,abck,long-eareddogjumpedoutandmadestraightforDimitri.Itsfurwasbrightandshinyanditsbodyfatandwell-fed,evidentlysomeone’swell-lovedpet.ThedogjumpedupthebendclimbedontoDimitri’sp,itsshortstumpytailwaggingfuriouslyiing.Itlookedhappyaed.Dimitricaressedthedogainhisarms.Hefoundthedoghadapaperbaginhismouthwithasmallpaperboxi.Somehowhekwasara-rgesizehamburger.Thelovelylittledogbarkedandthepaperbagdroppedfromitsmouthtotheground.IthurriedlyjumpeddowrieveitandonceagainjumpedupontothebendofferedhispaperbagtoDimitri.Hurryingfootstepswalkedover.“Maureen,youareabadboy!”scoldedafemalevoice.Evidentlythedog’smistresswashere.“Themomentthecarstoppedyouranoff.HaveyottehingItaughtyou?”Thefootstepssuddenlystopped.Whenthedog’sownersawherpetpyingwithahomelessmanshecalledoutinsurprise.“Dimitri!Isthatyou?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Wherehaveyoubeely?Thepeopleintheneighborhoodareallthinkingofyou.”Dimitri’seyesbrightened.Inhismind’seye,heseemedtoseeatalndslenderwomaninaskybluesuit,withabroad-rimmedwhitesunhatandwhiteleatherwalkingshoes.Iythewomanwasdressedexactlyashethoughtshewas.Hereizedthemencholyandsexyvoidanswered,“Isthatyo🀴🀼uCharina?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Isthisdogyours?”
“Yes,it’smi’sab🍝🉆🅄oydog,b🖋👅🆡utbecauseheissonaughtyIgavehimafemalenameMaureen,hopinghewo🜞🃍uldbedocileandfairasagirl.”
“It’salovelydog.IrememberwhenIwasyoungI🔛usedtohaveapyfellowlikethat.Isheasmallbckcockspaniel?AmIrig🎏🐇♙ht?”
“Yes,yht.”
“Ithin😌⛢kIbeagoodfriendofhis.Iamfriendswi🔛thalld📹☍♯ogs.Bythe
way,arey😲oustillsingle?”
“Yes🖱🖚📍,I’mstillsingle.”
“That’sstrange.”
“Wha🖱🖚📍tsobadaboutbeingsingle?”asked🖣🔞Charinadefensively.