Chapter1Returh
AfterDimitri’sfleshbodydisappearedmysteriouslyintothinair,aminusculeshredofhissciousness,invisibletothenakedeye,floatediuniverse.Sometimeshefeltasifhisbodycouldextendindefinitelyandmergewiththeuniverse,thoughactuallyatthatmomentitwasnomore.Atothertimes,hefeltthathisbodycouldtractatwilluntilitwassmallerthaiparticleofdust.Thus,Dimitriroamedfreelyintheuniverse🍗,herhappynorsad,justfloatingincessantly,urainedlyandspontaneously.Forhim,timehadnotinuitywithnob🄫eginningandnoendandspace,too,wasofnosequence.Dimitrirealizedthathewasattheveryinalspotoftheuniverse.
Dimitri’ssciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse.Hewastiredofwanderinganddidnotwanttodriftaimlesslyaroundanymore.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.Apairofnakedloverswasasleep,cspedfortablyineachother’sarms.Theys🝢🌱🂺eemedtobesleepingsosoundlythatitseemedasifnothingcouldeverw🖨🕇akethemup.Themanwashandsomeandmusdthewomanwasslenderaifusaflower.Dimitri’sheartlurched.“Aren’ttheymyfaithfulservantsCreativityandImagination?”Hehopedtheywouldsleeponforeverandneverbecauseiftheydo,themaivitywouldworktirelesslyonandthewomanImaginationwouldrackherbrainsfuriously.“Theywoulddestroytheperfectequilibriumofhispresentstateofmind,sopeaceful,brightaiful”hethought.
ButDimitriwasdisappointed.Imagination’sslim,delicatefingersmovedandcaressedCreativity’sbroadchest.Creat🄎ivityblinkedopenedhissleepyeyes.Standinguphestretchedhissculpturedlimbszily.Extendinghishandtohisbeautiful,curvaceousanddelicatepanionwhowasstillreingograsshecarefullyhelpedherup.Thetwoofthemthenwalkedintothewoods,towardsastreamofclearandpure,waterasyetuninatedbyhumans.Theyscoopedupthecoldcrystalclearwaterwiththeirhandsandsprayedtheirheadsandfaceswithit.Thenughingjoyouslytheydivedinandswamaroundhappily.Theyfrolickedlight-heartedlyierspshingeachotherinfun.ImaginationthrewherselfintoCreativity’sarmsawoembradkissedeachother.
“Look!Howbeautifulthegaxyis!”shesaid,lookingatthemyriadsofstarstwinklinginthenightsky,feelinghappyandsatisfied.“Ourearthtooshouldbeohosebrilliaialbodies,buthumanshaveusedupalmostalloftheearth’sresourdhavebroughtdestru,pollutionandinationeverywheretheywent.O☐⚍hbeesunfitasahumanhabitatweofindasafehavensomewhereelseintheuniverseahemtoit.Tosomeotherpperhaps?But🚓theenviroheremayableforhumans.ThatisaproblemIhavebeentryingtoso🚾😽lveforalongtimebuthavefailedtofindadesirablesolution.”Creativitywassilentashetoohadnogoodaoherquestion.SuddenlyImaginationjumpedupandcppedherhandshappilylikeachildandsaid,
“Yes.Yes.Whydon’tweourselvescreateanotherpsuitableforhumansto🅲👷liveandrelocatethemthere?Whatdoyouthink?”
“Goodidea!Goodidea!”excimedCreativity;hiseyesalightas🏗🚌👿hegraspedthepossibilitiesestion.“IimitateGod’smightandpowerthatheusediingtheuniverseaeanotherpsuitableforhumans,withlight,heat,air,os,ndandallkindsoflife.Theclimatewouldbewarmandfortable,suitableforpeopletoliveandprocreate.Goodidea!Averygoodidea!”Thetwoofthemdancedhappilyiream.“Whydon’twebegiaway?”hesaid.Handinhawoofthemwalkedoutofthewaterontond.
Suddenlyahuge,eye-blindinglybrilliantballoflightapp🎅🎰earedinthedarksky.Afigurecouldbeseeninthatballoflight,whospokeinaloud,solemnvoice,“Youtwomiserable,ignoranthumanbeing!IdroveyououtoftheGardenofEdenbecauseyouhadacquiredknowledgeandthought.Nowyouhavetheaudacitytothinkofcop⛢🜁⚷yingmycreationoftheuniverseanddaretothinkofcreatingapofyourown?IamtheCreatoroftheuniverse.IandIalorolit.Itoperatesonmyordersaypn.Howdarethetwoofyouchalleopyourcreativityandimaginationatonceoryouwillincurthewrathofheaven.”CreativityandImaginatioontheground,cowed,flustered,andpanic-stribecausetheykheyhadangeredGodhimself.Thebrilliantballoflightdisappearedandblurryandindistinctdarknessonceagainreigheuniverse.
“Waitaminute.Waitaminute”shoutedDimitri,raisinghisheadtowardsthegraypre-dawhat’snotfair!Yousaidmanwasmadetoyour🛈🚖📖ownimageandlikehatmeanstherearehumasinyouanddivisinman;thereforetherearepartsofyo🍯uinmeandmeinyou.YouarepartofmeandIampartofyou.Tobeperfectlyfair,itcouldbesaidthatyouandthehumansyoucreatedhavemuonandarecreatedmutually.Manshouldhavether👙ighttomakehisowndecisionsandnotbeyourvassal.”Thegrayskiesdidnotanswerhim,butwassomberandsilentasusual.
Dimitriwokefromhisreverieandfoundhimselfsittingonabenchbytheke,hisshouldersandhatcoveredwithdew.Hisdipidatedjacketandloosebcksc🜻kswerealsowetfromthefogandmist.Hewasdeeplyshockedtorealizethathehadbeensittihewholenight,hismindfranticallyimaginingthings.Hesuddenlyrecalledthat⛢🜁⚷hisfleshbodyhaddisappearedintothinairandhisminusculeshredofsciousnessloiteredattheinalspotoftheuniverse,savsensationsofpeadtranquility.Howehewasbaearthagain?Whatwasthereonthisearththathecouldnotrelinquish?Heennilesshomelesspersonandblindintothebargain.Whatcausedhimtogsotenaciouslytothismundaneworld,unwillingtodepart?Ah!Itcouldonlybebecausehevaluedthispreciousfleshbodyandtreasuredlifeitself,sohecouldnotgivethemupsolightlyandcasually.
Daybroke.Thefirstlightofdaygraduallybrighteheskiesdispersingtheblurryandindistinctpre-dawnbleakness.Afewcarsdrovepastswiftly.Dimitriuzzledastowhythestreetslookedsodesertedayasnormallytheywouldbecrowdedwithtrafficbythistime.ThenherealizeditwasSundayandmostpeoplewereinchurch,sothereweren’tasmanypeopleoreetsandalsofewercarsontheroad.Herememberedthatinhisreverie,heelevatedthepositionofmantothesamelevesGodandthoughtthatresumptuousself-glorificationonhispartandreall⛜ysacril😇⚸🖉egious.“IhadbetterleavethequestioionshipbetweenGodandmantophilosophersandwisermenthanItosolve.WhymakesuchadoaboutnothingandrackmybraihisinsolvableGordianknot?
JusttheigaromaoffreshFrenchfriesandpastrywaftedoverfromtheshopsacrossthestreetandDimitri’sstomachgrowled.“Ihavereally💭🕂over-estimatedthepowerofmahought.“Takemeforinstance.IamsohungrybutthereisnothingIdoaboutit.I’tevensolvetheproblemofmyemptystomach.Yes,I’dratherbeaninsignifitman.Well,IsupposeIhadbetterpluckmyselfupandrummagethroughthegarbagesarouoseeifIfi-overspeoplethrewawaysoIfillmystomach”saidDimitriless,wryexpressiononhisface.Theimageehamburgercameintohismind.“HowIwouldreallyen🐣🁯joyitifIhadargehamburgerlikethat”hethought.“Iwouldchewandsavoreverybitebeforeswallowingit.Thefeelingofafullstomachwouldbereallymarvelous🜣🄂!”
Thesunrosehighinthesky.Itwasanotherlovelybrightsunnym.Carsariansincreased.Fromthefastfoodrestaurantacrossthestreetcamethebarkingofadog.Dimitric🏈😇⚷oulddetermiitwassmedium-sizedogofasmallerspecies,about15-20pounds.Itshouldbeacute-looking,likablepuppy.Dimitrimadefriendseasilywithallkindsofanimalsashisheart🐞🁀🂪wasfulloflove.Normallyashabbily-dressedblindman,tappinghiswayaroundwithawhiteewou🏒ldeasilyarousetheenmityofdogs,butnotDimitri.Somehow,eveviciousdogscouldsensehisinnateloveandfriendliness.Animals’reaoresensitivethahink.Wheneverhesatonabench,wildpigeonsflyingoverheadwoulddropdowntothegroundaroundhiminashowoftrustandfriendliness,whetherhehadanythingtofeedthemornot.
SoonacarstoppedintheshadeofatreenearDimitri.Assoonasthecardooropened,abck,long-eareddogjumpedoutandmadestraightforDimitri.Itsfurwasbrightandshinyanditsbodyfatandwell-fed,evidentlysomeone’swell-lovedpet.ThedogjumpedupthebendclimbedontoDimitri’sp,itsshortstumpytailwaggingfuriouslyiing.Itlookedhappyaed.Dimitricaressedthedogainhisarms.Hefou👐🟄ndthedoghadapaperbaginhismouthwithasmallpaperboxi.Somehowhekwasara-rgesizehamburger.Thelovelylittledogbarkedandthepaperbagdroppedfromitsmouthtotheground.IthurriedlyjumpeddowrieveitandonceagainjumpedupontothebendofferedhispaperbagtoDi🕣mitri.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,“IsthatyouCharina?Haven’tseenyouforalongtime.Isthisdogyours?”
“Yes,it’smi’saboydog,butbecauseheissonaughtyIgavehimafemalenameMaureen,hopinghewouldbedocileandfa🜎🁂🂻irasagirl.”
“It’salovelydog.IrememberwhenIwasyoungIusedtohaveapy🂧fellowlikethat.Isheasmallbckcockspaniel?AmIright?”
“Yes,yht.”
“IthinkIbeagoodfri💉🐀endofhis.Iamfri🌀endswithalld🁁🂷ogs.Bythe
way,🄳🁤areyo🙊🈪us🝵🏢tillsingle?”
“🁵🎵Yes,I’ms🙊🈪tillsingle.”🌱🂸
“That’sstrange.”
“Whatsobadaboutbeingsingle?”askedCharinadefensively🎅🎰.
“Heavens!Arethehandsomeyou🔛hecityallb🄝⚇🏑lindlikemethattheyletsuchabeautifulyoungwomanlivealone?”jokedDimitri.