Chapter1Returh
AfterDimitri’sfleshbodydisappearedmysteriouslyintothinair,aminusculeshredofhissciousness,invisibletothenakedeye,floatediuniverse.Sometimeshefeltasifhisbodycouldextendindefinitelyandmergewiththeuniverse,thoughactuallyatthatmomentitwasnomore.Atothertimes,hefeltthathisbodycouldtractatwilluntilitwassmallerthaiparticleofdust.Thus,Dimitriroamedfreelyintheuniverse,herhappynorsad,justfloatingincessantly,urainedlyandspontaneously.Forhim,timehadnotinuitywithnobeginningandnoendandspace,too,was📂ofnosequence.Dimitrirealizedthathewasattheveryinalspotoftheuniverse.
Dimitri’ssciousnessloiteredattheinalspotofthe👠universe.Hewastiredofwanderinganddidnotwanttodriftaimlesslyaroundanymore.Hefeltasenseofpeace.Hewasalsotired.Thesestraions,hazyandobvious,weremixedwithamildfeelingofjoy.Butno,itcouldnotbecalledjoybecauseifitwasjoy,itsopposingfeelingofsadnesswouldbesuretoexist.Norwasitafeelingoffortandeasebecauseitstrastiionwouldbepainandworry.No,itwasaralfeeling,seeminglytherebutnotreallythere,existient.Ithadiveortrastiions.Dimitriwas♏notwillingtothinkfurtheroranalyzethequestionrationally.Hehadgivenuponthou♅ghtandimmersedhimselfpletelyinenjoyment,fullysavthisstrange,warmfeeling.
Dimitri’sshredofscioushatnon-materialsubstance,restedcalmlyattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Tiredofroaming,hewasnotwillingtodriftaboutanymore.Suddenlyapicturepoppedintohissciousness.Apairofnakedloverswasasleep,cspedfortablyineachother’sarms.Theyseemedtobesleepingsosoundlythatitseemedasifnothingcouldeverwakethemup.Themanwashandsomeandmusdthewomanwasslenderaifusaflower.Dimitri’sheartlurched.“Aren’ttheymyfaithfulservantsCreativityandImagination?”Hehopedtheywouldsleeponforeverandneverbecauseiftheydo,themaivitywouldworktirelesslyonandthewomanImagination🜼🙺wouldrackherbrainsfuriously.“Theywoulddestroytheperfectequilibriumofhispresentstateofmind,sopeaceful,brightaiful”hethought.
ButDimitriwasdisappointed.Imagination’sslim,delicatefingersmovedandcaressedCreativity’sbroadchest.Creativityblinkedop🞩🖶enedhissleepyeyes.Standinguphestretchedhissculpturedlimbszily.Extendinghishandtohisbeautiful,🎱curvaceousanddelicatepanionwhowasstillreingograsshecarefullyhelpedherup.Thetwoofthemthenwalkedintothewoods,towa🌒rdsastreamofclearandpure,waterasyetuninatedbyhumans.Theyscoopedupthecoldcrystalclearwaterwiththeirhandsandsprayedtheirheadsandfaceswithit.Thenughingjoyouslytheydivedinandswamaroundhappily.Theyfrolickedlight-heartedlyierspshingeachotherinfun.ImaginationthrewherselfintoCreativity’sarmsawoembradkissedeachother.
“Look!Howbeautifulthegaxyis!”shesaid,lookingatthemyriadsofstarstwinklinginthenightsky,feelinghappyandsatisfied.“Ourearthtooshouldbeohosebrilliaialbodies,buthumanshaveusedupalmostalloftheearth’sresourdhavebroughtdestru,pollutionandinationeverywheretheywent.Ohbeesunfitasahumanhabitatweofindasafehavensomewhereelseintheuniverseahemtoit.Tosomeotherpperhaps?Buttheenviroheremayableforhumans.ThatisaproblemIhavebeentryingtoso🄭lveforalongtimebuthavefailedtofindadesirablesolution.”Creativitywassilentashetoohadnogoodaoherquestion.SuddenlyImaginationjumpedupandcppedherhandshappilylikeachildandsaid,
“Yes.Yes.Whydon’tweourselvescreateanotherpsuitableforhum🙾anstoliveandrelocatethemthere?Whatdoyouthink?📨”
“Goodidea!Goodidea!”excimedCreativity;hiseyesalightashegraspedthepossibilitiesestion.“IimitateGod’smightandpowerthatheusediingtheuniverseaeanotherpsuitableforhumans,withlight,heat,air,os,ndandallkindsoflife.Theclimatewouldbewarmandfortable,suitableforpeopletoliveandprocreate.Goodidea!Averygoodidea!”Thetwoofthemdancedhappilyiream.“Whydon’twebegiaw👬ay?”hesaid.Handinhawoofthemwalkedoutofthewaterontond.
Suddenlyahuge,eye-blindinglybrilliantballoflightappearedinthedarksky.Afigurecouldbeseeninthatballoflight,whospokeinaloud,solemnvoice,“Youtwomiserable,ignoranthumanbeing!IdroveyououtoftheGarde🈔♭nofEdenbecauseyouhadacquiredknowledgeandthought.Nowyouhavetheaudacitytothinkofcopyingmycreationoftheuniverseanddaretothinkofcreatingapofyourown?IamtheCreatoroftheuni🐒⚻verse.IandIalorolit.Itoperatesonmyordersaypn.Howdarethetwoofyouchalleopyourcreativityandimaginationatonceoryouwillincurthewrathofheaven.”CreativityandImaginatioontheground,cowed,flustered,andpanic-stribecausetheykheyhadangeredGodhimself.Thebrilliantballoflightdisappearedandblurryandindistinctdarknessonceagainreigheuniverse.
“Waitaminute.Waitaminute”shoutedDimitri,raisinghisheadtowardsthegraypre-dawhat’snotfair!Yousaidmanwasmadetoyourownimageandlikehatmeanstherearehumasinyouanddiv😨isinman;thereforetherearepartsofyouinmeandmeinyou.YouarepartofmeandIampartofy🖷ou.Tobeperfectlyfair,itcouldbesaidthatyouandthehumansyoucreatedhavemuonandarecreatedmutually.Manshouldhavetherighttomakehisowndecisionsandnotbeyourvassal.”Thegrayskiesdidnotanswerhim,butwassomberandsilentasusual.
Dimitriwokefromhisreverieandfoundhimselfsittingonabenchbytheke,hisshouldersandhatcoveredwithdew.Hisdipidatedjacketandloosebcksckswerealsowetfromthefogandmist.He🞲😅⚩wasdeeplyshockedtorealizethathehadbeensittihewholenight,hismindfranticallyimaginingthings.Hesuddenlyrecalledthathisfleshbodyhaddisappearedintothinairandhisminusculeshredofsciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse,savsensationsofpeadtranquility.Howehewasbaearthagain?Whatwasthereonthisearththathecouldnotrelinquish?Heennilesshomelesspersonandblindintothebargain.Whatcausedhimtogsotenaciouslytothismundaneworld,unwilling🕂todepart?Ah!Itcouldonlybebecausehevaluedthispreciousfleshbodyandtreasuredlifeitself,sohecouldnotgivethemupsolightlyandcasually.
Daybroke.Thefirstlightofdaygraduallybrighteheskiesdispersingtheblurryandindistinct📰🞡pre-dawnbleakness.Afewcarsdrovepastswiftly.Dimitriuzzledastowhythestreetslookedsodesertedayasnormallytheywouldbecrowdedwithtrafficbythistime.ThenherealizeditwasSundayandmostpeoplewereinchurch,sothereweren’tasmanypeopleoreetsandalsofewercarsontheroad.Herememberedthatinhisreverie,heelevatedthepositionofmantothesamelevesGodandthoughtthatresumptuousself-glorificationonhispartandreallysacrilegious.“IhadbetterleavethequestioionshipbetweenGodandmantophilosophersandwisermenthanIto🖶🗈🙩solve.Whymakesuchadoaboutnothingand♲🌓rackmybraihisinsolvableGordianknot?
JusttheigaromaoffreshFrenchfriesandpastrywaftedoverfromtheshopsacrossthestreetandDimitri’sstomachgrowled.“Ihavereallyover-estimatedthepowerofmah🝐ought.“Takemeforinstance.IamsohungrybutthereisnothingIdoaboutit.I’tevensolvetheproblemofmyempt🙮🍭ystomach.Yes,I’dratherbeaninsignifitman.Well,IsupposeIhadbetterpluckmyselfupandrummagethroughthegarbagesarouoseeifIfi-overspeoplethrewawaysoIfillmystomach”saidDimitriless,wryexpressiononhisface.Theimageehamburgercameintohismind.“HowIwouldreallyenjoyitifIhadargehamburgerliketha🇺t”hethought.“Iwouldchewandsavoreverybitebeforeswallowingit.Thefeelingofafullstomachwouldbereallymarvelous!”
Thesunrosehighinthesky.Itwasanotherlovelybrightsunnym.Carsariansincreased.Fromthefastfoodrestaurantacrossthestreetcamethebarki♃🅫🉠ngofadog.Dimitricoulddetermiitwassmedium-sizedogo💐fasmallerspecies,about15-20pounds.Itshouldbeacute-looking,likablepuppy.Dimitrimadefriendseasilywithallkindsofanimalsashisheartwasfulloflove.Normallyashabbily-dressedblindman,tappinghiswayaroundwithawhiteewouldeasilyarousetheenmityofdogs,butnotDimitri.Somehow,eveviciousdogscouldsensehisinnateloveandfriendliness.Animals’reaoresensitivethahink.Wheneverhesatonabench,wildpigeonsflyingoverheadwoulddropdowntothegroundaroundhiminashowoftrustandfriendliness,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.HaveyottehingItau🅚ghtyou?”Thefootstepssuddenlystopped.Whenthedog’sownersawherpetpyingwithahomelessmanshecalledoutinsurprise.“Dimitri!Isthatyou?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Wherehaveyoubeely?Thepeopleintheneighborhoodareallthinkingofyou.”Dimitri’seyesbrightened.Inhismind’seye,heseemedtoseeatalndslenderwomaninaskybluesuit,withabroad-rimmedwhitesunhatandwhiteleatherwalkingshoes.Iythewomanwasdressedexactlyashethoughtshewas.Hereizedthemencholyandsexyvoidanswered,“IsthatyouCh⚅🏃🗝arina?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Isthisdogyours?”
“Yes,it’smi’saboydog,butbecau🇯🜂seheissonau💺🖷ghtyIgavehimaf🄮🀿emalenameMaureen,hopinghewouldbedocileandfairasagirl.”
“It’salovelyd🔂♜og.IrememberwhenIwasyoungIusedtohaveapyfellowlikethat.Isheasmallbckcockspaniel?AmIright?”
“Yes,yht.”
“IthinkIbeagoodfri🜗🂏🍷end💿🗤ofhis.Iamfriends🝝🌈☬withalldogs.Bythe
way,are🅀🃟🙁youstillsingle?”
“Yes🂦🐾,I’mstillsingle.”
“That’sstrange.”