8
Matthew and Marjorie wed inexactly, as Seth emptied his seed into Ri. Frederick and his witch wife convened a meeting of the supreme council. Gracie visited Saim at the detention center, bringing him chicken soup.
Thus far, you’ve been protected, said the innermost of the council. Life under inexactness demands of a person certain virtues. Have you heard of ‘Through the Looking Glass’? No? Inexactness is a lot like running just to keep your place. Standing still was what destroyed your inexactly-fixed finger, luckily we -our own gods, spared your life.
Seth clutched at the spot where once was his strongest digit, now a stump of frayed, drying flesh. He peeled at the callouses, his nerves firm and steeled.
What do you think of the war now? Where is your ‘Marjorie’?
But the young man turned aside, rubbing absent-mindedly at his hand. The smell of premium flower tea, wafting from a pot on her induction hob. A small celebration of their virginity lost to one another. Outside, below the upper rooms of her flat, protesters were gathering. The same in every Chinese and Indian city. Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok as well.
He felt used. But then, so was everyone, probably. There was a small book on the table by an unknown philosopher. A descendant, likely, of Erasmus. It was about forming relationships. He read it cover to cover that day.
To his amazement, the severed finger was still fresh -kept alive by the biogel, apparently. He didn’t know what to do with it or if he still wanted it, if it were any use to him. He put it into a small plastic display box, standing it upright on a bed of dark felt.
That night, there were voices in his heart. Erasmus Jr.n opined,
Individualism is a lie inasmuch as marriage is veiled misogyny. Be free with your love and you will discover the company of fools who’ve ruined their reputations and run down their chances. There is distinction between the lost and the burdened. Those who attempt to fall through the cracks are drove mad.
Succor, likewise is the cynical byproduct of obedience. Like a chicken forced to lay eggs on decreasingly nutritious feed. Sorted and graded, they are bought by the rich as well as the poor. Like tuna that comes in tiny cans, what poor man can stand being fed amply enough, the eggs of a dying fowl? What rich man can stand to eat free-range while their neighbor suffers in conscience?
The biggest deception of all is morality -‘law’ if you will. Why vaccinate en-masse against a pandemic, with an untested formula, when privacy laws exist? Why draft youth into military service when a government professes peace? What happened to voluntary confinement, stepping forth to contribute to one’s nation and people? Morality, as a concept, is a mere step away from fear. Patriotism, a’holding hands with nihilism.
Seth folded the book shut. Ri was asleep as it was circa 5am when he finished reading.
You know, philosophy is a driving force behind inexactness, said Saim, if you didn’t suspect.
Seth tried to turn away from the master Trainer but his presence seemed to come from all around. He clutched his right hand against his chest, a gesture that would later become identified with his leadership, his rhetorical orations.
It’s time to rebuild.
And be betrayed -again?
Rebuild trust, and so be safe, brother, all of us.
Go up to the rooftop.
Seth climbed the concrete spiral steps by the back of the washrooms. Waiting for him was his skimmer, refueled and ready.
It’s yours, the reassuring voice of the Trainer trailed off. And the sun rose over Kunming city.
Frederick, his witch wife, the innermost, and the colonel made up the guests at Matthew and Marjorie’s wedding. Of course she was in Lhasa and he was under a mountain, in the nerve center of the war.
They had each been delivered a plain heart-shaped biscuit. Blue trim for him, pink for her. And a remote priest that looked like a water cooler played the standard inexact vows,
In Heaven, men and women marry not. For it is with every giving, every taking, yea unto every vow, that a soul sinks deeper into servitude, into bondage.. As you are now free, remain -as the angels, so. Now, be your hearts broken for one another.
They broke the wedding eucharists in-absentia and placed one half into the accompanying vow box. The other half, they ate and were joined in the lips.
In time, everything returns to source, and as you break this eucharist, so too will the Lord break apart your bodies, tear up your earthly vows. As you eat His biscuit, so too will He chew on the beauty you mill together. Be therefore filled with wonder at what you have just done…
May the seed of man perpetuate. In purity, Namo-Amen.
The machine whirred and they were sequestered from the rest. They would hear each other clearly for a brief time and feel their bodies bond serpentinely down to the very twists of their DNA.
Is the war over or has it just begun?
Neither. The ball isn’t in our court to judge. Seemingly the Asians do not care to deploy their technology. Perhaps they simply don’t have a reply to the e-bomb -yet.
I worry for Seth, wherever he may be.
Then so do I, came Matthew’s otherworldly counter tenor voice. And they joined in-immaculatus. The whirring of the mechanical priest.
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