Ayoungmanislyingonthegroundasleepinsideavoid.Hehasbrownhair
andiswearingagreyshirt,jeans,andblacksneakers.Hisbodyistheonlyobject
fillingthevoid,whichlookslikeemptyspaceextendingforever.Hisbodyalmost
appearstobefloating,butheissprawledoutasifheislyingontheground.Nolight
ispresent,buthisbodyiseasilyvisibleinsideit.
“HUUUUUUUUH!”hebreathesinsuddenlyasifheistakinginairforthefirst
time.Helooksaroundtheroomwildly,tryingtofigureoutwhereheis.Heisina
stateofshockandparanoia.Hewasnothereamomentago.
WhereamI?HowdidIgethere?
Hecan’trememberwhereexactlyhewasbeforewakingupinthevoid,his
memoryisblank.Allheremembersisseeingtheemptyspace.
Hecrawlsaroundonthefloortryingtoregainhisfooting.Thevoidismaking
ithardforhimtogainhisfootingbecausehecannotcomprehendhowhecanmove
onnothing.Hefinallyisabletogetup,andthenabeamoflightshinesonhim.He
raiseshishandtothefrontofhisfacetoshieldhimfromit.
“AH!Whatthehell?”hesays.Heslowlyopenshiseyesandhecanmakeout
whatappearstobeadoorway.
Whatthehellisthat?
Helooksatitforamoment,tryingtodecideifheshouldwalkoverthereor
not.Thedoorappearstobejustaperfectrectangleoflight.It’snotfillingthevoid
withlight,itjustappearstobethere.Hefeelsdrawntoit,buthe’snotsureifhe
shouldapproachit.Afteraminutehestartstowalktothedoor.Heapproachesthe
lightandstudiesit.Hedecidestocirclearounditandfindsoutthatitisjustajutting
beamoflight.Itlooksthesameinalldirections.Hestaresatitagainbeforedeciding
towalkin.
AnywherebuthereIguess.
Hecrossesthethresholdandwalksintoamassivebuilding,thesoundsof
clicksandclacksfillhisears.Thebuildingresemblesastoragefacilitywitha
machineinsidesomassiveinsizethatitseemstoextendtoinfinityinalldirections.
Theyoungmanisincompleteawe.Tohim,themachineissomethingso
inconceivablethathehasnoideahowanythinglikeitcouldeverexist.Heslowly
walksdeeperinside,tryingtofigureoutwhereheisandwhatthismachineis.He
hearsthesoundofsomethingbeingshutandheturnsaroundtofindthatthedooris
nolongerthere.Heturnsagaintowardsthemachineandinthedistancehecan
makeouttheshapeofanotherman.Hebeginstowalktowardshim,hefeelsdrawn
tothispersonandhedoesn’tknowwhy.
Hegetscloseenoughtowherehecanseethatthereisanoldmansittingina
simplewoodenchairoverlookingtheverycomplexmachine.Hecanalsoseewhat
themachineiscomprisedofnow.Thousandsofmarblesarebeingsortedinto
thousandsofdifferentrows.Theyoungmancannotbelievethatsuchacomplex
lookingmachinehassuchsimplecomponents.Themachineisnotloud,butthe
soundsstillfilltheroom.Thesoundsofclickingnoises,rollingmarbles,andmarbles
clackingintooneanotherechoacrossthegreatroom.
Helooksbackattheoldmanandnoticesthatheiswearingabrownplaid
shirt,greypants,apairofglasses,andnoshoes.Heisbaldonthetopofhishead
withwhitehaironthesidecirclingtotheback.
Theyoungmancontinuestowalktowardstheoldman.Heapproachesthe
oldmanandstandsbehindhim,justloomingover;hecannotthinkofwhattosay.
Theoldmanshiftsinhisseat,takesadeepbreath,andwithouttakinghis
eyesoffthemachinehesays,“Humanstravelalongacertainpatheveryday,not
reallythinkingaboutwhythey’redoingit,theyjustdo.Inaway,itseemstobe
secondnaturetothemtojustoperateandfunction.Theythinkaboutwhythings
happen,andwhatthesethingsmeantothemintheirlives,butdotheyreally
understandhowtheyhappen?Dotheyunderstandhowlifeworks?Theansweris
no,theydonotandtheyhaveneverbeenclose.I’vewatchedthemsincethe
beginningandneverhavetheycomeclosetounderstandingthenatureofhowtheir
liveswork.WhenIbuiltmymachine,Imadealltheeventsthatcouldpossibly
happentothemintheworldsetrandomly.Somethingsweredestinedtohappen,
butforthemostpartIgavehumansthepowertochoose.Butattimestheyabused
thatpower…andIhadtotakeitaway.Yousee,whentheyarecompletelyfree,andI
turnoffmymachine,theysomehowmanagetocausegreatcatastropheintheir
world…Hmmsuchisthenatureofhumans,itseemstobe.Theycannevertrulybe
happylivingfree,onlyiftheyaremadetodowhatthemachinedecidesforthemto
docantheybehappy.”
Theyoungmanstandsthere,thinkingaboutwhathehasjustheard.He
doesn’tquiteunderstandwhyhe’sbeingtoldallofthis.
“Youtalkasifyou’renothuman…why?”askedtheyoungman.
“Andyoutalkasifyouare,”saidtheoldman.“Youseethatchairbehind
you?”
Theyoungmanturnsaroundandfindsachairidenticaltotheoldman’s.
“Howthe?Thatwasn’tthere…”
“Nevermindhowitgotthere,justbringitnexttomeandsitdown.”
Theyoungmanwalkstothechairandpicksitup.Hewalksovernexttothe
oldman,setsthechairdown,andsitsnexttohim.Theoldmansaysnothing.Hejust
studiesthemachine.Thesilencecontinues.Theyoungmanwatchesthemachine
andobservesthecomplexityandsheersizeofit.
“Thismachineofyours…it’sso…massiveandyetso…simple.Howdidyou
constructitandhowdoesitwork?”askedtheyoungman.
“That’sthehumaninyoutalking…Yousee,themindofahumancannot
processwhataninfiniteamountis.Tothem,itextendsbeyondafathomablespace,
buttome…well…itjustis.Andastohowitworks,well,marblesrepresentan
infiniteamountofchoicesandeventsinalife.Andthemachinerandomlyassorts
themintorows,whicharethelivesofhumans.ButIwouldhavethoughtthata
beingsuchasyouwouldalreadyknowthis.”
“Whyareyouspeakingtomelikethis?Whoareyou?Or…whatareyou?”
“Doesmymannerofspeakingoffendyou?IfsoIapologize.Itsbeenawhile
sinceIlasthadaconversation.AsfaraswhoorwhatIamthough…well…I’vebeen
calledmanythingsinthecourseofhumanexistence.ButthetruthisIhavenoname.
Imerelyamwhathasbeen,whatis,andwhathasyettocome.”
“So…you’reGodthen?Thealmightycreatoroftheuniverseandeverything
init?”
Theoldmanturnshisheadandlooksattheyoungman.Heseemsannoyed
bybeingcalled“God.”Hestaresattheyoungman,hiseye’spiercingthroughhim.
“Youcouldputitthatway,yes.Icreatedthemandeverythingtheyknowto
exist,”theoldmansayscoldly.
Theoldmanturnshisheadandlooksathismachineagain.Aperiodof
silencefollows,andtotheyoungmanitfeelslikeaneternity.
“Isupposeyou’rewonderingwhyIbroughtyouhere,”saidtheoldman,
breakingthesilence.
“Ya…uh…whyamIhere?Anuh…howdidIgethere?”
Theoldmansaysnothing;heisjustfixedonthemachine.Hestartstostroke
hischinasifheisthinkingaboutsomethingintently.Theyoungmanwaitsin
anticipationofanswer,butitlookslikeheisnotgettingoneanytimesoon.
“Well?”saidtheyoungman,“Whydidyoubringmehere?”
Theoldmanturnshisheadonceagainandinaclearandsternvoicehesaid,
“Youareananomalytomymachine,tomycreation.Andforthesecondtime,you
havemanagedtocausechaosanddisruptmydevice.”
Theyoungmanlooksattheoldmanwithgreatconfusion.
“Ananomaly?Disruptyourmachineforasecondtime?Ididn’tdoanything!I
justshoweduphere,norecollectionofeversteppingfootinsidethat…thatchasm!
Whatareyoueventalkingabout?”
“I’mtalkingabouthowyourentireexistencewasnevermeanttobe.You
wereneverpartoftheplan.Youwerebornbefore,andthehumanracemadeyoua
martyr,theystartedawholereligioncenteredaroundyou…theyevencalledyoumy
son.Allthingsthatwereneversupposedtohappen,soletmeaskyou,who…are
you?”
“Wait,holdonasecondhere…Notpartoftheplan?Humansmademea
martyr?YouthinkI’mJesusorsomething!?”
“Yes,well,yesandno.You’recertainlynotthesameasthatJesusfellowwho
cameallthoseyearsago,no.Butyouareananomaly,justlikehewas,soIthinkit’s
safetoconcludethatyouareoneinthesame,”saystheoldman,becomingmoreand
moreirritated.
“Soyoudon’tknowwhatIam,orhowthehellIevenexist?Butyou’reGod,
andyoucan’tevenansweryourownquestion…Isthisajoke?Issomeonescrewing
withme?”
Theoldmanchuckles.
“Hmph,Iwasalwaysflatteredbythewayhumansstylizedmeassopowerful
andomniscient.No,Idonotknoweverything.Evenabeingsuchasmedoesnot
knoweverything.”
Theyoungmanstaresattheoldman.Hecannotbelievewhatheishearing,
orevenwhyheishearingit.Afteramomentprocessingallthisinformation,he
turnshisheadtowardsthemachineagain.Thesoundofitseemedtohavefaded
awayduringtheconversationanditisbeginningtofillhisearsonceagain.Hetakes
amomentandjustlooksatitandthinksaboutwhatisgoingon.
“So…whydidyoubringmehere?”theyoungmanasks.
“Because,it’stime.”
“For?”
“Myshifttoend.”
“Yourshift?Whatshift?You’reGod,andGoddoesn’tlike…work,hejustis
andalwayswillbe!”Theyoungmanisconfusedbeyondbeliefandhecan’tmake
senseofwhatisgoingon.
“YoukeepcallingmeGod;that’sdefinitelythehumaninyou.Well,Idon’t
expectyoutobethenextme.Ijustwantyoutoendmylife.”
“Endyourlife?Ican’tdo-whydoyou-,how-what’sgoingonhere!?”the
youngmanyells.
“Youstilldon’tknow?Ithoughtbynowyouwouldstarttorealizewha-who
youare.Nomatterwemustcontinue.”
“I’msoconfused…Idon’tunderstandwhatyou’retellingme.Ithoughtyou
saidIwasananomalytoyourmachine,”saystheyoungman,becomingmoreand
moredistraught.Hejustwantsconcreteanswers.
“Oh,Iknowwhoyouare.Iwantedtoseeifyoudid...Doyouknowwhatitis
liketobetrulyalone?Idon’texpectyoudo,butyousee,Ihavealwaysbeen.Thereis
notamomentwhereIhavenotexistedoramexisting.Icreatedtheuniverseandthe
humanracetofillavoidthatIhavealwayslongedtofill,andconstantlymy….
adversarytriestodestroywhatIhavelaboredtobuild.”
“Adversary?LiketheDevil?”
“ThehumansrefertohimastheDevil.However,thetruthisheiseverybita
partofmeasIamofhim.Weareoneandthesame,butstillverydifferent.”
Onceagainthereissilencebetweenthetwo.Theoldmanreacheshisarmout
totheyoungman.Thereisaverysimpleknifeinhishand.
“Takethis.”
“Why?”
“Stabme,rightthroughtheheart.”
“What!?No!you’recrazy!There’snowa-“
“Justdoit,”theoldmansayscalmly.
Theyoungmanjuststaresattheoldmancompletelydumbfounded.
However,thissenseofobeyinghiscommandcomesoverhim.Allofsuddenhefeels
like,ifhejustlistens,everythingwillbeok.Hereacheshishandoutandgrabsthe
knifefromtheoldman.Theoldmanpositionshimselftowhereheisfacingthe
machine.
“Wheneveryouareready,”saystheoldman.
Theyoungmanlooksattheknife.Hedoesn’twanttodoit,yethecannot
overcomethesensationofobeying.Hejustwantsthistobeover.Hejustwantstogo
back,whereverthatmightbe.Thepoweroftheoldman’svoicecompelshimto
listenandobey.Hestandsupfromhischair,andwalksinfrontoftheoldmanand
staresathim.Heraisestheknifeintheair.Heisnotincontrolanymore.Theyoung
manhasonefinalmomentofhesitationbeforehefinallythruststheknifedown,
straightintotheheartoftheoldman.
Andthentherewasnothing.Theoldmanwasgone,vanishedfromthechair.
Theyoungmanishysterical,noneofthisismakinganysensetohim.Hetriesto
calmhimselfdown.Afteramoment,henoticesthatthesoundsofthemachinehave
completelystopped.Theroombeginstofadetoblack.Everythingfadesinthe
darknessexceptfortheyoungman;heisstillpresentinthisnewvoid.
“No,no,no,NOOOO!No,don’tbringmebackhere!WHY!?”hescreams.He
fallstohiskneesandyells,“IDIDWHATYOUASKEDMETODO!?WHATTHEHELL
IS-“hestopswhatheissayingandlooksasifheisgoingtopassout.
“I…Iuh…”hesays.
Hefaintsandsprawlsoutintheabyss.
Theyoungmanislyingintheabyssonceagain.Afteramomenthestirs
awake.
“HUUUUUH!”hebreathesinsuddenlyasifheistakinginairforthefirsttime
ever.Hepantsandtriestostandupintheabyssbutfallsoverbecausehecannot
comprehendhowhecanmoveonnothing.Hegetstohiskneesandconcentrateson
standingup.
No…notthisagain...WhatdidIdo?
Theyoungmanisfinallyabletogainhisfootingandbeginstowalkaround
theabyss,lookingforasignofwheretogo.Whileheiswalking,abeamoflight
shinesonhim.
There’sthatlight….Iguessthroughthereagain.
Hewalkstowardsthebeamoflightandstepsthroughitagain.Hewalksinto
amassivebuilding,thesoundsofclicksandclacksfillhisears.Heisbackinthe
samebuildingwiththesamemachineinit.Inthedistance,hecanseeanoldman
sittinginachair.Herunstowardsthesight.
“HEY,”heshouts,“WHATTHEHELLHAPPENED?”
Herunsuptothechair,theoldmanissittingthere,withnoexpressiononhis
face.
“WELL!?WHATHAPPENE-“hestopsshouting.Theoldmanturnshishead
andlooksathim.Hisstareseemstopiercetheyoungman’ssoul,andtheyoungman
canfeelit.Theyoungman’sexpressionchanges.Hedoesn’tfeelconfusedanymore.
Somehowhefeelscomfortablewiththesituation,likeheknowswhathispurposeis
now,andwhoheis.Theoldmanturnshisgazebacktothemachine.Theyoungman
doesaswell,inperfectsyncwiththeoldman.Theybothstareatthemachine.
Aneternitygoesbywhiletheystareatthemachine.Thesoundsoffalling
marbles,clicks,andclacksfilltheyoungman’sears.Thingsmakesensetohimnow.
Heunderstands,now.Theoldmanstandsupandsuddenlythenoisestops,the
machinehasstoppedrunning.Theoldmanturnstohisleft,awayfromtheyoung
man,andbeginstowalk.Simultaneouslytheyoungmanturnsthesamewayand
walksaswell,however,oncehereachesthechair,hestops.Theoldmankeepson
walkingandwalkinguntilabeamoflightappearsandhewalksthroughit.Hisbody
fadesawayasheentersthelightandpassestotheotherside.
Theyoungmanturnsandfacesthemachineonceagainandsitsdownonthe
chairthattheoldmanleft.Assoonashesitsinthechair,everythingthathasever
happened,ishappening,oristohappenflashesbeforehiseyes.Hecanseeendless
possibilities,endlesschoices,andendlessendingstoendlessbeginnings.Heseesthe
lifeheoncelived,theadoptedsonofacarpenterkilledbythepeoplewhomhe
claimedhewasmeanttosave.
Asallthisflashesbeforehim,hegetsolderandolderandhisclothing
changes.Heiswearingabrownplaidshirt,greypants,apairofglasses,andno
shoes.Heisbaldonthetopofhisheadwithwhitehaironthesidecirclingtothe
back.Themachineoperatesagainasifithadneverstopped.Onceallofthese
visionsstop,hestaresatthemachineagain.
Thenoiseoffallingmarbles,clicks,andclacksfilltheroom.Inthedistance
faintfootstepscanbeheard.Theygrowlouderandlouderuntilthefigureofanother
manstopsnexttothechair.
Theoldmanshiftsinhisseat,takesadeepbreath,andwithouttakinghis
eyesoffthemachinehesays,
“Humanstravelalongacertainpatheveryday,notreallythinkingaboutwhy
they’redoingit,theyjustdo.”