Chapter 11
Timothy was stretched out on a bed, staring at the ceiling. Only his eyes shifted when Loxy entered the room that had been made especially for him, and the others that had been retrieved. He scowled at her.
“So, this is hell?” Timothy asked.
Loxy considered her response. “It is what you make of it.”
“Oh, you’re one of those,” Timothy said. “Pushing sunshine and puppies.”
“Oh, I don’t push,” Loxy said. “You can make it whatever you like. Is this hell, the real hell? No. We’re going to be having breakfast together. You need to get up now.”
“Ha ha,” Timothy said.
“While it is true that you were extracted from the Origin timeline after your injury, at a point directly before your body was incinerated by a nuclear weapon detonated over top your residence, your injuries have been healed. You have complete mobility restores,” Loxy said.
“If I could walk and move my hands, I would be fucking you already,” Timothy said. “Ahh,” Loxy said. “So, you are experiencing a subconscious, cognitive block, because a part of you doesn’t want to harm others. That’s nice to know.”
“I don’t know what you just said, but if you think for a moment that I wouldn’t get up from here and shove your face into the pillow while I fuck your ass, then you don’t know me,” Timothy said.
“I hear a lot of talk, now get up,” Loxy said. “Blow me,” Timothy said.
“Whip it out,” Loxy said. “What?” He hadn’t expected that.
“You think your dick is the only way to connect or have pleasure? I could give you an orgasm just sucking your thumb. I could stroke eyebrows and make you cum. I could close my eyes and simply think you into coming. But right now, you’re getting up and you’re having breakfast with some really incredible people,” Loxy said.
“Just keep talking. The more I hear you, the more complete my tulpa version of you will be, and like a voodoo doll, I will control you magically and make you my slave,” Timothy said.
“Yeah, about that,” Loxy said. “After reading Jon’s book, you tried to visit Safe Haven but found yourself blocked. You only get there through invitation. On failing that, you decided to try and make some tulpas, and actually did a pretty good job. You resurrected Morlon Fribourg, and he has taught you some dark stuff, but he isn’t fool enough to give you the abilities you think you hold. If he is not still exploring the Timothy Universe, he is already back in his. Meanwhile, you are presently blocked from creating more tulpas.”
“You can’t stop me from thinking…” Timothy said.
“You’re right, I can’t. But you will find that you are being blocked from doing more harmed from multiple agencies, including yourself,” Loxy said.
“Do I know you?”
“I am Loxy,” Loxy introduced herself.
Timothy laughed. “Oh, I am so going to fuck you. No, better. You’re going to fuck me, willingly. So, if you ever want to see Jon again, climb up here on my lap and ride me.”
Loxy smiled. “You think you have Jon trapped in your wonderland of terror, but I assure you, you got it backwards. You have surrendered control of your wonderland to Jon and he is making changes. And when he is finished, you, sir, are going to change.”
“The only change I see in my future is you changing my diapers, bitch. You can lick my balls clean,” Timothy said.
Loxy approached, sat on the bed. She pushed a strand of hair back from his forehead. She then gently moved her hand down the length of his body, and then grabbed his balls through his clothing and he nearly sat up, surprised by the level of pain.
“Here’s the deal, Timothy,” Loxy said. “I will tolerate a great deal of smack from you, because I understand what made you like this. But you need to know, the people we’re having breakfast with will not tolerate you being impolite. And the guardians, they will absolutely beat the crap out of your with sticks if you come at them the way you came at me just now. And in a world where everyone is sovereign, you can bet your ass if you piss the wrong person off, they will kill you, with impunity. So, before you speak another word, I highly encourage you to forget everything you thought you knew about the world and put on your learning hat, because things are different here. For example, you have your own personal guardian. She is watching you and she can be just as physical as you and I, and she will block you from harming others during the moratorium against harming self or others. The moratorium will not last forever. The friends and enemies you make today will help determine how the rest of your life unfolds here. Are we on the same page?”
“You’re turning me on,” Timothy said through his teeth.
Loxy let him go and patted his cheek. He reached for her, as if he would pull her down on him but found he couldn’t move.
“As I said, you are presently blocked from harming others,” Loxy said, getting up. “So, if you’re hungry, stand up, follow me.”
“The only place I am going with you is down, bitch,” Timothy said. “Okay,” Loxy said, touching his forehead.
The door to the room open and Truest entered, bringing a wheelchair. The two of them easily manipulated Timothy into the chair. Outside of the room revealed that the room was hardly more than a box. It was a prefab, backyard cubicle, large plate windows with curtains that folded around them. This was modern living space, perfectly self-contained unit for off the grid living. In addition to the pod, a path had been laid connected it to the mall. It was impossible to discern that the path had been installed just hours ago.
“I am going to fuck both of you…” Timothy wailed.
Loxy motioned Truest to stop. She knelt down in front of him. “Timothy. I am struggling here. There are very few people I immediately dislike. And I like people. I understand people. I understand you. I am grateful for you allowing me to see I am human, and that I don’t have a super human ability to love everyone, and that I, too, must chose love. Love is a choice. Here is what you need to know going in here. The people you’re about to meet come from a different place and time and they are not going to understand or tolerate your language or your meanness. The ladies you meet, the ones dressed like Truest here, they would just kill you, moratorium or not. You are not dreaming. This is real. The consequences are real.”
“We should summon his guide,” Truest said. “He is here,” Loxy said.
“Who is here?” Timothy asked.
Jon stepped up, as if stepping out of a shadow. “Good morning, Loxy.”
“Jon,” Loxy said.
Truest seemed concerned. “You’re not the normal interface.”
“I am not,” Jon said.
“Fuck you, you’re not my spirit guide,” Timothy said.
Jon and Loxy laughed. Jon stopped. “You never laugh at my jokes,” he said to her.
“You’re just not funny, dear,” Loxy said, standing. She hugged him. “How is it in there?”
“OMG, that is a long story,” Jon said. Back to Timothy. “Why are you in the chair?” Jon sorted before Timothy could answer. “Oh, you’re lucky it’s just the chair. No, I am not your spirit, spirit guide. I am so not qualified for that level of love. But thank you for this opportunity to learn. What am I? Oh, yeah. I am the tulpa you created, manifested physically through a really cool computer system…”
Loxy put her hands on her hip. “Jon, are you messing with the system?”
“How can you not mess with this system? It is so smooth I can transition from timothy’s brain to the system without any noticeable change in quality of environment,” Jon said.
“I don’t understand,” Truest said.
“Thought forms can jump through the Collective Unconscious, it’s like, what’s it like, being on an airplane with turbulence. Very rare that there aren’t some hiccups,” Jon said. But going from his mind into the virtual reality computer system installed here, no hiccups.”
“I didn’t make you!” Timothy protested.
“No, you started by trying to make Loxy, but she refused to manifest, so, then you turned your focus on Morlon Fribourg. Which baffles the shit out of me. Did I fail to convey what a miserable, not nice guy he was?” Jon asked.
“You should have had him kill more kittens,” Loxy said. “Oh!” Truest and Jon said.
“I am going to kill all of you,” Timothy said. “And fuck your dead…”
Jon snapped his fingers and Timothy was silent. “Timothy, my new friend,” Jon said. “You brought my father into being, and then locked me in your body so you can go play and avoid the end of the world. That kind of leaves me in charge of your body. I don’t have to play by the rules that spirit guide are bound to because I am a different level of being. That said, you could, in theory, vanquish me back to the abyss if you will, and I would be okay with that, because I really liked that movie, but you’re going to have to interact your higher self, and you and your higher-self have not been on speaking terms for a while now.”
“I like you,” Truest staid.
“Oh, well, thank you,” Jon said.
Loxy took Jon’s arm. “Let’s go to breakfast. And try not to monopolize the conversation,” she said.
“Do I do that?” Jon said. “Sometimes,” Loxy said.
They passed through the closest mall entrance, as opposed through one of the stores. “OMG,” Jon said. “We could have so much fun here. Abandoned mall. Girls just want to have fun montage. Oh! We could drive a car through the mall!”
“Jon, those movies have been done,” Loxy said. “Am I Jake or Elwood?” Jon asked.
“You’re just Jon,” Loxy said, trying not to smile. “Okay, but am I Jake-Jon, or Elwood-Jon?” Jon asked.
“I am not dressing up as the Blues Brothers with you,” Loxy said. “I love them, but I am not wearing the suit and being all stoic. I love to laugh.”
“You could be the Blues Sister, all grown up, in a sexy suit dress,” Jon said. “And you can so do the stern look. Oh, yes, just like that, we could so do this.”
“What’s your range away from Timothy?” Loxy asked. “Anywhere in the system,” Jon said.
“Drop by my pod later, and we will figure something out,” Loxy said, as she led them into the Mall cafeteria. The male guest that were sitting stood, minus Jesús who was propped up in a chair comparable to Timothy’s chair. The female guests were already standing, and on their arrival, they rounded on Loxy as if she were in charge. Jon’s mouth dropped as the closest guest approached, aggressively, almost as if she were going to strike Loxy, and Loxy knew Jon was emoting without even looking at him, and gently pushed his mouth closed. “Provided you’re not too distracted by the guests.”
Jon stepped forward to intercept the closest female, not so much to protect Loxy from the perceived aggression, which he was ignoring, but just because it was ‘her!’ He extended his hand. “Oh, hello, Dorothy.”
She didn’t take his hand. She pointed at him. “My name is Judy. Not Dorothy. I don’t know which of you is responsible for kidnapping me, but I demand that you let me go immediately.”
Jon looked to Loxy for an explanation. “I had them brought down prematurely. They’re at different levels of understanding,” Loxy said.
“I understand just perfectly. I had a drink, I went to bed, and I woke up here,” Judy said.
“Some drink,” Jon said.
“I had the same experience,” the woman next to Judy said. “I know you,” Jon said.
“Jon, Sylvia Plath, Sylvia, Jon,” Loxy said. Everyone at the table had already been introduced to everyone, but Jon. “Everyone, this is my colleague, and best friend, and lover, Jon. Jon, this angry looking young lady is Midori, she is in charge of security.”
“Is she?” Jon began.
“Yes. She doesn’t remember the other place,” Loxy said, but nodding yes to ‘is that our Midori.’ “And she is mad at me. This woman here, Enedelia, is our resident nurse. Then we have the lovely and psychically talented Helena Blavatsky. I doubt you need an introduction to Samuel Clemens…”
“OMG, sir! It is such a pleasure,” Jon said.
“I do hope I can live up to your apparent ideal,” Clemens said.
“Jon, bring it down a notch,” Loxy said. “This is William Shakespeare.”
“The William Shakespeare?” Jon asked. “Just for clarity, you’re not someone else that just used a pen name, or the alter ego, like Clark Kent to Superman.”
Shakespeare wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Jon, contain it, breathe through it. This is Fyodor Dostoyevsky.” Dostoyvesky looked beside him to see who was whispering in his ears. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to hearing the translation in your head.”
“I absolutely loved ‘Brother’s carry a mouse off,’ no, I mean, ‘Brother Karamazov’ the other was the movie reference that introduced me to your work, which was cute, tongue and cheek, but sufficient to have me look it up…” Jon rambled.
“Jon,” Loxy said, hand signaling ‘bring it down.’
“Oh, please forgive me, but I bet you’re going to get this reaction from a lot of folks,” Jon said.
“Not if they complete training,” Midori muttered.
“And, finally, Jon, if you’re through peeing in your pants, this is Immanuel Kant,” Loxy said.
Jon shook his hand enthusiastically. “Oh, Sir, my pleasure.”
Loxy quickly introduced Timothy to the guest, and then introduced Jon to Jesús Garcia. Jon waved his hand in front of Jesús face. He got no reaction from Jesús, but Midori shoved him back.
“Don’t do that,” Midori warned.
“But, he’s the man that made it all happen,” Jon said. “Keep back,” Midori said.
“I just want to understand,” Jon said.
“He’s been in this coma since the transition,” Enedelia explanation. “Oh, yeah, well, that makes sense,” Jon said.
Loxy seemed surprised. “It does?”
“Well, you understand how much information he has processed?” Jon asked. “Oh, well, maybe you don’t. You had to be there.”
“You were there, at the End?” Enedelia said.
“Um, yeah,” Jon said. Loxy brought up a hand to warn him off, but he was already into the speech. “I am kind of the guy that gave everyone the button that ended the world.”
“Let me get this straight,” Kant said. “Hypothetically, there is a button that can end the world, and you gave everyone in the world access to this button at the same time.”
“Yeah, that’s a pretty good analogy,” Jon said.
“Are you absolutely daft?” Midori asked. “You know how many crazy people there are in the world? You don’t just give everyone access to nuclear weapons. The only mature, reasonable people should have access…”
Jon blinked. “As opposed to the morons running the countries at the time I leveled the playing field? You want everyone to be mature, responsible adults, give them the button of absolute power and let them grow up. Besides, I didn’t give them anything they didn’t already have. I just provided the contextual artifact that allowed them to execute it.”
“You destroyed the world,” Midori said. “You put nuclear weapons in the hands of crazy people and they blew it up.”
“Maybe we should sit and have breakfast and discuss this,” Loxy said.
“No. Now that we’re here and you brought it up, why is Jesús still in a coma?” Midori demanded.
Jon looked at his feet, sorting it. “Omnipotence induced apathy,” Jon said.
“What?” Midori, and several other people answered.
“If you could do anything, everything, and practically did, there would be nothing left to do or think or say, because you either explored all the possibilities and exercised it, or you’re still sorting a finite range of possibilities. I say finite because it is finite, even though from our perspective that range seem infinite just because the sheer size of the set is unbelievable, from human perspective... People lament that God is absent, and that there aren’t enough miracles, but in truth, the perceived absence of miracles or God’s hand is because everything is on track for the idea outcome. If it wasn’t we would observe correction in our timeline, but even if the correction happened right now, we wouldn’t be aware of it because we’re in the shifted time line that allowed for the correction, while our other selves are like going wow, a miracle, and we are in the world where the miracle happened through Jesús, and aren’t likely to see another miracle for a moment.”
Based on their faces, Jon wasn’t sure they understood. He was about to try and explain it another way.
“Jon,” Loxy said. “I was kind of wanting to take the lead here.”
“Oh, yeah, thank you for reminding, and sorry, shall we have breakfast. I am starved. Can I even eat?” Jon asked.
“You can eat,” Truest assured him. “I have meals with my companion all the time.”
“Oh, yay! Can I eat as much as I like without worry about gaining weight?” Jon asked. “Exercise restraint,” Loxy said. “You don’t practice stuff that might influence the rest of your bodies.”
“True that,” Jon said, allowing Loxy to lead him to the table.
Loxy and Jon sat first, then the others, only Judy refused to sit, and so Clemens, Kant, and Shakespeare refused to sit, and Jon felt compelled to stand back up.
“Is there a problem?” Loxy asked.
“You just expect me to play along as if I am going to have breakfast with kidnappers?” Judy asked.
“Well, I am hopeful that my explanation, and the warmth of good food and company, will be helpful. You do understand, this is not your ordinary kidnapping. This is Samuel Clemens, right, and his presence kind of suggest this situation warrants a different approach than what you might be accustomed to,” Loxy said.
“Pff, please. That’s not really Samuel Clemens,” Judy said. “I assure you, I am me,” Clemens said.
“Yeah, you know how many actors have played you on television and movies?” Judy asked.
“OMG, right?!” Jon said. “If we count all the Sci Fi books where he was resurrected, in addition to how many versions of him was extracted from the timeline, there is like a billion Mark Twains in the Universe.”
“That is absurd,” Judy said.
“I concur,” Clemens said. “One of me is immeasurably difficult to explain, but a million me?”
“Please, sit,” Loxy said. “Let’s try and figure this out together. But, sit, if for no other reason than these gentlemen can’t sit unless you are sitting.”
“I am not responsible for their social conditioning,” Judy said.
Kant and Shakespeare sat down. Clemens was not so easily shaken from his conditioning.
Jon remained because he was oblivious to what the other men were processing. “Jon, you’re ogling Judy again and it’s clearly creeping her out,” Loxy said.
“Oh? Oh! Yeah, sorry. I got to say this: OMG, I can’t believe I am here with these folks.
May I sit next to Judy?!” Jon said, squeezing Loxy arm.
“No. And I know, calm down,” Loxy said. “Breathe. And remember, Judy is just a real person like everyone else.”
“She’s not just any person. She single handedly changed the world of music with her performances. Over the Rainbow changed the world. It set the standard for all future musicals by demanding a quest song. That’s why you have the Rainbow Connection being the opening song to…”
Loxy put a finger to his lips. “Jon, they have questions. And they’re being extremely patient,” Loxy said. “Let’s all sit down.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Jon said. “I just realized this. We’re sitting down at crappy mall tables and chairs to have breakfast with this prestigious group of people?”
“Yeah,” Loxy said.
“Oh, okay,” Jon said. He went ahead and sat back down. When he sat, Judy surrendered and sat, and then Clemens was able to sit.
For a moment, for Jon at least, it was like being on an episode of ‘the Waltons’ and everyone was passing food and filling their plates.
“Girl, bring me a Mimosa,” Judy said, snapping her fingers at the closest guardian, which happened to be Midori.
Midori eyes were furious. “I will have you put back into your slumber chamber,” she said.
“Judy,” Loxy said, offering her a Mimosa. No one had been looking at Loxy so no one saw that it was drawn out of thin air.
Judy took her drink and sat down. “Your hired hands need to learn how to be more courteous,” she said.
Midori looked to her right, as if listening to someone who wasn’t there, and she relaxed a little. During this interlude of filling plates, they were all courteous, saying thank you, but no one sampled food until everyone was served. This was evidence of a respectful culture, long sense past. Jon considered, even during the first war, there were stories of the enemy coming together on Christmas to extend gifts and drink coffee or beer, and then the next day returned to war. That would so not have happened in his end world, or any of the wars after World War One.
“I am really struggling here,” Jon whispered to Loxy, clearly blushing.
“I know,” Loxy whispered back, patting his knee. “But tell me, you haven’t wanted to meet these people?”
“Is that why they’re here?” Jon asked. Loxy shrugged.
“I think you promised us some answers,” Clemens said, aware that he was interrupting their private conversation, which was his way of saying he would like them to speak louder.
“I don’t think she used the word promise,” Kant said. “God is not dead, Sir,” Midori said.
“Is that why I am here?” Kant asked. “It was a metaphor. Socially speaking, God has been excised from the moral interchange that governs people’s lives.”
“OMG thank you! I wish you had just wrote that so I could have pointed it out when I have been in arguments. People just take what they want out of context and run with it without processing the whole,” Jon agreed. He became aware that he had everyone’s attention. “Sorry. I
get a little excited sometimes. Anyway, I have gone as far as arguing that you are actually more spiritually pure than many of the Christians I have known.”
“That can’t be too difficult. I have known a few Christians in my days, Sir,” Clemens said. “Being more spiritually advanced is not a great challenge.”
“You are an atheist,” Midori pointed out.
“And a better, kinder man than most Christians,” Jon said.
“I wouldn’t go that far. I have used my writing as a way to ridicule folks. Unfortunately, most of the folks I ridiculed didn’t have the sense to know they were abused. Midori, I am appreciatively skeptical, but yes, I have clearly stated, in fiction and in person, that if I have to go to the Christian heaven, and sing hymns, I would rather go to the other place,” Samuel said.
“Is this the other place?” Sylvia asked.
“Really?!” Judy said. “Does this feel like the other place?”
“I am not sure how to begin this,” Loxy said.
“You brought them down early without even a plan for how to conduct this affair?” Midori stammered.
“Kind of making it up as I go,” Loxy said. She looked to Jon. “It always works out for you.”
“Not always,” Jon said.
“It always works itself out,” Loxy insisted.
“Well, yeah, saying it like that is true, but it doesn’t always work in my favor.”
“Yeah it does,” Loxy said.
Jon calculated random stuff in his head. “Yeah, alright, contextually, it sort of works out, but only because I embrace what is and adapt.”
“I like you two,” Helena said. “I get the sense you are spirit guides in training?”
“Aren’t we all just spirit guides in training?” Fyodor asked.
“No,” Helena said. She pointed to Timothy. “There is something severely wrong with that one.”
Jon and Loxy turned to spy Timothy. He looked like he was ready to explode. His cheeks were full of air and he was crimson red. Finally he pushed some words out, like a volcano exploding. “Fuck all of you!” His face returned to its normal pale shade and he struggled to regain the air he spent in his concise rant.
Loxy turned to Jon. Jon shrugged. They turned to their guest who were quietly attending to the situation, very observant. Then Shakespeare laughed.
“Oh, thank God,” Shakespeare said. “I thought for sure this future heaven was going to be perfectly boring.”
“Are we dreaming?” Sylvia asked. “I need another drink,” Judy said.
“You should really slow it down,” Jon said. “Are you my dad?” Judy snapped.
Loxy touched Jon’s knee, secretly. “She hasn’t done a life review yet.”
“A what?” Judy asked.
“You were extracted prematurely!” Midori said. “It was necessary for you to accomplish specific learning goals to avoid any discomfort or shock.”
“What does that mean, we were extracted,” Kant asked.
“Oh, there is levels to that answer,” Loxy said. She sorted in her head the words she wanted. “Alright, here’s the deal. From our perspective, every one of you has lived your complete life, and you died.” They started to protest. “Wait, wait, wait. Let me try and do this. We’ll sort out confusion in a moment. Go with me. You have lived your lives and they are complete. Technically, and again, from Jon and my perspectives, all of humanity is dead. The human race went extinct on origin due to its own aggressiveness. The last man standing made a deal with a higher power, if you will, or an alien race, and he was allowed a onetime opportunity to unpack all of Earth. He extracted from the timeline every human being that ever lived. Some of you more than once. For example, Samuel, you will find every age of you was extracted and is living somewhere out there, in a variety of scenarios… I am loosing you.”
“Is there a way to resurrect folks without shock?” Blavatsky asked. “You’re saying I died at age 18?” Judy asked.
“You died at 47 of a barbiturate overdose,” Jon said.
Loxy held her breath, curious how Jon’s statement was going to go over. She was having her first doubts about having brought people down from their slumber pods, where they could at least not hurt themselves physically. Judy was suddenly very somber, concerned.
“They are not prepared for this!” Midori snapped. “You’re causing them unnecessary harm.”
“Hearing this may hurt, but it is not harm,” Loxy said, while still gauging Judy’s reaction. “They are going to have to face their pasts in order to help the future.”
“Help the future how?” Shakespeare asked.
“The human race became extinct due to its own aggressiveness,” Loxy said. “We’ve been given a second chance. Not only do we need to demonstrate to that we can establish peace, but we have to raise the human consciousness sufficiently that when the transition happens again, more than 70 percent survives,” Loxy said.
“I hear English, but I am not understanding,” Clemens said. “Back up a moment and help me understand this. Judy there, is what, 18 years old? But you said she lived to age 54? Why am I here at 74 years old? Why am I, and my fellow guest not all 18?”
“I don’t want be 18 again,” Sylvia said.
“I would love to be 18 again,” Blavatsky said. “Provided I know what I know now.”
“You are all here at the age necessary to move this evolving culture along. Clemens, I believe you are here at the age you are, because this 20 world’s experiment requires the wisdom of your entire life. The 18 year old Clemens was smart, but you sir, hold the collective wisdom of every age of you,” Loxy said.
“Then, you’re not going to get too much out of me. I will die at 74. I came in with Haley’s Comet, and will I go out with Haley’s Comet,” Clemens said.
“And you did. Barring an accident, or murder, you will not die again,” Loxy said. “And by the end of the year, you’re going to look and feel as if you were 60. By the end the next year, you will look and feel as if you were forty,” Loxy said. “And this part may be harder to get, but every age of you was brought back. That’s how important you were to the human species. Out there, amongst the stars, there is 18 year old Clemens on a new trajectory. As well as a 19 year old, a 20 year old, all the way up to 74. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a version of you from every month extracted from the world.”
“A multiplicity of me? We’re back in the realm of absurdity. I was not that good a man,” Clemens said.
“Just acknowledging that makes you better than most,” Loxy said.
“You have the power to restore vitality and extend life indefinitely?” Kant said more than asked.
“Oh, joy,” Shakespeare said. “The drama that is about to unfold.”
“We’ve done tragedy, Sir,” Loxy said. “We need to write the opposite.”
“You raise all of humanity, making multiple doppelgangers of them, gave them immortality, and you think there won’t be tragedy??