By Cogitator
The Virus
Wildfire would be a very tame word for how the virus spread. Nothing of this magnitude could have been imagined.
Day One
Roy and Betty were about to celebrate their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Based in Chicago, Roy was the premier construction contractor in the Midwest. He had built a one-man operation into a multi-billion dollar corporation employing thousands.
Although Roy's business was built primarily from large construction projects, he was a big fan of Habitat for Humanity. He liked the idea of providing housing for the needy. He had been working on a large-scale design that would house thousands. His grandparents had moved to the United States some sixty-odd years before with virtually no money. They had instilled in him a sense of responsibility and respect that drove his decisions.
Betty was a psychologist and one of the most respected developers of children -- especially troubled ones. She convinced Roy to build their home on a few acres so she could spend time with her passion -- gardening. The house was surrounded by gorgeous flower gardens, a Japanese garden, a large hydroponic greenhouse for vegetables and fruit, as well as a variety of fruit trees outside. In one corner of the property, she installed a couple of dozen beehives to interact with her blossoms and provide natural honey to sweeten their meals. Their two grown children, John and Mike and their wives were at their home, making plans for the celebration.
Mike was a master at designing and installing communications systems. A private "gun-for-hire," he commanded huge sums of money for his services. He had been so involved with his work that he hardly ever took time for himself until Maggie came into his life. They had met in New Orleans while working on the same project and had never been apart since. Maggie was pregnant with their first child and absolutely glowing.
John worked as a private software designer for Internet Service Providers. His current project was the installation of an intelligent module that would interact with users and "learn" from the interaction. It operated with a knowledge base similar to human memory and merged new knowledge pieces into that base. Newly married to Samantha, he would not accept any assignment without including her in the travel plans. She was a nurse but put her career on hold to start a family.
Emergence
As John and Mike were exultantly discussing elaborate plans for the anniversary celebration, Roy and Betty were trying to bring them down from the clouds.
"Boys, boys. This should be a more intimate gathering of family and close friends. Ease up on the expenses." Roy says.
"No worries, Dad. We'll limit it to your Top 50. Let's start with your brothers and sisters, OK?" John offers. "I'll start the list."
After several names are chosen:
"Pop, I think I need your reading glasses. My writing is becoming blurry."
"Mine too, son. Something doesn't feel right. Turn the TV on."
All channels had the same report:
"There is a severe emergency happening. We do not know how long we will be on air. People all over the planet are going blind. It is suspected that some virulent organism has mutated and attacks the part of the brain that controls vision. It is small enough to travel through the air, so anyone that breathes will be affected. We suggest to everyone to get home as soon as possible and prepare for the worst."
The screen went blank. Within the hour, the world went dark for the family. Within five days, the human population would be blind.
Chaos
All over the world, people were losing their sight. Panic was immediate. Transportation systems caused the main havoc. With drivers, airline pilots, train engineers and ship captains going blind within a short period of time, crashes and accidents of major proportions occurred everywhere. Within a few hours of the emergence, millions perished around the globe. It was only the beginning.
Many turned to their television, radio or smart phones for information about what was happening. Within the first day, all television and internet communication simply stopped. The talking heads that usually told the community about current events could not see the teleprompter. The writers couldn't write. All radio, television and internet communication ended. The world was "in the dark."
Whereas most of the population would be "taking care of business," on a normal day, there was no busy-ness now other than survival. People who had been blind from birth attempted to go about their busy-ness as usual, but immediately noticed a marked difference -- silence. There was no street noise, no airplane noise, no train horns and no noticeable activity around them; only the sounds of birds chirping and squirrels frolicking. Other than humans, the animal world was not affected.
Roy and Betty were glad their sons were with them. After communication with the outside world was cut off, Roy did not wait to react. (Sight be damned; we can't just sit still!) Having been in construction contracting for as long as he had, he knew what blindness would do to the maintenance and operation of the electrical grid. He had a generator in the basement with plenty of fuel in case of emergency. When Roy built his home on five acres, he hadn't considered the possibility of needing so much acreage, but it would now come in handy.
"John, Mike, it's impossible to know what will happen next, but I'm pretty sure that the electrical grid cannot operate without engineers and maintenance crews. My generator will kick in when that happens, but we have to conserve fuel. Crawl along the baseboard and unplug everything you can find, except for the refrigerator and freezer. Even though we won't be able to cook, we have enough cans and dry goods to last for some time. We had a delivery for the water cooler a couple of days ago, so we have at least a week of water for the six of us. If and when we regain sight, we'll need the food in the fridge and freezer. If we don't regain our sight, humanity will disappear from the planet. Let's plan to see again."
The roads were littered with stopped cars and trucks. The drivers and passengers had no idea what to do other than remain in their vehicles. Some got out of their cars and tried to walk on the road surface while yelling for help at the top of their voice. All that echoed were the cries of others who had done the same thing. There would be no help available.
Hospitals were useless with blinded doctors and nurses. It would not be long before those in need of care would perish. Business ended. All movement stopped. Other than the moans and cries of despair, the world was silent.
Day Two
Sleep was impossible the first day. After the reality of blindness sank into the minds of the newly sightless, a realignment of values occurred. Everyday activities taken for granted became hugely important to consider. Eating, drinking and purging were now monumental undertakings. Those fortunate enough to be in familiar surroundings were able to grope their way from memory. Those stranded on the highways were in for a more gruesome experience.
The virus had a five-day incubation period so the population was not blinded in the same moment. Australian scientists had some time to isolate the virus before going blind. Some remote areas in the Pacific Ocean, the polar ice caps and the Amazonian forest were spared, as well. Hardest hit were the densely populated areas.
The virus could only be seen by the most powerful electron microscopes. It traveled in the air and infected any person who breathed. It would enter the lungs and use the blood stream to eventually lodge a colony in the part of the brain controlling sight. It was not known yet if it would run its course or cause permanent damage.
Survival became uppermost in people's minds, followed by the suicide of many. Those who had been programmed to slavishly depend on the ruling class were the most despondent and the quickest to turn to suicide as the solution to their dilemma. It became very apparent that the economic structure built upon greed and power would no longer exist. There would be no money in the future -- if there was to be a future for humanity.
The generator started.
"Family, the power grid just went down. That's going to cause some issues. I hope nobody is caught in an elevator. We'll run the generator for a while and turn it off every hour for a couple of hours. We have to conserve fuel. At least it's springtime. If it was January, I don't know how many people would freeze to death."
"Betty, do you think you can gather some fruit for us from your green house?"
"Of course, I can. I know where everything is located. John, Mike, let's hold hands and go. There is some rope near the entrance that can tether us, as well as some bags I use to harvest. As I walk through the paths, I'll let you know where you can feel the fruit. It may take a while, but we can gather a good supply that way. There's also some radishes and tomatoes that are ripe enough. We'll gather some after we pass through the fruit trees."
The deaths mounted.
The world no longer existed for the survivors -- not as they knew it. Without sight, only the imagination was operating. People were forced to think about how they possibly could survive without public services, without an economic system, without electricity, without transportation, etc. Virtually all survivors set about reviewing their lives in silence. They knew that this experience, if they lived through it, would change a lot of things on the planet.
The Middle East conflicts could not continue. Weapons were useless. The thought of launching the nuclear arsenal crossed the minds of the superpowers, but they thought better of it. The ruling class no longer had any power. The stranglehold of politics and religion on impressionable minds would have to be released. Assault rifles have about as much metal as a sword and their future, if any, was to become plowshares. One benefit of being blind is the inability to see country borders.
Carnivorous predators in the wild sensed the hopelessness and helplessness of humans. They would soon feast like never before. In the cities, rats began staying out of the sewers during daylight, rather than wait until nightfall. In New York, Wall Street honchos who dived out of windows when they realized their lives had been wasted provided nourishment for the army of rats.
By the end of the second day, more gruesome events. The most excruciating pain felt and the highest rate of murder/suicide occurred in families with small children. Mothers were torn apart by the screams of pain and discomfort from their children. Fathers could not provide solace. Decisions were made to end the pain of the entire family. For millions, it seemed to be the right thing to do.
If someone was not in a group with familiar surroundings, hopes for survival were slim to none. All over the world, small groups huddled together awaiting their fate. Sanitation was becoming a problem. No daily bath or shower, limited access to toilets and grooming without sight was impossible. People began to grope their way outside to relieve themselves, rather than use indoor facilities. Flies were having a field day, as well as cockroaches and other insects.
Sleep was still difficult except for brief nodding off. Waking up to the same nightmare was cruel. It would continue.
Day Three
Maggie was having a nightmare. She opened her eyes -- darkness.
"Mike, is our baby going to die?"
"No, honey. All viruses have a limited life span. We're as prepared as we can be to weather this calamity, thanks to Dad. It's just unknown how long it will take. We should be happy to have our family around us."
"I love you very much, Mike."
Roy called out to John and Mike:
"Boys, we need to evaluate the situation. There is no returning to the civilization of yesterday. We must start thinking about how we will create the next generation. We cannot plan anything based on death. Since the power grid failed, I know the infrastructure has collapsed. Where we go from here depends upon the regaining of our sight. We must stay alive until that happens or accept that we will remain blind and die a slow death. I choose life."
"Regardless of the length of time this takes, there will be a severe loss of life. The longer it takes, the greater the loss. We are very fortunate in comparison with millions, if not billions, of others. Exposure, dehydration and suicide are already at work. Even those who survive and regain sight will have to struggle for their lives for some time to come."
No one knew what time it was. Some idea of night and day was had by walking outside and feeling the sunlight or lack of it. The day of the week also faded. (Is it Tuesday or Wednesday?) It didn't matter. It would be Today from now on.
"Family, it is probable that this event will cause the rebirth of humanity.
| Author Notes | My thanks to Helen Keller..."There's one thing worse than being blind - having sight and no vision." |
By Cogitator
Dawning
By the middle of the fourth day, over half the human population was lost. That is when the virus lost its grip -- it had run its course.
Regaining sight was immediately followed by tears. Tears of joy and relief. This was followed by hugs for the nearest person and then to others in the groups that survived. No one used their recovered sight to judge; only to love. Having lived through the same horrendous experience made everyone equal. Seeing again was ecstasy.
Regardless of where they came from, regardless of what they had done, people now shared the same moment and the same experience. The few days of blindness, desperation, fear and helplessness made the remaining population think. Once the terror had left them to some degree, they had to examine themselves. They began to awaken. A monumental paradigm shift was occurring in humanity.
Once the groups finished expressing their feelings, their next thought was "What now?" Some wandered outside to witness the damage. Abandoned cars were everywhere in the cities and highways, decaying bodies in the streets and no movement. It seemed that the groups were attached by some invisible magnet as they surveyed the situation. No one wanted to be left behind. Roy spoke:
"John, Mike, take to the road and check on our neighbors. When you go by a grocery store, get some cans, dry goods and water; load up the cars. Mike, do you know where Steve Johnson lives on Sixth street?"
"Sure do."
"He is a ham operator and, if he is still there, ask him to follow you on the way back with his equipment. We'll try to raise some other hams and get some news. If you see anyone that doesn't know what to do, tell them to find some camping equipment, load up at the grocery and give them directions to this house. If you see children or parents with children, tell them to go to the high school gymnasium. Betty will meet them later after we form some kind of plan. Two of my foremen live nearby and I'm going to drive by with the company walkie-talkie to have them join us, if they can. I have a feeling we're going to need them."
"Dad, there may some people that have not yet regained their sight."
"Gosh, you're right, Mike. I have to slow my thoughts."
"Mike, drive slowly and blow the car horn as you drive. The sound will give them hope. If someone comes out, get them and bring them into the car. If they have regained their sight, tell them to get into their vehicles, do the same as you and make sure they know how to get to our house."
"If you see any pickup trucks in driveways, stop and check the house; minivans, as well. We need to transport as much as possible as soon as possible. Our next foray will be at Woodfield Mall to gather all the walkie-talkies we can find, as well as all the camping equipment we can find. Any questions?"
"No, Dad. We're on it."
All over the world, groups formed to support each other. Many Roys around the world took charge of the situation with wisdom and common sense.
Stabilizing food, water and shelter came first, followed by establishing communication with other groups. There were many self-sufficient communities already in existence -- the Amish, The Farm in Tennessee, Indian reservations, kibbutzes, remote tribes, etc. They all had the same capability of mutual support of the community. They would become models for The Recovery. The exodus from large cities to small communities would soon begin. The skyscrapers built from power gone wild would provide material for the future.
Roy and Betty had their family around them as they watched tents being raised like mushrooms popping from the ground. Every single person who came would first come to the couple and give them fervent hugs. All thoughts were synchronized from the calamity. Humanity truly was realizing it was part of the same family. It was impossible for survivors to see anything "wrong" with anyone.
When the influx of survivors trickled to a few people, everyone worked together to ensure all were secure in their new environment. Strangers went from tent to tent and asked if they could help in any way. Everyone cared. When night came, it seemed as though no one wanted to go to sleep. Roy finally ended it:
"Folks, we have a lot of work ahead of us. We'll have a gathering in the morning to discuss our options to go forward. Please get your rest tonight. There is definitely no hurry as long as we are together and take care of each other, but we have a huge responsibility to the children and grandchildren to help them get through their lives. That's what we will talk about in the morning. Betty and I love you all and bid you a good night."
The group felt the message immediately. As of one mind, everyone returned to their tents and soon, silence returned.
Sunrise
As Roy and Betty awoke, they could hear voices outside. Dressing quickly, they ventured downstairs and exited the front door. There were dozens of people standing in front of their house, waiting for them to appear.
"Good morning," Roy bellowed.
GOOD MORNING!" the group returned.
"Are you ready to go to work?"
"YES!"
"All right. I've been thinking about what we need to do. The first thing is to accept reality as it has become. However, as I talked to Betty last night before going to sleep, it is important to appreciate what we have in our current situation. We are alive. If that is not the most important element in each of our lives, we will miss the value of life."
"Another thing we have missed under the iron fist of the ruling class is the beauty of nature and the source of our bodies - Mother Earth. What I would have you do this morning is to accompany my beautiful wife as she shows you her gardens and communicates her relationship with her plants and flowers. She not only has a green thumb, she can make a stone grow into a rock. Any takers?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Betty walks down to the group and asks them to form a single file behind her. It is a beautiful spring day; the sun is just starting its warming duties and the sky is cloudless and deep blue. Birds are chirping and chasing each other in the dance of reproduction. Overhead, a skein of geese heading for their summer grounds are honking their intent.
Betty begins heading for the Japanese garden first. As the group silently follows her, their eyes scan the environment. Everything is neat. Even the stone path they walk looks as though each stone was purposely placed where it lay. Betty leads them through a decorative gate into the garden and waits until all have entered. She speaks:
"This area is for contemplation. I come here to relieve all negative thought. The sand in the middle is raked every day to mimic waves of water. Many people live near water for a very real reason. Water is an integral part of our being. As I contemplate what I see, I can feel the interconnection of life. It only takes a few minutes for me to be at peace."
The rose garden was next.
"Roses are interesting to me because of what Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying. He said that we should be happy that thorns have roses rather than saying that roses have thorns. I love both the thorns and roses because of that. I have all the colors here, including black roses. The color difference is not a differential factor. Every color is beautiful."
The main flower garden was next.
"I wanted to have these flowers represent the beauty in every flower. The colors have a purpose, the shape of the petals have a purpose -- all determined by their relationship to Mother Earth. They simply want to express their happiness for being alive, just like we should."
"I love gardening because growing things represents creation to me. I can take a tiny seed and watch it grow into its purpose. The seed contains all the knowledge of being what it is and executes the instructions in its DNA to become a tree, a bush, a radish - whatever. A plant's DNA is not that much different from our own. They are living organisms and they communicate. I always talk to my plants. The more kindness and compassion I demonstrate, the more they want to grow for me."
As Betty proceeded to the main greenhouse, group members started talking about what they were seeing. Their regained eyesight was appreciating every bit of the garden. Sighs, tears and handholding throughout the group.
Filing into the greenhouse, the first feeling was warm moisture.
"Folks, try to crowd in as best you can. (Others had joined the group). The greenhouses were designed to create food. It is no secret that if we simply used Mother Earth's fruits and vegetables, we could all be healthier. We are omnivorous, but we actually don't need meat as food. All we need to survive and grow is available in a vegetarian diet. Part of the reason for global warming and the destruction of rain forests is humanity's desire for meat. Roy and I have not eaten meat since our college days."
"Much of the food here is chosen for nutritional value. Tomatoes, beets, cauliflower and others have fantastic vitamins and minerals. Roy and I were discussing building a hydroponic greenhouse that could produce much more bounty with less space. That will be put on hold for a while, at least until we build our new community.
Let's go see my lovely bees. The hives are in the back, so we have to walk through the orchard. I planted cherry trees for them - they love the blossoms."
The cherry orchard was resplendently in bloom. The smell was heady and strong -- and heartwarming. The group felt closer and closer in their reverie. Exiting the orchard, they saw the beehives. There were several dozen arranged in neat rows. Betty stopped and turned to the group:
"Honey is the most complete food there is. I store a hundred jars or so during the summer and donate the rest to the food pantry down the road."
As Betty was speaking, several bees landed on her. She didn't flinch. Soon, hundreds of bees followed and began covering her neck and face. The buzzing grew so loud as to drown out her words. It wasn't long before her upper body was crawling with bees.
"I think they missed me the last few days," she says. "They are giving me kisses of joy. Many people are afraid of bee stings, but those are usually caused by the aggressive behavior of the human, not the bee. I love my bees and they know it. I was devastated when I learned of bee colonies dying off because of chemical pollution, GMOs and the like from corporate idiots. Bees are essential for food production. Without their pollination abilities, there would be a huge food shortage, not just for humans, but all animals. All right, babies, go to your blossoms and get to work."
As Betty retraced her steps through the cherry orchard, bees departed her body to follow her instruction. As she headed back to the house, people began dropping out of the group to linger and think. The seed of a new appreciation of humanity's relationship to Mother Earth was sown.
| Author Notes | I received great help for the previous chapter. Thank you. |
By Cogitator
Chaos
All over the world, people were losing their sight. Panic was immediate. Transportation systems caused the main havoc. With drivers, airline pilots, train engineers and ship captains going blind within a short period of time, crashes and accidents of major proportions occurred everywhere. Within a few hours of the emergence, millions perished around the globe. It was only the beginning.
Many turned to their television, radio or smart phones for information about what was happening. Within the first day, all television and internet communication simply stopped. The talking heads that usually told the community about current events could not see the teleprompter. The writers couldn't write. All radio, television and internet communication ended. The world was "in the dark."
Whereas most of the population would be "taking care of business," on a normal day, there was no busy-ness now other than survival. People who had been blind from birth attempted to go about their busy-ness as usual, but immediately noticed a marked difference -- silence. There was no street noise, no airplane noise, no train horns and no noticeable activity around them; only the sounds of birds chirping and squirrels frolicking. Other than humans, the animal world was not affected.
Roy and Betty were glad their sons were with them. After communication with the outside world was cut off, Roy did not wait to react. (Sight be damned; we can't just sit still!) Having been in construction contracting for as long as he had, he knew what blindness would do to the maintenance and operation of the electrical grid. He had a generator in the basement with plenty of fuel in case of emergency. When Roy built his home on five acres, he hadn't considered the possibility of needing so much acreage, but it would now come in handy.
"John, Mike, it's impossible to know what will happen next, but I'm pretty sure that the electrical grid cannot operate without engineers and maintenance crews. My generator will kick in when that happens, but we have to conserve fuel. Crawl along the baseboard and unplug everything you can find, except for the refrigerator and freezer. Even though we won't be able to cook, we have enough cans and dry goods to last for some time. We had a delivery for the water cooler a couple of days ago, so we have at least a week of water for the six of us. If and when we regain sight, we'll need the food in the fridge and freezer. If we don't regain our sight, humanity will disappear from the planet. Let's plan to see again."
The roads were littered with stopped cars and trucks. The drivers and passengers had no idea what to do other than remain in their vehicles. Some got out of their cars and tried to walk on the road surface while yelling for help at the top of their voice. All that echoed were the cries of others who had done the same thing. There would be no help available.
Hospitals were useless with blinded doctors and nurses. It would not be long before those in need of care would perish. Business ended. All movement stopped. Other than the moans and cries of despair, the world was silent.
| Author Notes | This is a rewrite |
By Cogitator
The Plan
Roy and his sons greeted Betty outside as she was returning from her tour. They soon were surrounded by survivors.
"Folks, it's time to plan for the future. We can exist here for quite some time, but that cannot be our sole purpose. In my business, I need to have a finished picture in mind before starting work. Since working with Habitat for Humanity, I have been thinking of a community design that will allow people to be self-sufficient, but the idea is still in its infancy. Like any construction project, I have to know the elements required to make that structure come to be. Before work starts, I have to take inventory of the resources we will need to complete the project."
He continues:
"Although we have lost our infrastructure, that doesn't mean we have to revert to the pioneer days. We can make use of what we have available when we get some power grids back. That will allow us to reestablish communication with other survivors. Since commercial television is dead, the logical replacement is the Worldwide Web. John tells me that all facilities used for the Web have stand-alone power supplies. Once power is available to us all, we can keep our smartphones charged and start using our computers again. We can then communicate our plan to others. I am certain that many others will have similar thoughts and, the more we communicate, the better the final picture will be."
From the group:
"What if the ruling class tries to regain power?"
"I doubt they will. There may still be some lunatics out there, but they will not survive for long. If the shock of this experience has not brought them back to sanity, they will have no support. People intrinsically know what is right and blind obedience to tyranny will not last."
People began sitting on the lawn as they listened, clutching and stroking each other. Betty speaks:
"I have learned more from the children I tend than from any Psychology class. This event we just shared has made all humans equals in the truest sense of the word. Man is a social animal and has very specific needs to maintain a sense of well-being. I can readily see from this group that you have already realized that love and companionship are shared among us all. Those children I worked with blossomed because of love, compassion and kindness -- just like my bees. Our duty to our children and future grandchildren is simple -- tell the truth. Also, it is not for us to teach them to do things that do not come naturally to them. What we must do is teach them HOW to learn, not WHAT to learn. We are all born with a purpose and our objective should be to find that purpose and apply ourselves totally to that purpose. We recognize it when what we do is no longer considered work. It becomes play. Any of you with children know the joy on their faces when they play. It is the most natural thing we do." She continues:
"The society we have emerged from is gone. The decadence, vanity, rampant egos, power struggles, money and all negative vestiges of the ruling class have died along with it. We are free to rebuild based upon common sense. There is no personal ownership, no borders, no politicians and -- no crime. Without money as the driving factor and recognizing the value of our lives as we do now, the thought of hurting someone else will also vanish from all minds. We have a new ism. Rather than Communism, we can call it Communitism. It's not that we don't own anything; it is that we own everything."
"Truth always wins, no matter how long it takes for it to surface. Truth is, we are all connected and dependent upon others. That's not limited to humans -- everything is connected. That realization has come because our blindness has enabled us to see. Our new world will help us synchronize and harmonize our actions with Mother Earth. No other life form on earth takes more than what it needs from her. No other life form pollutes or destroys her creations. If we had all died from our experience, she would restore the Garden of Eden that she was before humanity despoiled her. Our task is to help her do it."
Roy rejoins:
"Mike, John and I talked a bit last night about the community design. Those of you that accompanied Betty this morning saw the beehives. There are very few insect colonies that cooperate as well as bees. We can take our first lesson from them. My initial design is based upon the way they build their honeycombs. That, combined with Bucky Fuller's geodesic concepts, has given me a good idea of what the physical community of the future will look like. Each community can be adapted to its environment easily because each cell of the honeycomb can be separate."
"Ideally, communities would be limited to grow to between six and ten thousand residents. That would allow for neighborly attitudes and be enough to supply the needed skill sets for chores and maintenance. When growth is projected to be near overflow, new communities can be built as needed and linked with the same communication systems. Our new society will grow just like Betty's hives."
"The Fox River bisects an old farm I acquired at an auction last year for the purpose of building a small prototype community. Once we organize properly, we can all get to work there. We don't have enough manpower yet, but I'm sure others will join us. For now, we will concentrate on gathering the equipment and materials we need to start building and take them to the farm. Betty -- you wanted to say some other things?"
"Yes, Roy, thanks."
"Folks, we are faced with an opportunity of huge proportions. I think we can all feel the kinship of the group. That is one feeling that we must nurture and pass on to our descendants. Nothing is more important to an individual than loving and being loved. This love is not limited to our immediate family or this group alone -- it is agape, love of all life. We can leave all our mistakes behind us and begin a new way of life -- a sane way of life. The past is the only thing that dies, so let's bury it and get on with building a good future."
"After more than thirty years of tending to children and doing countless hours of research, I can tell you that every problem surfacing in relationships is caused by breakdowns in communication. I can also tell you that all pain and discomfort is caused by the human ego. If we are to succeed in our new society, we must become aware of our words and actions. Mahatma Gandhi said that, once we strip away the vestiges of lies from our minds, the only thing remaining is the naked truth. I know this to be true from working with children. Prior to their being bombarded by indoctrination, training, propaganda and the like, they are curious, playful and innocent. It is not ignorance that is bliss -- it is innocence. Ignorance is hell."
"One thing that differentiates us from other animals is our imagination. We can envision something in our minds that does not yet exist and make it manifest through our efforts. That's what Roy is trying to convey when describing the community from his imagination. We all work the same way. My son John has been describing his intelligent software and how it would serve the community. I consider that software to be an electronic ombudsman. He will describe how it works soon."
"Everything we do as a society is based upon our agreements. In order for us to agree on any topic, we have to communicate, resolve differences and then, bring up the next topic. In truth, it is not our words that carry truth -- it is our actions. In our small group, we probably don't have much to say right now, save to discuss how we arrived at this place. There is no television, no movies, no sports, no news, and no weather reports -- what a fantastic situation! We have to communicate with each other. We should be thankful."
"One of my favorite studies is the human brain. It is a wonderful tool for the real us to use, but many, if not most people, are unaware of how to maximize its potential. I don't have all the answers yet, but I know we can align our thoughts toward restoring our beautiful planet. On that basis, until we start building, I would like to lead discussions on one topic per day to attune ourselves to the same communication channel. It will not be uniform at first, but, as we go further into discovering our true self, the understanding will eventually come for all."
"On that note, I'll let John describe how our communities will be linked. John?"
"Thanks, mom."
"We probably all come from varying occupations and experience and, as my mom said, we should attempt to align our thoughts towards the same goal. My vision is to have technology serve us, rather than using it to make wage slaves of the population. Before the virus, you may know surveillance systems were being installed everywhere by the ruling class under the reasoning that they were to provide security for the population. In truth the aristocrats wanted to protect themselves."
"When I learned of the president ordering the manufacture of two billion rounds of ammunition and letting the military distribute rifles and war machines to selected towns around the country, my skin crawled. When are people going to react to these insane moves? Ben Franklin's words rang in my head: 'Those that would give up some liberty to gain some security deserve neither.' We all deserve both."
"Dad gave me some idea about his physical layout for the honeycombs. Before the virus, I was trying to come up with ideas about just one local community, but that has changed. I've spent the last couple of days thinking about how to use the intelligent module worldwide, so I had to resequence my thoughts. First, let me give you some background about today's technology."
"I could go farther back than the mid-1800s, but that is the time when the power of technology began developing. It was created by the works of Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal, Leonardo da Vinci and other great thinkers. The mid-1800s through the mid-1900s was a century of awesome discovery. George Boole, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace created automation. Babbage worked on the idea of a physical Differential Engine, Boole worked on defining the process(es) that would operate it and Lovelace was, in effect, the first programmer for the machine. It would take a hundred years or so for their vision to manifest."
"That is also when industrialization reared its ugly head. Fulton's steam engine came onto the world stage and opened up huge new opportunities. Railroads came into being and manufacturing facilities opened. People began coming off farms and rural communities to work in factories as wage slaves -- much like China is doing today. The ruling class, born from the feudal lords of old, needed to maintain control to grow their empires. They knew how to exploit others' labor and skill. Best example is the glorification of Thomas Edison -- Nikola Tesla did most of the inventing and Edison took most of the credit (and money.) Tesla was probably as great a mind as Einstein and Newton, but never sought the limelight."
"The first computers were crude, nothing more than adding machines with printers attached. The ideas that created today's technology came from George Boole's 'Laws of Thought,' "Boolean Algebra," (which is as insightful as Newton's Calculus,) and the binary system. Late in the 19th century, Hollerith created an 80-column cardboard card that could contain twelve vertical punches in each column. Any letter of the alphabet and zero through nine could be represented in a column. This system was used primarily for accounting purposes and lasted into the 1970s in some locations. The card was commonly called an IBM card by then."
"Scientific computers could never use such a slow system. The huge amount of data required for scientific analysis needed access to it to be much faster. Devices were imagined to speed access - magnetic tape, then disk drives, now a virtual cloud -- all in about fifty years. Quite an accomplishment, really."
"In the late 1930's, thinkers like Noam Chomsky, Alan Turing and others began discussing Artificial Intelligence. Many people I've discussed my module with want to call it that. This is true intelligence represented in zeroes and ones. The only artificial intelligence that exists is what we call the ego, personality or identity. Artificial means man-made. Intelligence was not made by man. Some skeptics may even say that it isn't much used by man."
"Quantum Mechanics was born from Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. If anyone has doubts of everything being connected, just consider the most famous equation of the twentieth century -- Energy equals Mass times the speed of light squared. What that implies is that everything we can behold is forms of Energy. Relativity is connectivity."
"When studying the Laws of Thought, it became apparent that we all think the same way; we just think about different things and assign different values to our experiences and knowledge. There is no deviousness in our thinking process, only in our egos. The beautiful function about my module is that it is based on facts, not fantasy or fiction. Because it learns from experience like we do, it improves accuracy from having groups participate in feeding its knowledge base. Our knowledge base is called memory, same for the module."
"The biggest breakthrough happened when the wave/particle theory surfaced. Proving that all existence is a dual existence could now be replicated in Boole's binary numbering system. Zero /one is wave/particle. That's why you had to talk to computers before ever reaching a live voice when you needed help or support. There is nothing a human being communicates that cannot be replicated by software and robots. If we are to create heaven on earth using technology, we have to be united as humanity."
"For now, that's enough. We'll get together again soon."
| Author Notes | Preparing the troops |
By Cogitator
Day Two
Sleep was impossible the first day. After the reality of blindness sank into the minds of the newly sightless, a realignment of values occurred. Everyday activities taken for granted became hugely important to consider. Eating, drinking and purging were now monumental undertakings. Those fortunate enough to be in familiar surroundings were able to grope their way from memory. Those stranded on the highways were in for a more gruesome experience.
The virus had a five-day incubation period so the population was not blinded in the same moment. Australian scientists had some time to isolate the virus before going blind. Some remote areas in the Pacific Ocean, the polar ice caps and the Amazonian forest were spared, as well. Hardest hit were the densely populated areas.
The virus could only be seen by the most powerful electron microscopes. It traveled in the air and infected any person who breathed. It would enter the lungs and use the blood stream to eventually lodge a colony in the part of the brain controlling sight. It was not known yet if it would run its course or cause permanent damage.
Survival became uppermost in people's minds, followed by the suicide of many. Those who had been programmed to slavishly depend on the ruling class were the most despondent and the quickest to turn to suicide as the solution to their dilemma. It became very apparent that the economic structure built upon greed and power would no longer exist. There would be no money in the future -- if there was to be a future for humanity.
The generator started.
"Family, the power grid just went down. That's going to cause some issues. I hope nobody is caught in an elevator. We'll run the generator for a while and turn it off every hour for a couple of hours. We have to conserve fuel. At least it's springtime. If it was January, I don't know how many people would freeze to death."
"Betty, do you think you can gather some fruit for us from your green house?"
"Of course, I can. I know where everything is located. John, Mike, let's hold hands and go. There is some rope near the entrance that can tether us, as well as some bags I use to harvest. As I walk through the paths, I'll let you know where you can feel the fruit. It may take a while, but we can gather a good supply that way. There's also some radishes and tomatoes that are ripe enough. We'll gather some after we pass through the fruit trees."
The deaths mounted.
The world no longer existed for the survivors -- not as they knew it. Without sight, only the imagination was operating. People were forced to think about how they possibly could survive without public services, without an economic system, without electricity, without transportation, etc. Virtually all survivors set about reviewing their lives in silence. They knew that this experience, if they lived through it, would change a lot of things on the planet.
The Middle East conflicts could not continue. Weapons were useless. The thought of launching the nuclear arsenal crossed the minds of the superpowers, but they thought better of it. The ruling class no longer had any power. The stranglehold of politics and religion on impressionable minds would have to be released. Assault rifles have about as much metal as a sword and their future, if any, was to become plowshares. One benefit of being blind is the inability to see country borders.
Carnivorous predators in the wild sensed the hopelessness and helplessness of humans. They would soon feast like never before. In the cities, rats began staying out of the sewers during daylight, rather than wait until nightfall. In New York, Wall Street honchos who dived out of windows when they realized their lives had been wasted provided nourishment for the army of rats.
By the end of the second day, more gruesome events. The most excruciating pain felt and the highest rate of murder/suicide occurred in families with small children. Mothers were torn apart by the screams of pain and discomfort from their children. Fathers could not provide solace. Decisions were made to end the pain of the entire family. For millions, it seemed to be the right thing to do.
If someone was not in a group with familiar surroundings, hopes for survival were slim to none. All over the world, small groups huddled together awaiting their fate. Sanitation was becoming a problem. No daily bath or shower, limited access to toilets and grooming without sight was impossible. People began to grope their way outside to relieve themselves, rather than use indoor facilities. Flies were having a field day, as well as cockroaches and other insects.
Sleep was still difficult except for brief nodding off. Waking up to the same nightmare was cruel. It would continue.
| Author Notes | This is a rewrite |
By Cogitator
The Design
Roy and his family call the group together and asks them to get comfortable. He greets them warmly and starts to speak in a serious tone:
"Friends, we are on the forefront of the creation of a new society. I think we can all agree that the dead society was leading humanity into oblivion. Two of my foremen and my primary architect are among us now, thankfully. We have been discussing the requirements of our human beehives over the last few days and have come up with a concept that is workable with the resources at hand. Are any of you familiar with The Plant located at the Back of the Yards in Chicago?"
Several hands are raised. Roy continues.
"The Plant is an experiment in creating a self-sustaining community. Betty loves to volunteer there and participate in its creation. She will describe it later in more detail. My work with Habitat for Humanity has given me some insight into what human beings REALLY need in a home. I know that the design we came up with can satisfy those needs. We may encounter some glitches, but the design is flexible enough to adjust as we proceed."
"Bedroom, bathroom and kitchen are essential in each cell of our beehive. Those are the only needs. We talked about having a common kitchen area that would be shared by the six surrounding cells and may yet decide that as the best route to take. We wouldn't need six refrigerators and six stoves if we decide to cooperate. We could centralize a large refrigerator, freezer and pantry for the cells to share. That would cut down on energy consumption. It is important to realize that, just like The Plant, our food would always be available fresh from our hydroponic and aquaponic facilities. Eventually, there may not even be a need for the appliances. We even talked about a common bathroom, but that was a stretch. Although we envision cooperation will be fantastic among us, privacy in the bathroom and bedroom will remain."
"The hexagonal cell in the center would be used by the surrounding occupants. For the moment, we shelved discussing its contents. We can get ideas from the group as we go. Surely, it can be used for socializing and relaxing, but we definitely will have a communication link in there to share our lives with others. John tells me that we could use a single smart-screen could that would get access to the intelligent software that would eventually synchronize the tasks and functions necessary to maintain our environment."
"The Plant recycles, reuses and repurposes at every opportunity. The key component that makes The Plant feasible is the digester. Eisenmann is the company that is providing that system. They have a facility in Crystal Lake, not too far from the farm on Fox River. We probably will be able acquire one and begin using it as we build."
"The digester is very much like the human stomach, but it is anaerobic. It digests organic material like we do, but its "waste" is recycled. It produces gas like we do, but that gas becomes an energy source for us. One digester produces enough gas to power about 250 homes of the current design. With our honeycomb design and lower energy requirements, it would meet the needs of more than two thousand cells. It also purifies the water and creates usable bricks from the remaining solids. Those bricks can be used for fuel, fertilizer and other functions. There would be no need for landfills or garbage pickup."
"Our food would come from within the hives during the winter and be supplemented in the summer from outdoor farming. Aquaponics provides fish for protein and their waste is recycled to the hydroponic gardens as fertilizer. Mushrooms are easily grown in the damp environment produced from the hydroponics and all elements of food production are interdependent and interconnected. The word waste will disappear from our vocabulary. "
Roy goes silent and scans the group for reactions. Most have a stunned look on their faces while they try to absorb Roy's words. There's hope! There may be a future after all! Nothing is said for several minutes and then Betty speaks:
"What day is this?" she asks of the assemblage. No answer. She waits another few minutes. Still no answer. A voice finally asks:
"I don't know, Betty. Do you know?"
"Yes, I do, but the reason for my question is to bring to light some other important matters. We are faced with having to make some huge psychological adjustments if our new society will thrive. We can create heaven on earth or sabotage ourselves. My bees demonstrate what a cooperative colony does. It is selfless contribution to the hive and its occupants. Selflessness is a must for our success. If selfishness returns, it must be quashed."
"We all have our Point of View, but the first agreement we must reach is that what is contained in that true view has no concern of what position we take in it. Communicating honestly among ourselves about what we are able to discern from our point will contribute to better understanding among us all. For example, if we were on the edge of the Grand Canyon and beholding this wonder of nature, we would probably stare in awe. If we say nothing to each other about the view we behold, we will walk away with our individual and limited view. If we start pointing things out to each other than may have been overlooked by someone, the view is enhanced and improved. The longer we stay and discuss our viewpoints, the more beautiful the canyon becomes for all of us. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, Betty. Please go on."
"Roy's vision is like the Grand Canyon for us. He is not a dictator, but a great organizer. Like all of us, he cannot think of every little detail in trying to create our community. Experience is not the best teacher -- it is the only teacher. If there is any dissension, it must be voiced and if there are any suggestions, they must be heard. Do you agree?"
Collective "YES!"
"Great, now about what day this is. It is TODAY. In truth, there is no other day. Our ego dies each time we go to sleep and is resurrected when it awakens. What we do in this day is strictly up to us. With the old business gone, our business has become tending to each other and tending to our planet. Calendars really don't serve any purpose any more. There are no tax filing deadlines, no bills to pay, no court dates, no deadlines. Deadlines are dead. We have an open-ended future. When we think about any task or function we need or want to perform, we can do it NOW. What we experienced is causing a huge paradigm shift in humanity's mind. We will have heaven on earth if we make it our "busy-ness."
"Betty, what if outsiders interfere or threaten us?"
"There are no outsiders. Our community and all others must be all-inclusive. Let people come to us and welcome them with open arms. There is nothing to steal; there is no money. Living without money is probably the biggest paradigm shift of all for most of the population. We have no need for accountants, politicians, attorneys, financial advisors and the like. Their brainpower can now become useful in helping develop communities. The honeycomb designs and the ideas from The Plant can expand to include everyone eventually. Only when the world lives as one can heaven on earth become reality."
"Mom! Dad! The power just came back on!"
"Folks, our work has just begun," says Roy.
By Cogitator
Day Three
Jeremy awoke from a fitful nap and felt Samantha's warm body against his. Her breathing was regular except for occasional gasps that indicated her inner despair. He didn't want to wake her, so he remained still. As though she felt his presence, she opened her eyes to look at him -- darkness...
"Jeremy, is our baby going to die?"
"Sweetheart, there are only a few possibilities. There is no question that we have been afflicted, along with most of the population, with some kind of virus. As with all viruses, it will run its course -- hopefully. There is no way that I can plan anything based upon dying. All my thoughts are about keeping you and our baby alive and addressing a totally new civilization. The old infrastructure will never return. I knew that as soon as the power grid went down. The questions that occupy my mind now are all related to what we will do when we regain our sight. It will not be a pretty picture, but as time passes, we can be a happy family."
"Oh, honey. I love you."
There was never a more solid couple than Roy and Betty. Totally devoted to each other and their sons, they had weathered many ups and downs. Although most of their fortune had been built by commercial enterprises, they had donated untold millions of dollars' worth of time and materials to the Habitat for Humanity movement. Jimmy Carter knew them well and often communicated his thanks. They were touchstones for integrity and honesty.
Roy called out to John and Mike:
"Boys, we need to evaluate the situation. There is no returning to the civilization of yesterday. We must start thinking about how we will create the next generation. Both of you have introduced us to your intended wives and I dearly hope you will see them again and have them become family. We cannot plan anything based on death. Since the power grid failed, I know the infrastructure has collapsed. Where we go from here depends upon the regaining of our sight. We must stay alive until that happens or accept that we will remain blind and die a slow death. I choose life."
Evan and Kelly were by the pool, listening to the ship doctor's evaluation:
"Friends, and indeed we are all friends now, my best effort at understanding this catastrophe is that some virus has infected us. As with all viruses, it should run its course and allow us to regain our sight. It is unknown when. Just like the flu virus affects us for a few days, this one may do the same -- but it is totally unknown. Please stay strong and hope for a quick recovery."
Maggie hadn't said much since the dinner table and finally opened up:
"Bob, what can we do?"
"Honey, there is not much we can do until we can see. I know about viruses in computers and it is the same for humans. We have to be patient and stay strong."
No one knew the time; some did not even know what day it was or whether it was daytime or night. It didn't matter.
By Cogitator
Transformation
Once communication was restored, natural leaders surfaced everywhere. There was no question about what had to be done -- survival and cooperation. Just as some tornado devastates a town and all the neighbors pitch in to help, all survivors of the calamity pulled together.
Of course, the first effort was to help reunite families. The internet would provide the ability for them to establish contact. Waves of relief passed through survivors when they were able to communicate with their loved ones again. Tears flowed; love blossomed. For those who learned of loss, the entire community offered solace and a measure of comfort.
Roy wasted no time, either in beginning building his immediate community or describing his plan to other leaders. As more and more communication of the final picture took place, more and more leaders adopted Roy's design. Honeycomb communities became the norm.
John was not only working on his intelligent module to distribute to the communities, but interrupted its installation to address another idea he had. Translation of human languages had reached impressive levels of accuracy in existing systems. He devised a downloadable application for smartphones and computers that would automatically convert the message from the sending party into the language of the listener or reader. All that needed to be done after the download was complete was choosing the language of choice for whatever device someone was using. Someone wanting to communicate in English to someone wanting to communicate in Italian only needed to have his or her choice as English and the Italian-speaker choosing Italian. Just as automated customer service departments could have someone choose different languages to resolve an issue, John's app could do the same -- but automatically. If someone were face to face with another that spoke a different language, all they had to do was call each other. Humanity now had a universal language.
The intelligent module would use a knowledge base built from the input and interaction of the survivors. There were many applications in existence that could be fed into the knowledge base easily. The infrastructure for the new community system would be the same. Each community would be self-sufficient, but manufacturing of needed supplies would also be necessary. It would take a long time until the existing supply of materials from the deserted homes and cities was depleted, but future needs had to be considered. Transportation, distribution and allocation was part of the plan. Not only did the survivors have a universal language, but now, they had a universal method of meeting everyone's needs. The stage was set.
Betty, on the other hand, was more concerned for those survivors who had difficulty in dealing with the effect and shock of everyone's experience. Children adapt easily, but some older adults have a very severe dread of change -- set in their ways. Traditions, rituals, habits, routines and the like that kept them occupied before the virus had all disappeared. Following sports, the stock market, going to movies or plays, and many more activities were no longer available. The biggest adjustment was living without money. All the planning with financial advisors, saving for retirement, etc. was now irrelevant. Much of they did in the past no longer held any meaning. It was a huge pill to swallow.
She decided to minister to the emotional and spiritual needs of the survivors through a daily podcast. It would begin at dawn for everyone. The intelligent module would rebroadcast the podcast according to the earth's rotation so that people could watch it as the sun rose in their location. People were allowed to ask questions and those were answered in a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section of the screen. She recruited the participation of those skilled and knowledgeable like Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, Eckhart Tolle and many others who provided guidance in answering questions. The podcast became a fixture in most of the population's mornings.
Mike took it upon himself to standardize communication systems. He was organizing a group dedicated to making all communications systems uniform without needing different protocols. Maggie was at his side and offered invaluable input. She wanted her child to have a future.
Everyone was working towards the same goal and that made amazing things happen. Without the distractions of what was now being called The Life Before, humanity was actually aware and awake. Without clocks or calendars, people worked tirelessly. As communities began to take form, excitement and anticipation for a new life grew and grew. People began to sing as they participated in the work. One would start singing a song and another would join in, then another, then another. Even those who didn't know the words would attempt to throw their voices in. It was when someone began the song "Imagine" that everyone stopped what they were doing and raised their heads. John Lennon had it right. It became the world's anthem.
The System
Roy's family was gathered around him as they watched the screen in the wall recess. Since communication had been restored, the entire world could "tune in" to participate in the recovery of the planet. Ongoing conversations among leaders took place in a "gotomeeting" format and, once daily, a briefing of the day's accomplishments would be available to everyone. Ability to ask questions was given to everyone. Today's broadcast was to give an update on the implementation of John's Intelligent System Design at Roy's initial community. After introductions, he begins:
"The system works. For those unfamiliar with the nature of systems, I will start by giving you some basic rules to help understand what this system will do for us all. The first rule of systems is that they all work exactly the same way. That is, all accept input or inputs, pass them through a process or processes and create output or outputs. One example of a complete system is the anaerobic digester that creates our power. We feed it our organic input and it processes it into gas, liquid and solid for us to reuse."
"The second rule to know is that all systems are interconnected and interdependent. There is no such thing as a "stand-alone" system -- except perhaps, for the human ego. Once we connect our communities with the Intelligent System, we will all have the same capabilities and infrastructure. At that point, we can communicate about needs and wants beyond nourishment and shelter."
"One key element is the translation module. The system will be able to understand languages and we can all communicate with it in the language of choice. What it knows, we will all know. What it learns, we will all learn. Unlike the human ego, it cannot lie, nor can it accept lies as truth. A fact is a datum, the lowest common denominator of information, or knowledge. We can merge pieces of knowledge into a greater piece of knowledge, but the knowledge base the Intelligent Design uses has been proven as true."
"The two laws of our universe are Balance and Sequence. Everything in the universe is subject to them, including human beings. All systems that existed in the Days Before had to obey these laws or perish."
"What we can imagine and create is based on our own body's system. We are born with an operating system that is identical to the functioning of the Intelligent Design. Even within the womb, it is operating. I was with Mike and Maggie this morning and she asked me to place my hand on her belly to feel her baby kicking. Its operating system is working, believe me."
"All life on earth is governed by balance and sequence, including Mother Earth. She is the first one to be tended if we are to survive the insanity of the Days Before. The wanton destruction of the environment to satisfy corporate objectives and individual greed is no longer an issue. Without money, we are all equals. We all have the same balance."
"The law of sequence, in simple terms, is evolution. Balance seeks homeostasis for its State of Being and, if that gets upset, a sequence of steps must be taken to regain balance -- a Process of Becoming. All beings are in the process of becoming because of motion, or change. Adaptation to change is the key to survival. We must all adapt."
"With a universal language, a self-sufficient source of food and power, a universal knowledge base to serve our needs and wants and a beautiful earth to renovate, we will stay busy for some time to come. When we stabilize, we can stray from our existing community to help others grow."
By Cogitator
The Assignment
The communities had gathered around their screens to participate in forging a new constitution for the future society. Most of the thousands of individual communities had installed John's intelligent module and were using it to manage the growth and maintenance of their environment. It was now time to discuss how they would cooperate with each other. Betty was the first to speak:
"Friends, family, neighbors -- is what we are. It is now impossible to return to the Days Before. The values we had used to make our decisions then are, for the most part, gone. We must not allow that past to return. Humanity was on a collision course with Mother Earth and she would have survived our foolishness. Many people were waiting for a savior and it came in the form of a virus. We had to go blind before we could see. We must agree on continuing the sanity."
"The first agreement we must reach is that we all want the same things -- and that they are not 'things.' What we all seek is peace of mind, love and companionship. Those are the elements that bring balance into our communities. The only element that can prevent achieving that balanced community is the human ego. Ego is necessary to navigate our bodies in the environment, but it must not be allowed to make decisions. Why? Because it wants to glorify itself. It is the source of all human suffering and must be exposed as such."
"Our brain has wondrous capabilities. It has the ability to create thoughts and ideas that allow us to imagine what does not yet exist and, through our efforts and cooperation, we can make a vision manifest itself in our reality. We are creators existing in creation. The ruling class knew this and used the knowledge to glorify itself at the expense of the masses, but that's over. We each must take responsibility for our actions, ourselves, our neighbors and our planet. That is the first agreement we much reach. Ego be damned."
The screen blinked several times as though the connection was being lost, but returned to clarity with a face that was humanoid, but somewhat different than the survivors. The main difference was in the eyes -- piercing, pure black and obviously intelligent. As the people gazed at the strange face, they heard a voice within their head, but the face's lips did not move:
"The time has come. We have been observing this planet for a few thousand orbits around your star and have come to the point of decision. Should we allow humanity to commit suicide and take thousands, if not millions, of other life forms into oblivion, or should we rid the planet of this parasitic life form? We have watched as tyranny and oppression of the masses has been exercised by the ruling class. We have watched as wayward egos with ideas of superiority have murdered millions and millions of helpless people. We have watched as the greedy and powerful have created wars to gain even more power over the innocent. We have witnessed the inhumanity of humans. Enough."
You survivors have demonstrated the kind of cooperation and selflessness that may yet save you from extinction. You are about to take your final test. If you pass, you can join us in the universe and, if you fail, there will be no more of your kind on this planet."
"What kind of test?" Betty asks of the screen figure.
"I broke into your broadcast as you identified the human problem -- the ego. You are correct in that evaluation. We have tried to send messages in various forms to the population here to try and rid the human mind of this imaginary mental structure. Great teachers and leaders have risen in your ranks and attempted to show the way to universal knowledge. It appears that most humans have a short attention span and a short memory, as well. We have already given several tests that humanity has failed."
"Give us an example," Betty asks.
"The first significant attempt to rid you of your insanity was Gauthama Siddartha, whom you call the first Buddha. We impregnated his mother with our genetic material so that he could contain the knowledge we have. You may know he was a royal, but relinquished his ego to teach unity, love and compassion. The message did not reach as many as needed."
"Our second effort was Jesus of Nazareth. Again, we impregnated Mary so that Jesus could have our universal experience within him. He did a marvelous job teaching love and truth as the answers to achieving heaven. The money-hungry and powerful did not want to give up their egos, so they tried to kill him. We had to repair him as soon as they rolled the stone in front of his grave. We returned him to earth for a bit for a last message to his disciples. His message to the world was then commandeered and restructured to benefit the rulers of the time."
"We tried a different approach with Mohammed. We beamed him up to our ship and gave him directions for writing the Koran. He did an admirable job and he returned to earth with a more forceful hand to get rid of egos. Islam means Peace and Mohammed wanted to enforce peace with a stern discipline for wayward egos. It worked for a while -- until fundamentalists stopped progress."
"Each of these leaders and teachers reached a level of success at first, but the majority of the population was too ignorant or uncaring about how to exist and why they were in an animal body. Monarchs and conquerors took the opportunity of this ignorance by crafting organized religion and mind control to make the masses bend to their will. Obedience and blind faith to "authority" was the norm. This is why we finally decided to blind the human population for a few days -- to make you see the truth. You thought your blindness was caused by a virus, but we did that by broadcasting frequencies that numbed the part of your brain controlling sight."
"Why are you doing this?" asks Roy.
"Although there are many billions of inhabitable planets in the universe, each is a treasure. All of them support life that further defines their being. It is the planets that create their living forms, not the other way around. This is the first one we've encountered where the dominant life form seems to believe that it owns the planet. This is backward thinking. That thinking must be reversed if we are to allow you to remain as the dominant species. In fact, that is your test."
"What must we do?"
"Stop the destruction you have caused and let your planet heal. Humans are the only life form we have encountered that attempts to glorify the body, rather than understand existence. No other life we have encountered is as selfish, greedy, violent and ignorant as the society we just destroyed. Puny humans can never be the cause of universal failure, but they can cause unnecessary pain locally. If you allow the return of such attitudes, you must be eliminated."
"The ego can be bred out of the gene pool in two or three generations. During that time, it would be wise to teach your children well. Our ship will depart into space at near light speed for several days and then return. That should allow you about three generations of time on earth before we survey your progress again. We shall return."
"Wait, wait. I have questions!" Betty shouts as the monitor blinks back to life.
| Author Notes | Preparation for Heaven on Earth |
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