THE GREAT EMP, by Geoffrey Stein
Chapter 1
Introduction
First I must introduce myself, my name is Mr. Scribe, and I’m just one scribe in the 1st division of scribes, in the service of St. Peter the keeper of the Pearly Gates and new arrival review and status determinations. My duty is to record all that I see and hear through The Great Portal of Reality. My office is located at the entrance to Heaven, just west of the Pearly Gates, beside the banks of the Endless River, under the Infinite Sky, along the Golden Path, adjacent to the Throne Room of our Heavenly Father who hereafter I will refer to as God.
We are also located in the center of existence, at least that is what I’m told. Without knowing the outside dimensions of existence, which is infinite, one can never be sure they are the center of anything. Take for example the beings I observe and keep record of, they are from the planet Earth in the universe known as Freewill; they have battled constantly over whether they are or are not located in the center of their universe. None of them have a clue to the outside dimensions of their universe therefore both are unable to declare victory in their battle of who’s right and who’s wrong. Would you believe these beings still think there is only three dimensions?! I was once one of these beings before my untimely departure from that plain of existence, my departure is commonly referred to on the planet earth as death.
Today I will continue training two new students who just arrived last week from the planet earth, I will be teaching them in the art of the scribe. They are dumber than a box of rocks--I mean uninformed. I got a demerit last week for calling students stupid, so I have given them cute nicknames to match their knowledge of existence. One I refer to as Mr. Grasshopper, the other Mr. Ant. I gave them these names after telling them the story of the Grasshopper and the Ant, my version. I thought the story was an excellent way to explain to them how limited their knowledge of existence is. I told them for me to try and explain time and space to them would be the same as a Grasshopper on their planet trying to explain to an ant what an airplane is, it’s not going to happen in a million years, but maybe in a billion.
Mr. Grasshopper and Mr. Ant departed their human bodies in the year of our Lord 2038. In heaven we don’t use the term year, we call it file number 2038. Due to their excellent behavior on planet earth, and passing all their trials with flying colors they are now in phase two of their continuing education. Today we will be studying file number 5045, or in human terms year 5045.
Mr. Grasshopper is a very educated man by earth standards inthe year 2038. Hewas a professor at Harvard University in the realm of North America on the planet earth in the universe of Freewill. We can assume he is a man of great integrity or he would have never made it across the Pearly Gates and the scrutiny of St. Peter. It’s not easy to make it into heaven. He is a very thoughtful and patient man but a bit stuffy and conservative, but pleasant.
On the other hand, Mr. Ant is very uneducated, at least in the ways the beings of earth in the year 2038 tested people. Don’t let that fool you, he is very wise, and sly, it is just hard to discover that fact due to his hillbilly accent--I believe that’s the term the people of his time would refer to him as, unless you use the politically correct term of “verbally challenged.” He made it here so that speaks well in his favor. I will not describe their physical appearance to you since it depends on many different variables in this reality. One here looks different to his mother than he does to his son or himself. Anyway, they both can get on my nerves very easily and I would prefer not to have them in my class, but here they are and I will do my best to teach them.
I will be teaching today from the Great Hall, which is home to The Great Portal of Reality. The Great Hall is located along the banks of the Finite Sea just west of the Throne Room of God. It is an open-air hall exposed to the beauty of heaven, no windows, doors or ceiling, just a circle of beautiful golden columns which rise into a sapphire blue sky that extends into eternity. The floor of the hall is silver and is surrounded with every flower known to man; a gentle breeze always blows in from the sea and is filled with an energy and life that can’t be described. The only sound to be heard is that of the waves from the Finite Sea falling upon golden sands which flow back into its emerald waters.
The best way to describe The Great Portal of Reality, in human terms, is that it is a 3-dimensional type, holographic, surround-sound, virtual reality. I should say, a real reality playback system. It is viewed from the center of the Great Hall looking out towards the ring of columns (360 degrees) that establish the outside dimensions of the Great Hall; the seating is excellent, picture and sound quality perfect. The Great Portal of Reality has the ability to show any date and place in time that has ever existed. One could view their entire earthly life through the portal, including every dream they ever had, and every breath they ever took, the ultimate “selfie.” Thank God it has fast forward, rewind, pause and stop. Some moments of one’s life should never be viewed, and it’s too bad none of its files can be edited or deleted.
“Good Day Mr. Grasshopper and Mr. Ant, I hope you’re adjusting well to your new existence,” said Mr. Scribe.
“An excellent day it is Mr. Scribe,” replied Mr. Grasshopper.
“Yeah it looks like it gonna be a nuther wonderful day dar sir. What we gonna be studin’ today? I really luvs your class, but I thought when I made it this far and past them dar pearly gates I’d get to kick back have a beer and do a little fishing in dat dar Endless River with my daddy,” replied Mr. Ant.
“Mr. Ant, please try to concentrate on your task at hand,” replied Mr. Scribe.
“Yeah, but how come those fellas out dar on that dar Finite Sea get to be surfing and have fun, while I’m stuck in dis here class, dat don’t seem fair,” said Mr. Ant.
“First things first Mr. Ant,” said Mr. Scribe while brushing over Mr. Ant’s comment. “Today we will be gazing through The Great Portal of Reality and observing your future decedents on the planet earth as they celebrate the new moon and the telling of the story of The Great EMP, they tell it every month on the new moon and have done so for hundreds and hundreds of years.”
“Why they keep tellin dat dar same story every month? They should just record it and listen back to it, or maybe someone could make it a movie and they could just watch da reruns when they gets bored, can’t fur da life of me figure out why they would tell the same story over and over for hundreds of years, make no sense,” replied Mr. Ant.
“Mr. Ant I would prefer it if you would just keep your questions and comments to yourself for the remainder of the class today,” replied Mr. Scribe.
“Okey dokey Mr. Scribe,” Mr. Ant responded. “Will do fur you, won’t say anuter word, just sit here like a good boy and watch da portal. Just one last question Mr. Scribe. Should I be taken notes? We gonna be tested on dis? Just asking, dis all new to me, never did like school much, and it didn’t like me. We gonna get a lunch break today? I luvs u all’s food here it’s what I call heavenly, ya know, very, very good, for organic.”
“Please Mr. Ant, not another word, we have way too much to do today, and I would prefer no more interruptions for any reason,” barked Mr. Scribe. Mr. Grasshopper raised his hand with a look of confusion upon his face. “Yes Mr. Grasshopper what now?” snapped Mr. Scribe
“Sir, will we be getting tested on this? If so will you be giving us a study guide,” asked Mr. Grasshopper with his head hung low.
“One more interruption and you will both find yourselves living in the year 5045,” shouted Mr. Scribe. “Now just watch the portal and observe. Can you at least do that?”
The Great Portal opened and the students and teacher gazed upon a medieval looking village as the sun was sinking into a grey sky and darkness was falling upon a dismal world. Men, women and children dressed in ragged clothing sat around a roaring fire with its flames leaping into a star filled sky, the grey smoke of the fire blended into the dead night and darkness and silence fell to the ground in an eerie mist to mix with the mud puddles left by a passing shower. In this world, electricity was unknown, there were no cars, airplanes or any other sign of technology past the sword, shield and the use of fire. It might have been a future date to Mr. Ant and Mr. Grasshopper but it resembled more of the Dark Ages than a bright future. A gloomy fog of despair feeling like a dying breath over the people gathered to hear their King. Then the King suddenly arose from sitting upon a log throne, lifted his staff, took one more drink of his ale and began to tell the story of The Great EMP.