THE FLOODGATES OPEN IN THE "END DAYS"

What happens when you kick the sides of the universe?
This is from Chap. 2 in Understanding Death by John Hatcher.

THE FLOODGATES OPEN IN THE "END DAYS"

Days and weeks passed, and nothing got any better. They could hear the music at regular intervals now, almost as if the ruler of the universe was piping it in just for them. Not that the music was unpleasant. Actually it was quite beautiful. But it also seemed very serious and, for the three Sullivan brothers, such seriousness seemed to portend some impending disaster, some further alteration in their lives, possibly the end of their lives, or even yhe end of the universe itself!

While the music was playing, they weren't so nervous. The music was inspiring, uplifting, and even seemed to offer hope. But when the music wasn't playing, they would speculate about what it meant, especially as they became more and more cramped and it became obvious to all three that some major transformation was about to occur. It was unavoidable, what with space contracting and the three of them expanding. It was a mathematical certainty, or so Sammy said.

Roger feared that they were doomed. He was sure of it. Surely if the universe collapsed, their cords would go with it, and they would be without any of the fluid that kept them alive - Harry had proved that. And Harry, though clearly the bravest of the three, was not much more positive. "Look," he would say sometimes to
console his brothers, 'at least we've had a good life together, haven't we? We've had everything we needed, and we have lived a really long time. We've watched ourselves evolve from little creatures that weren't even aware of themselves to really sophisticated beings with arms, legs, fingers..."

'And toes, Harry. You always liked the toes, remember?" said Roger.

"Yeah, and toes," Harry smiled. 'And let's not forget that opposable thumb!"

"That's why I want to continue living!" said Sammy, not at all consoled by Harry's pep talk. "I really enjoy all this... just... existing, you know? Just moving around and then stopping and thinking about stuff. I find it really rewarding, especially when we discover laws of the universe - that's my favorite thing of all. I will really miss it.

"And I'll miss our conversations," said Roger in a glum tone.

"Hey," said Harry, patting Sammy on the back, "How are you going to miss it if you don't even exist?"

"Geez," said Sammy. "That's even worse! I don't want to disappear! Sure, I'm glad we've had a nice long life full of surprises - fingers, toes, the whole thing. But that makes me want to have more, to be more, to learn more. I mean, what sort of ruler of the universe would create us just so we could become so special, could learn all this stuff just so we could end up becoming nothing? Does that make sense to you?"

"He's right, Harry," said Roger. "It doesn't make sense."

"Well, perhaps it somehow makes sense to the ruler of the universe," said Harry.

"Look," said Sammy, "If the ruler of the universe made us, then the ruler has to be at least as smart as we are, right? I mean isn't that logical?"

"Sure," agreed Harry. "I see what you mean."

"OK, then. Would you create beings that become more and more complex, smarter and smarter and smarter, just to let them explode and become nothing?"

"Of course I wouldn't," confessed Harry, "but then..."

"But nothing!" said Sammy. "If there is a ruler of the universe, then there's got to be a plan for us, a plan that makes sense."

"Unless the ruler of the universe enjoys watching stuff explode!" said Harry, now growing a bit nervous himself

"Hey, let's not talk about exploding," said Roger drearily. "Exploding does not sound like fun at all. Maybe we should never have kicked the side of the universe after all."

"Well, perhaps we can start all over again," said Harry. "I mean, we came this far, didn't we? Why couldn't we just start the whole thing over again?"

'And just how do you propose we do that?" asked Sammy.

"I don't know," said Harry. "I was just trying to make Roger perk up a little."

Suddenly it seemed that for a moment the universe contracted! "Hey, did you feel something change?" asked Sammy.

"Yeah," said Roger, "as if the universe sort of squeezed us."

"Maybe it's a nice friendly hug," offered Harry.

Suddenly there was another squeeze, and it was clear at once to all three that this was no hug, or if it was, it was a great big bear hug, not a cuddly expression of endearment. The three became frightened, even Harry. "Join hands!" he hollered as a grumbling, deafening noise began.

"This is it!" shouted Roger. "Just as I feared - it's the end of everything!"

"No, no, there's still hope," said Harry. "Just hold on to each other!!"

"My hand is... my hand is slipping!" screamed Sammy. "I don't want to die!"

All three felt a quick jolt and then a shifting as the fluid in which they had floated their entire lives suddenly began to swish toward some lesion in the universe. "The universe, the universe has been rent asunder!" screamed Sammy, as his hand slipped out of the grasp of Roger's hand. 'Aaahhh!" screamed Sammy as
his head suddenly shifted toward the great cleaving in the universe, which began to collapse around him as if he had been devoured by some monstrous python.

"Harry! Haaarrryyy! Can you still hear me?" cried out Roger with incredible difficulty. "Sammy's gone! He's done for! The universe has sucked him out! All I can see are his legs! He's kicking like crazy! I think the universe must be eating him head first!"

"O great ruler of the universe," said Harry who now could see only Roger's legs, "I do not know who or what you are or even if you exist, but if you hear me, please assist us in this, our time of utmost grief and peril!"

"What did you say?" said Roger, barely audible amidst the squeezing and rushing.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" screamed a high pitched voice in great agony from outside the universe as the universe squeezed ever more tightly.

"Think that was Sammy?" asked Roger. "The universe must be eating him for sure!"

"Not his voice!" yelled Harry, struggling to wrench himself free from the constricting universe, or at least to shift himself into a more comfortable position.

"Think he's dead?" asked Roger.

"There's always hope!" said Harry.

"You think so?" said Roger, appreciating some reassurance, even though the contracting universe began to exert such force that he felt his own head being forced downward and the universe squeezing him ever tighter. "It's got me, Harry! It's eating my head! Grab my toes if you can!!"

"No can do, Roger. My arms are pinned to my sides!"

"It's been swell, Harrrryyy!" said Roger in an ever fainter voice. Then he was heard no more. Harry, alone and afraid, was occupied with trying to extricate himself from the ever more powerful forces of the universe propelling him irretrievably downward. He had no time to bid adieu to his brother, no time to think or reflect.

His senses reeled as the universe sucked him ever down the dark channel toward what he instinctively sensed was certain disaster, death, or perhaps something much, much worse than his imagination could fathom, and he silently uttered one last plea to the ruler of the universe to spare him, to love him, even as he had grown to love Sammy and Roger.

End