Chapter1Returh
AfterDimitri’sfleshbodydisappearedmysteriouslyintothinair,aminusculeshredofhissciousness,invisibletothenakedeye,floatediuniverse.Sometimeshefeltasifhisbodycouldextendindefinitelyandmergewiththeuniverse,thoughactuallyatthatmomentitwasnomore.Atothertimes,hefeltthathisbodycouldtractatwilluntilit🝪wassmallerthaiparticleofdust.Thus,Dimitriroamedfreelyintheuniverse,herhappynorsad,justfloatingincessantly,urainedlyandspontaneously.For🌬🂍him,timehadnotinuitywithnobeginningandnoendandspace,too,wasofnosequence.Dimitrirealizedthathewasattheveryinalspotoftheuniverse.
Dimitri’ssciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Hewastiredofwanderinganddidnotwanttodriftaimlesslyaroundanymore.Hefeltasenseofpeace.Hewasalsotired.Thesestraions,hazyandobvious,weremixedwithamildfeelingofjoy.Butno,🄪⛾☘itcouldnotbecalledjoybecauseifitwasjoy,itsopposingfeelingofsadnesswouldbesu🈒♘🈧retoexist.Norwasitafeelingoffortandeasebecauseitstrastiionwouldbepainandw🁥🇷🝍orry.No,itwasaralfeeling,seeminglytherebutnotreallythere,existient.Ithadiveortrastiions.Dimitriwasnotwillingtothinkfurtheroranalyzethequestionrationally.Hehadgivenuponthoughtandimmersedhimselfpletelyinenjoyment,fullysavthisstrange,warmfeeling.
Dimitri’sshredofscioushatnon-materialsubstance,restedcalmlyattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Tiredofroaming,hewasnotwillingtodriftaboutanymore.Suddenlyapicturepoppedintohissciousness.Apairofnakedloverswasasleep,cspedfortablyineachother’sarms.Theyse🍒🚌emedtobesleepingsosoundlythatitseemedasifnothingcouldeverwakethemup.Themanwashandsomeandmusdthewomanwasslenderaifusaflower.Dimitri’sheartlurched.“Aren’ttheymyfaithfulservantsCreativityandImagination?”Hehopedtheywouldsleeponforeverandneverbecauseiftheydo,themaivitywouldworktirelesslyonandthewomanImaginationwouldrackherbrainsfuriously.“Theywoulddestroytheperfectequilibriumofhispresentstateofmind,sopeaceful,brightaiful”hethought.
ButDimitriwasdisappointed.Imagination’sslim,delicatefingersmovedandcaressedCreativity’sbroadchest.Creativityblinkedopenedhissleepyeyes.Standinguphestretchedhissculpturedlimbszily.Extendinghishandtohisbeautiful,curvaceousanddelicatepanionwhowasstillreingograsshecarefullyhelpedherup.Thetwoofthemthenwalkedintothewoods,towardsastreamofclearandpure,waterasyetuninatedbyhumans.Theyscoopedupthecoldcrystalclearwaterwiththeirhandsandsprayedtheirheadsandfaceswithit.Thenughingjoyouslytheydivedinandswamaroundhappily.Theyfrolickedlight-heartedlyierspshingeachotherinfun.Ima🅙🕛ginationthrewherselfintoCreativity’sarmsawoembradkissedeachother.
“Look!Howbeautiful🙞🚢thegaxyis!”shesaid,looki🏱ngatthemyriadsofstarstwinklinginthenightsky,feelinghappyandsatisfied.“Ourearthtooshouldbeohosebrilliaialbodies,buthumanshav🝐eusedupalmostalloftheearth’sresourdhavebroughtdestru,pollutionandinationeverywheretheywent.Ohbeesunfitasahumanhabitatweofindasafehavensomewhereelseintheuniverseahemtoit.Tosomeotherpperhaps?Buttheenviroheremayableforhumans.ThatisaproblemIhavebeentryingtosolveforalongtimebuthavefailedtofindadesirablesolution.”Creativitywassilentashetoohadnogoodaoherquestion.SuddenlyImaginationjumpedupandcppedherhandshappilylikeachildandsaid,
“Yes.Yes.Whydon’tweourselvescreatean🀥otherpsuitableforhumanstoliv🕒eandrel🚛🔂♗ocatethemthere?Whatdoyouthink?”
“Goodidea!Goodidea!”excimedCreativity;hiseyesalightashegraspedthepossibilitiesestion.“IimitateGod’smightandpowerthatheusediingtheuniverseaeanotherpsuitableforhumans,withlight,heat,air,os,ndandallkindsofli🜤🄈🞱fe.Theclimatewouldbewarmand🔴🄱fortable,suitableforpeopletoliveandprocreate.Goodidea!Averygoodidea!”Thetwoofthemdancedhappilyiream.“Whydon’twebegiaway?”hesaid.Handinhawoofthemwalkedoutofthewaterontond.
Suddenlyahuge,eye-blindinglybrilliantballoflightappearedinthedarksky.Afigurecouldbeseeninthatballoflight,whospokeinaloud,solemnvoice,“Youtwomiserable,ignoranthumanbeing!IdroveyououtoftheGardenofEdenbecauseyouhadacquiredknowledgeandthought.Nowyouhavetheaudacitytothin🗬🞭🗔kofcopyingmycreationoftheuniverseanddaretothinkofcreatingap🏛🚴ofyourown?IamtheCreatoroftheuniverse.IandIalorolit.Itoperatesonmyordersaypn.Howdarethetwoofyouchalleopyourcreativityandimagin🆦ationatonceoryouwillincurthewrathofheaven.”CreativityandImaginatioontheground,cowed,flustered,andpanic-stribecausetheykheyhadangeredGodhimself.Thebrilliantballoflightdisappearedandblurryandindistinctdarknessonceagainreigheuniverse.
“Waitaminute.Waitaminute”shoutedDimitri,raisinghisheadtowardsthegraypre-dawhat’snotfair!Yousaidmanwasmadetoyourownimageandlikehatmeanstherearehumasinyouanddivisinman;t🈲hereforetherearepartsofyouinmeandmeinyou.YouarepartofmeandIampartofyou.Tobeperfectlyfair,itcouldbesa♤🐅idthatyouandthehumansyoucreatedhavemuonandarecreatedmutually.Manshouldhavetherighttomakehisowndecisionsandnotbeyourvassal.”Thegrayskiesdidnotanswerhim,b😉utwassomberandsilentasusual.
Dimitriwokefromhisreverieandfoundhimselfsittingonabenchbytheke,hisshouldersandhatcoveredwithdew.Hisdipidatedjacketandloosebcksckswerealsowetfromthefogandmist.Hewasdeeplyshockedtorealizethathehadbeensittihewholenight,hismindfranticallyimaginingthings.Hesuddenlyrecalledthathisfleshbodyhaddisappearedintothinairandhisminusculeshredofsciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse,savsensationsofpeadtranquility.Howehewasbaearthagain?Whatwasthereonthisearththathecouldnotrelinquish?Heennilesshomelesspersonandblindintothebargain.Whatcausedhimtogsotenaciouslytothismundaneworld,unwillingtodepart?Ah!Itcouldonlybebecausehevaluedthispreciousfleshbodyandt🏷reasuredlifeitself,sohecouldnotgivethemupsolightlyandcasually.
Daybroke.Thefirstlightofdaygraduallybrighteheskiesdispersingtheblurryandindistinctpre-dawnbleakness.Afewcarsdrovepastswiftly.Dimitriuzzledastowhythestreetslookedsodesertedayasnormallytheywouldbecrowdedwithtrafficbythistime.ThenherealizeditwasSundayandmostpeoplewereinchurch,sothereweren’tasmanypeopleoreetsandalsofewercarsontheroad.Heremembe👓🈝redthatinhisreverie,heelevatedthepositionofmantothesamelevesGodandthoughtthatresumptuousself-glorificationonhispartandre🅜allysacrilegious.“IhadbetterleavethequestioionshipbetweenGodandmantophilosophersandwisermenthanItosolve.WhymakesuchadoaboutnothingandrackmybraihisinsolvableGordianknot?
JusttheigaromaoffreshFrenchfriesandpastrywaftedoverfromtheshopsacrossthestreetandDimitri🚾😽’sstomachgrowled.“Ihavereallyover-estimatedthepowerofmahought.“Takemeforinstance.IamsohungrybutthereisnothingIdoaboutit.I’tevensolvetheproblemofmyemptystomach.Yes,I’dratherbeaninsignifitman.Well,Isuppose🜃⛃IhadbetterpluckmyselfupandrummagethroughthegarbagesarouoseeifIfi-overspeoplethrewawaysoIfillmystomach”saidDimitriless,wryexpressiononhisface.Theimageehamburgercameintohismind.“HowIwouldreallyenjoyitifIhadargehamburgerlikethat”hethought.“Iwouldchewandsavoreverybitebeforeswallowingit.Thefeelingofafullstomachwouldbereallymarvelous!”
Thesunrosehighinthesky.Itwasanotherlovelybrightsunnym.Carsariansincreased.Fromthefastfoodrestaurantacrossthe🏎😼🆭streetcamethebarkingofa☖⛁🗝dog.Dimitricoulddetermiitwassmedium-sizedogofasmallerspecies,about15-20pounds.Itshouldbeacute-looking,likablepuppy.Dimitrimadefriendseasilywithallkindsofanimalsashisheartwasfulloflove.Normallyashabbily-dressedblindman,tappinghiswayaroundwithawhiteewouldeasilyarou🎎setheenmityofdogs,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.HaveyottehingItaughtyou?”Thefootstepssuddenlystopped.Whenthedog’sownersawherpetpyingwithahomelessmanshecalledoutinsurprise.“Dimitri!Isthatyou?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Wherehaveyoubeely?T🅂hepeopleintheneighborhoodareallthinkingofyou.”Dimitri’seyesbrightened.Inhismind’seye,heseemedtoseeatalndslenderwomaninaskybluesuit,withabroad-rimmedwhitesunhatandwhiteleatherwalkingshoes.Iythewomanwasdressedexactlyashethoughtshewas.Hereizedthemencholyandsexyvoidanswered,“IsthatyouCharina?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Isthisdogyours?”
“Yes,it’smi’saboydog,butbecauseheissonaughtyI🁹gavehimafemalenameMaureen,hopinghewouldbedocileandfair🚶asa🕑girl.”
“It’salovelydog.IrememberwhenIwasyoungIusedtohaveapyfellowlikethat.Isheasmal☖⚾🗂lbckcockspaniel?AmIright?”
“Yes,yht.”
“IthinkIbeagoodfriendof🙋🈸his.Iamfriendswit⚣halldogs.Bythe
way,areyoust🌡illsingle?”
“Yes,I’mst📻illsingle.”
“That’sstrange.”