Chapter1Returh
AfterDimitri’sfleshb😥🃢🙢odydisappearedmysteriouslyintothinair,aminusculeshredofhissciousness,invisibletothenakedeye,floatediuni🄞⚓🐺verse.Sometimeshefeltasifhisbodycouldextendindefinitelyandmergewiththeuniverse,t⛵houghactuallyatthatmomentitwasnomore.Atothertimes,hefeltthathisbodycouldtractatwilluntilitwassmallerthaiparticleofdust.Thus,Dimitriroamedfreelyintheuniverse,herhappynorsad,justfloatingincessantly,urainedlyandspontaneously.Forhim,timehadnotinuitywithnobeginningandnoendandspace,too,wasofnosequence.Dimitrirealizedthathewasattheveryinalspotoftheuniverse.
Dimitri’ssciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Hewastiredofwanderinganddidnotwanttod🈪🁋riftaimlesslyaroundanymore.Hefeltasenseofpeace.Hewasalsotired.Thesestraions,hazyandobvious,weremixedwithamildfeelingofjoy.Butno,itcouldnotbecalledjoybecauseifitwasjoy,itsopposingfeelingofsadnesswouldbesuretoexist.Norwasitafeelingoffortandeasebecauseitstrastiionwouldbepainandworry.No,itwasaralfeeling,seeminglytherebutnotreallythere,existient.Ithadiveortrastiions.Dimitriwasnotwillingtothinkfurtheroranalyzethequestionrationally.Hehadgivenuponthoughtandimmersedhimselfpletelyinenjoyment,fullysavthisstrange,warmfeeling.
Dimitri’sshredofscioushatnon-materialsubstance,restedcalmlyattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Tiredofroaming,hewasnotwillingtodriftaboutanymore.Suddenlyapicturepoppedintohissciousness.Apair🗰ofnakedloverswasasleep,cs🙅🇿pedfortablyineachother’sarms.Theyseemedtobesleepingsosoundlythatitseemedasifnothingcouldeverwakethemup.Themanwashandsomeandmusdthewomanwasslenderaifusaflower.Dimitri’sheartlurched.“Aren’ttheymyfaithfulservantsCreativityandImagination?”Hehopedtheywouldsleeponforeverandneverbecauseiftheydo,themaivitywouldworktirelesslyonandthewomanI👲maginationwouldrackherbrainsfuriously.“Theywoulddestroytheperfectequilibriumofhispresentstateofmind,sopeaceful,brightaiful”hethought.
ButDimitriwasdisappointed.Imagination’sslim,delicatefingersmovedandcaressedCreativity’sbroadchest.Creativityblinkedopenedhissleepye🍰🜚yes.Standinguphestretchedhissculpturedlimbszily.Extendinghishandtohisbeautiful,curvaceousanddelicatepanionwhowasstillreingograsshecarefullyhe🃙😍lpedherup.Thetwoofthemthenwalkedintothewoods,towardsastreamofclearandpure,waterasyetuninatedbyhumans.Theyscoopedupthecoldcrystalclearwaterwiththeirhandsandsprayedtheirheadsandfaceswithit.Thenughingjoyouslytheydivedinandswamaroundhappily.Theyfrolickedlight-heartedlyierspshingeachotherinfun.ImaginationthrewherselfintoCreativity’sarmsawoembradkissedeachother.
“Look!Howb🔺eautifulthegaxyis!”shesaid,lookingatthemyriadsofstarstwinklinginthenightsky,f🔦🂻📿eelinghappyandsatisfied.“Ourearthtooshouldbeohosebrilliaialbodies,buthumanshaveusedupalmostalloftheearth’sresourdhavebroughtdes🐄☽🄴tru,pollutionandinationeverywheretheywent.Ohbeesunfitasahumanhabitatweofindasafehavensomewhereelseintheuniverseahemtoit.Tosomeotherpperhaps?Buttheenviroheremayableforhumans.ThatisaproblemIhavebeentryingtosolveforalongtimebuthavefailedtofindadesirablesolution.”Creativitywassilentashetoohadnogoodaoherquestion.SuddenlyImaginationjumpedupandcppedherhandshappilylikeachildandsaid,
“Yes.Yes.Whydon’tweourselvescreateanotherpsuitableforhumanstoliveandrelocatethemthere?Wh🕱atdoyouthink?”
“Goodidea!Goodidea!”excimedCreativity;hiseyesalightashegraspedthepossibilitiesestion.“🖜IimitateGo🔘d’smightandpowerthatheusediingtheuniverseae🜆⛟🛨anotherpsuitableforhumans,withlight,heat,air,os,ndandallkindsoflife.Theclimatewouldbewarmandfortable,suitableforpeopletoliveandprocreate.Goodidea!Averygoodidea!”Thetwoofthemdancedhappilyiream.“Whydon’twebegiaway?”hesaid.Handinhawoofthemwalkedoutofthewaterontond.
Suddenlyahuge,eye-blindinglybrilliantballoflightappearedinthedarksky.Afigurecouldbeseeninthatballoflight,whospokeinaloud,solemnvoice,“Youtwomiserable,ignoranthumanbeing!IdroveyououtoftheGardenofEdenbecausey🙅🇿ouhadacquiredknowledgeandthought.Nowyouhavetheaudacitytothinkofcopyingmycreationoftheuniverseand⚐🐢daretothinkofcreatingapofyourown?IamtheCreatoroftheuniverse.IandIalorolit.Itoperatesonmyordersaypn.Howdarethetwoofyouchalleopyourcreativityandimaginationatonceoryouwillincurthewrathofheaven.”CreativityandImaginatioont💓heground,cowed,flustered,andpanic-stribecausetheykheyhadangeredGodhimself.Thebrilliantballoflightdisappearedandblurryandindistinctdarknessonceagainreigheuniverse.
“Waitaminute.Waitaminute”shoutedDimitri,raisinghisheadtowardsthegraypre-dawhat’snotfair!Yousaidmanwasmadetoyourownimageandlikehatmeanstherearehumasinyouanddivisinman;thereforetherearepartsofyouinmeandmeinyou.YouarepartofmeandIampartofyou.Tobeperfect🗅lyfair,itcouldbesaidthatyouandthehumansyoucreatedh🚍💊🐍avemuonandarecreatedmutually.Manshouldhavetherighttomakehisowndecisionsandnotbeyourvassal.”Thegrayskiesdidnotanswerhim,butwassomberandsilentasusual.
Dimitriwokefromhisreverieandfoundhimselfsittingonabenchbytheke,hisshouldersandhatcove☑⚓redwithdew.Hisdipidatedjacketandloosebcksckswerealsowetfromthefogandmist.Hewasdeeplyshockedtorealizethathehadbeensittihewholenight,hismindfranticallyimaginingthings.Hesuddenlyrecalledthathisfleshbodyhaddisappearedintothinairandhisminusculeshredofsciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse,savsensationsofpeadtranquility.Howehewasbaearthagain?Whatwasthereonthisearththathecouldnotrelinquish?Heennilesshomelesspersonandblindintothebargain.Whatcausedhimtogsotenaciouslytothismundaneworld,unwillingtodepart?Ah!Itcouldonlybebecausehevaluedthispreciousfleshbodyandtreasuredlifeitself,sohecouldnotgivethemupsolightlyandcasually.
Daybroke.Thefirstlightofdaygraduallybrighteheskiesdispersingtheblurryandindistinctpre-dawnbleakness.Afewcarsdrovepastswiftly.Dimitriuzzledastowhythestreetslookedsodesertedayasnormallytheywouldbecrowdedwithtrafficbythistime.ThenherealizeditwasSundayandmostpeoplewereinchurch,sothereweren’tasmanypeopleoreetsandalsofewercarsontheroad.Herememberedthatinhisreverie,heelevatedthepositionofmantothesamelevesGodandth🏃oughtthatresumptuousself-glorificationonhispartandreallysacrilegious.“Ihadbetterleavethequest🄁🝳ioionshipbetweenGodandmantophilosophersandwisermenthanItosolve.WhymakesuchadoaboutnothingandrackmybraihisinsolvableGordianknot?
JusttheigaromaoffreshFrenchfriesandpastrywaftedoverfromtheshopsacrossthestreetandDimitri’sstomachgrowled.“Ihavereallyover-estimatedthepowerofmah📬ought.“Takemeforinstance.IamsohungrybutthereisnothingIdoaboutit.I’tevensolvetheproblemofmyemptystomach.Yes,I’dratherbeaninsignifitman.Well,IsupposeIhadbetterpluckmyselfupandrummagethroughthegarbagesarouoseeifIfi-overspeoplethrewawaysoIfillmystomach”saidDimitriless,wryexpressiononhisface.Theimageehamburgercameintohismind.“HowIwouldreallyenjoyitifIhadargehamburgerlikethat”hethought.“Iwouldchewandsavoreverybitebeforeswallowingit.Thefeelingofafullstomachwouldbereallymarvelous!”
Thesunrosehighinthesky.Itwasanotherlovelybrightsunnym.Carsariansincreased.Fromthefastfoodrestaurantacrossthestreetcamethebarkingofadog.Dimitricoulddetermiitwassmedium-sizedogofasmallerspecies,about15-20pounds.Itshouldbeacute-looking,likablepuppy.Dimitrimadefriendseasilywithallkindsofanimalsashisheartwasfulloflove.Normallyashabbily-dressedblindman,tappinghiswayaroundwithawhitee🎨📪wouldeasilyarousetheenmityofdogs,butnotDimitri.Somehow,evevicious💆🏦🜑dogscouldsensehisinnateloveandfriendliness.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’sownersawherpetpyingwit😵🅳hahomelessmanshecalledoutinsurprise.“Dimitri!Isthatyou?Ha🕺ven’tseenyouforalongtime.Wherehaveyoubeely?Thepeopleintheneighborhoodareallthinkingofyou.”Dimitri’seyesbrightened.Inhismind’seye,heseemedtoseeatalndslenderwomaninaskybluesuit,withabroad-rimmedwhitesunhatandwhiteleatherwalkingshoes.Iythewomanwasdressedexactlyashethoughtshewas.Hereizedthemencholyandsexyvoidanswered,“IsthatyouCharina?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Isthisdogyours?”
“🆊🍷Yes,it’smi’saboydog,butbecauseheissonaughtyIgavehimafemalenameMaureen,hop🈣inghewouldbedocileandfairasagirl.”
“It’sa🜋🀧⚶lovelydog.IrememberwhenIwasyoungIusedtohaveapyfellowlikethat.Isheasmallbckcockspaniel?AmIright?”
“Yes,yht.”
“IthinkIbeagoodfriendofhis.Ia🁫m⛥🜡🃪friend🀷🁝swithalldogs.Bythe
w🆊🍷ay,areyoustillsingle?🟍”🖙
“Yes,I’mstill🚆👋single.”
“That’sstrange.”
“🆊🍷Whatsobadaboutbeingsingle?”askedCharinadefensively.
“Heavens!Arethehan🐉♩dsomeyouheci⛥🜡🃪tyallblindlikemethattheyletsu⚉🏨🜫chabeautifulyoungwomanlivealone?”jokedDimitri.
“It’snotthatIhaven’tthoughtofgettingmarried”admittedCharina.“It’sjustthatatthemomentImustdevoteallmytimeandattentiontomywriting,soIjustotbedistractedbyanythingelse.Oh,peoyoureyes,Dimitri?”Dimitriseemedtomakeoutshadowymovementsofherhandsastheymovedtoandfr🗎🚞obeforehiseyesuhebrightsunlight.