Kenaz

A Chapter by HermesHonor

In which the Boy accidentally creates Time.

The boy excitedly skipped in the Fog. He sang his favorite songs, which he was not sure where he learned, and he danced his favorite dances.

Eventually he grew tired of singing and dancing alone, though. He thought to himself that he should ask the fog for another one of him to dance and play with. After a time mulling the idea about in his head, he gathered up his courage and addressed the fog.

"Fog!"

"I am not fog. I am the Universe, containing Everything and Nothing."

"Then, Universe! I wish to have a playmate with which to dance and sing."

The Universe retorted sharply. "I can do that. But why should I do this thing for you? You, who does nothing but step on my toes with your dancing, and offend my ears with your singing? I can hardly stand the din of one of you. Why should I make you two?"

The boy thought long and hard about responding to the nothing. He wanted to give a good reason, so the Nothing wouldn't kill him again, and also so that the Everything wanted to give him someone perfect for him. So he asked for some time to think about it.

The Universe Hid a Smile behind a Frown.

"MORE TIME?!" It bellowed, amused. "I HAVE GIVEN TO YOU ETERNITY ALREADY. HAVE YOU NOT ALREADY WASTED ENOUGH TIME ON YOUR DANCING AND YOUR SONGS?!? WHat..." It slowed down, having run out of steam with which to bellow. "What, would you offer to me in return for my invaluable time?"

The boy began to sweat. A bead dripped down his nose. He gulped. "What..." He gasped, afraid to face his death again after all the work he did getting the lights on. "What did you gain last time? When you flashed the lights and made me die? What did you get?"

The Universe Laughed.

"I got to eat you." It said Maliciously.

"But I am still here?!" The Boy said, incredulous.

"Of course you are still here. I have no stomach with which to end you."

"What is a Stomach?" Said the Boy, growing far too curious.

The Universe smiled and turned him into it's stomach.

The boy was full of acid, which burned him away every three days. But he kept regrowing as he disintegrated. He felt he was constantly on fire. And the Universe sucked in as much of the Everything the Boy had Grown to Love and ate and ate and ate.

The Fog continued to eat relentlessly.The Boy grew so tired of digesting the Everything. He Hated the Everything now. He asked the Universe to flash the lights and eat him again.

"But I have only just grown accustomed to eating again. I would rather not."

"But If you do not let me die, you shall eventually run out of White to eat and you will be left with Nothing again. And then you will die too, yes?"

The Nothing and the Everything Bellowed together in the Universe's laughter.

"You amuse me child. I cannot die, nor will I ever be able to. However, it has been a long, long while since I felt this amused. I shall grant you Your Death."

The Nothing Stabbed the Boy-Stomach and all the acid fell into the white clouds, leaving a pool of Yellow Bile. As the Boy Screamed in agony, he drowned in the color yellow and the next time he woke up, he was in a pool of Yellow fog instead of White.

He called out to the Universe and asked for answers. He raged like a Bull in a ring with a Fighter, yet there was no Fighter to fight him.

He eventually ran out of steam as well. He wished to regain his strength, that he may rage some more at the unfairness of the Nothing and the Everything.

"You tire of Raging and Bellowing?" Said the Universe.

"Yes..." Responded the Boy, Begrudgingly.

"Then I shall give to you the peace of the Void"

"I do not wish to be the Nothing Forever, though. And neither should you. Did you not say that I amused you?"

The Universe pondered this. "Yes" it said "You do indeed." It mused and mused and mused.

"I shall Give to you your rest." The Universe settled with itself. "Yes, for half of your 'Time' you may rest in the void. Lie down as if to Die, and I will take you for the Night."

"And I can come back to this form when I am done?"

"Yes," the Universe responded "I shall bring you back to the Red Bull you have created in this yellow Everything when I have finished chewing on you for the night. Prepare for Sleep."

"What is Sleep?" The boy asked.

The Universe Laughed and Cried, and then it Ate Him for the Night.

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