Six Steps: A Three Part Short Story ~ Part 2

~~ In a Universe so immense — love transcends time and sacrifice transcends all earthly logic. Two souls connected through unquanitfiable love and immeasurable time find themselves embarking on separate journeys of sacrifice and reflection that will force both to alter their understanding of the universe around them. ~~

~~~~~~~~~

~~ Part Two ~~

The feeling was warm, euphoric and inviting — intensely comfortable while at the same time, overwhelmingly muddled. There was an extreme sense of sudden unfamiliarity with her surroundings that frighten her while simultaneously it gradually and softly consumed her.

She attempted to glance around, her eyes struggled adjusting to whatever it was that was in front of her and in her peripherals. Her eyes attempted to adjust to the darkness that embraced her, but in a way, it felt as if her eyes weren’t even opened.

It all felt new to her, this overwhelming and unexplainable sense of displacement that quickly crowded her and yet, what was before this? This was now and what has always been but it felt sudden.

Her thoughts however, were as sharp as ever — as clear as ever and getting clearer. They were strategically crowded with the faces of Malcolm her husband and Caleb her son — in a manner in which she’d never seen them before.

Everything else was gradually transforming into a clearer sharper version of itself and it was difficult for her to immediately recognize it all and truly place what was happening within its logical context.

Where was she?

The surreal feeling of instantaneous existence within her current state felt normal. Existing spontaneously and suddenly within the sense of the current state was all she’d known, but the faces of her family floating around in her subconscious was clear indication that there was more to everything and she was missing something.

Outside of the faces of those she held dear, she had an immensely difficult time effectively piecing together any coherent thoughts before experiencing this sudden warm euphoric feeling that accompanied this sudden state of being that consistently and currently embraced her.

Her eyes struggled mightily to adjust as she found herself in this place surrounded by nothing and possibly everything all at once. She felt welcomed — as if she’d been here before but frightened as the sense of raw uncertainty consumed her.

The feeling of unfamiliarity that she’d now found herself fully submerged in, was gradually dissipating and everything — all that surrounded her began to feel euphorically alluring. A feeling she’d never felt before, but somehow, it felt as if she was always supposed to feel this way.

Yet — the void still surrounded her. The more she attempted to adjust her vision, the clearer the small dots or small specks of lights within the distance seem to get. She had no idea if they were getting closer or not. They didn’t appear to get any brighter nor did they move, just clearer — sharper.

The longer she found herself existing in her current state, the more comfortable and the more in tuned with herself she seemed to become but that didn’t clear up the overall umbrella of confusion she now found herself strategically positioned under.

“That conflicting feeling you are experiencing,” a soft voice suddenly uttered. “That feeling of inscrutable receptivity — being in tuned with everything within yourself and being overwhelmingly benighted about your current state of existence, embrace it — it’s the only thing that exists for you at the moment.”

The voice was sudden yet it didn’t scare her. It was as if she was expecting it yet it was sudden and it interrupted her inner thoughts.

“You currently find yourself in a place in which your existence doesn’t have a defined state or purpose. Their faces is all that you will see, but the longer you exist where you currently find yourself, the more the memories will start to become less cloudy.”

The voice was calm yet precise. It aggressively surrounded her in a way that forced her to cease her attempts to figure out where it was originating from.

“Your previous state of existence no longer has a place. Your sacrifice will be rewarded.”

“What? What sacrifice?”

No response. The silence was suddenly deafening. There were answers she needed and they were not only not coming fast enough, but they didn’t appear to be coming at all.

“What sacrifice?” she repeated.

“Time no longer exist for you anymore.” The voice replied, ignoring her question. “The concept of time is lost upon your current state of being. You sacrificed your previous state of existence for other inhabitants of your universe and for that, you will be rewarded.”

“The sacrifice is now currently unknown to you as it’s a part of your previous state of existence. You have no knowledge of it and its merely impertinent to what comes next for you.”

The warm voice comforted her with each word that was released. The voice became increasingly natural with each word spoken and she understood everything that was being said moments after consuming the words.

Her subconscious unfolded and dissected each word, each sentence, and each phrase the voiced uttered as if they were designed specifically for her reception.

“Next?”

She asked in a slightly confused tone.

“What’s next?”

No response — nothing. Once again deafening silence directly after a question. Wasn’t difficult for her to gradually piece together the things that were starting to quickly become obvious to her. Clearly there was something before this as made clear by the voice’s “part of your previous state of existence” comment and now it insinuated that there was something next for her. But what was next? What was now?

“That is yet to be determined,” the voice quickly replied. “With your sacrifice, you will be given a choice. Your decision regarding the choice you have to make, will determine your next state of existence.”

“Why? How?” Michelle quickly replied.

Deafening silence — once more.

“Did you hear me?”

Silence still.

There was a choice she needed to make that would impact where she would go from here — that much seemed to be understood. The questions that she asked that weren’t getting responses or answers, she started to see the difference in between those and the ones that were getting responses and answers.

She thought for a moment as she wanted to focus on her next question. She understood that her question in all likelihood needed to be logical and it’s answer needed to push her closer towards understanding not only what was happening, but what was next.

“Precisely.” The voice replied.

She took a moment to dig deep within her subconscious as she didn’t respond to the voice right away.

“This sacrifice,” Michelle carefully inquired, “Why does it warrant a reward?”

The voice didn’t hesitate in its response this time.

“Your previous universe outlines a path for each inhabitant of said universe. Your sacrificial actions in your previous state of existence interrupted the path that was designed for two inhabitants, two inhabitants whom you sacrificed your position within said universe for. Your actions directly altered the order and structure of said universe. The sacrifice alone is the reason for the reward.”

“How can I alter or prevent something the universe decides to do?” Michelle quickly replied. “How can I interrupt this ‘order?’

“The same universe has given you the authority and ability to do so,” the voice replied, “Like it gives all of its inhabitants. The inhabitants who decides to utilize this ability are the ones who ultimately find themselves changing the balance and order within said universe. Some are punished, others are allowed to recycle endlessly throughout the multiverse and others, like yourself, are rewarded.”

Everything was gradually becoming clearer the more information she requested and the more the voice shared. She wasn’t certain what was before this, she wasn’t sure what she sacrificed her place in the universe for, but she was now certain that she was being rewarded for it by this voice.

“Who are yo…….?” She begin to ask.

“Everything has a creator,” the voice suddenly interrupted her — no doubt already cognizant of what Michelle was going to ask.

“I am not your creator. Your creator’s impact on your state of existence ended directly after your creation and doesn’t impact or control your existence one way or another, the universe does and we designed the multiverse in which your universe resides in.”

Accepting all that was being shared with her was getting relatively easier with each passing moment. It was pretty clear the longer she simply existed where she currently found herself, the more her thoughts, mind and subconscious seem to expand and absorb all that surrounded her.

Because of her mind expanding, she could feel herself, her words her overall current position in the surreal and seemingly unknown state she now found herself, being placed into words — chronicled and consumed in real time. Words being placed in position to be received and understood buy by whom? Why?

The voice once again interrupted her thoughts.

“The writer — the inhabitant that has placed your understanding of your current state of existence into words is being incredibly simplistic with their approach.”

The moment was surreal and euphoric as she suddenly realized the voice was bringing to her attention that everything that was happening was being chronicled by another inhabitant somewhere else, in another part of the multiverse and strategically placed into words.

“They are merely a vessel and is as important as we allow him to be. Your journey happens no matter what he does.”

Michelle understood this, but so much was being made clear at this moment. Her current position, her previous state of existence, though not precisely clear and void of details, the concept was true and sound. The inhabitant that was currently placing her state of existence into words didn’t truly understand the extent of what was happening, but she was slowly and gradually becoming cognizant of the fact that one day he would.

“So my reward for my sacrifice is a choice — a choice given to me that most wouldn’t receive?”

“Correct.”

“Ok,” she replied as she now understood the concept being shared with her. “I’m ready — what is this choice?”

“There is another inhabitant of your previous universe, this inhabitant is one of the two inhabitants that you seem to have direct recollections of within your subconscious. This inhabitant assisted you in creating the other inhabitant that is within your subconscious.”

“Malcolm.” she replied.

“Right now this inhabitant is asking the creator for one final moment to tell you things he needs to tell you. If you choose accordingly, you will ultimately be given one final chance to see, touch and feel this inhabitant before transitioning to your next state. A state in which once a part of, you will have no more recollection of this inhabitant or your previous state of existence.”

“I understand.” She replied.

“If you accept this chance, if you choose to do this, your next state of existence will be chosen for you. If you decide against this, if you choose to forgo this and choose to simply move on, you will be able to choose your next state of existence and your journey will begin immediately.”

There was an immediate level of perception there that now made grasping what was being shared with her not just easy but she was close to becoming one with all that was happening to her — with everything that embraced her.

“The longer you exist here,” the voice continued, “Outside the existence of the multiverses, your mind will expand and become one with everything. This ability is something all inhabitants of your previous universe are created with but that quickly dissipates because of the world that consumes them.”

“The ‘why’ isn’t important from my stand point,” Michelle replied, “But the logic behind the choices and how they adversely affect one another and the ultimate outcome escapes me. The reasons the choices exists behind a concept that places each potential outcome into undefined reasons and the inability to truly understand the respective consequences or actions from my decision also escapes me.”

“This order,” the voice quickly replied. “It’s a part of designed paths and it’s all structured and geared around a continuing cycle that will never end. This inhabitant that wants to speak with you again, he isn’t just asking the creator for permission for one last chance to speak with you — he’s praying to his creator. By granting him this, by choosing to give him this, it’ll be answering him — ultimately changing what he believes.

“Although belief is irrelevant to the existence of the reality that surrounds him, this will change him and who he is. It will shift his position within the universe and likely others around him. Because of that, we have to account for that shift. This cycle is structured around actions and their inevitable reactions.”

Now that everything was becoming increasingly clearer, Michelle’s mind opened in such a way that was starting to allow fear to settle in. She was starting to be afraid of what was next — of the unknown. She understood that deciding to see this person who she now realized she loved immensely, an emotion that held onto her even within this surreal state of being, required another form of sacrifice.

“I’m afraid of what’s next,” she replied. “Afraid of uncertainty and of the unknown.”

“Fear isn’t relevant or important in any way now,” the voice responded, “Your sacrifice for other inhabitants within the universe will be rewarded. This choice you have to make, it’s only a part of your reward — it isn’t the total reward.”

The memories of Malcolm begin to flash through the walls of subconscious as the voice spoke. The more her mind was opening, the more the memories from her previous state was starting to poor in. She remembered them and the way they were.

She remembered Malcolm’s smile and the way he touched her. She remembered his voice and the way he told her that he loved her. She remembered the feel of his beard on her neck, on her cheek and on her thighs. She reminisced on the times they made love, the times they laughed and cried together. He was more than just an inhabitant, he was a part of her and she a part of him and it was all coming to an end.

She wasn’t afraid of what was next, she was afraid of not being with Malcolm again — not holding Caleb again. Fear truly wasn’t currently real and the moment she told herself that, it vanished.

The writer that was placing her current existence into words couldn’t truly understand how she was able to quickly understand what was happening, nor did he understand how she was able to formulate memories from her previous state of existence. He didn’t understand what he was writing, but knew he needed to continue no matter what as the end result was likely immensely important.

Michelle could sense the extreme levels of confusion within the writer. The thought of why she wasn’t as universally and cosmically close to Caleb as she was to Malcolm seem to confuse him slightly, but there was a sense of general acceptance there that gradually embraced him the more he continued to place the words where they belong.

Her choice was clear, it was always clear.

“How long will I have?” she asked.

“Time no longer exists for you,” the voice quickly replied, “Everything that happens next is all relative to the exact moment you decide to choose and not whether or not you believe that time exists — which it doesn’t. Your reality is now, time isn’t reality anymore for you.”

The silence was once again deafening but this time, it was filled with substance, perspective and clarity. Nothing else needed to be said. She had decided.

“Travel well,” the voice replied.