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The Egg (http://www.galactanet.com/oneoff/theegg_mod.html)
By: Andy Weir
You were on your way home when you died.
It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. You left behind a wife and two children. It was a painless death. The EMTs tried their best to save you, but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered you were better off, trust me.
And thatââ,¬â,,¢s when you met me.
ââ,¬Å"Whatââ,¬Â¦ what happened?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"Where am I?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"You died,ââ,¬Â I said, matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words.
ââ,¬Å"There was aââ,¬Â¦ a truck and it was skiddingââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Yup,ââ,¬Â I said.
ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬Â¦ I died?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Yup. But donââ,¬â,,¢t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,ââ,¬Â I said.
You looked around. There was nothingness. Just you and me. ââ,¬Å"What is this place?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"Is this the afterlife?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"More or less,ââ,¬Â I said.
ââ,¬Å"Are you god?ââ,¬Â You asked.
ââ,¬Å"Yup,ââ,¬Â I replied. ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m God.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"My kidsââ,¬Â¦ my wife,ââ,¬Â you said.
ââ,¬Å"What about them?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Will they be all right?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Thatââ,¬â,,¢s what I like to see,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"You just died and your main concern is for your family. Thatââ,¬â,,¢s good stuff right there.ââ,¬Â
You looked at me with fascination. To you, I didnââ,¬â,,¢t look like God. I just looked like some man. Or possibly a woman. Some vague authority figure, maybe. More of a grammar school teacher than the almighty.
ââ,¬Å"Donââ,¬â,,¢t worry,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Theyââ,¬â,,¢ll be fine. Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didnââ,¬â,,¢t have time to grow contempt for you. Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If itââ,¬â,,¢s any consolation, sheââ,¬â,,¢ll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Oh,ââ,¬Â you said. ââ,¬Å"So what happens now? Do I go to heaven or hell or something?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Neither,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢ll be reincarnated.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Ah,ââ,¬Â you said. ââ,¬Å"So the Hindus were right,ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"All religions are right in their own way,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Walk with me.ââ,¬Â
You followed along as we strode through the void. ââ,¬Å"Where are we going?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Nowhere in particular,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Itââ,¬â,,¢s just nice to walk while we talk.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"So whatââ,¬â,,¢s the point, then?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"When I get reborn, Iââ,¬â,,¢ll just be a blank slate, right? A baby. So all my experiences and everything I did in this life wonââ,¬â,,¢t matter.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Not so!ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"You have within you all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives. You just donââ,¬â,,¢t remember them right now.ââ,¬Â
I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. ââ,¬Å"Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful, and gigantic than you can possibly imagine. A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are. Itââ,¬â,,¢s like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if itââ,¬â,,¢s hot or cold. You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, youââ,¬â,,¢ve gained all the experiences it had.
ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you havenââ,¬â,,¢t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. If we hung out here for long enough, youââ,¬â,,¢d start remembering everything. But thereââ,¬â,,¢s no point to doing that between each life.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"How many times have I been reincarnated, then?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Oh lots. Lots and lots. An in to lots of different lives.ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"This time around, youââ,¬â,,¢ll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 AD.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Wait, what?ââ,¬Â You stammered. ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢re sending me back in time?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Well, I guess technically. Time, as you know it, only exists in your universe. Things are different where I come from.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Where you come from?ââ,¬Â You said.
ââ,¬Å"Oh sure,ââ,¬Â I explained ââ,¬Å"I come from somewhere. Somewhere else. And there are others like me. I know youââ,¬â,,¢ll want to know what itââ,¬â,,¢s like there, but honestly you wouldnââ,¬â,,¢t understand.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Oh,ââ,¬Â you said, a little let down. ââ,¬Å"But wait. If I get reincarnated to other places in time, I could have interacted with myself at some point.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Sure. Happens all the time. And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan you donââ,¬â,,¢t even know itââ,¬â,,¢s happening.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"So whatââ,¬â,,¢s the point of it all?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Seriously?ââ,¬Â I asked. ââ,¬Å"Seriously? Youââ,¬â,,¢re asking me for the meaning of life? Isnââ,¬â,,¢t that a little stereotypical?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Well itââ,¬â,,¢s a reasonable question,ââ,¬Â you persisted.
I looked you in the eye. ââ,¬Å"The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"You mean mankind? You want us to mature?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"No, just you. I made this whole universe for you. With each new life you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Just me? What about everyone else?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"There is no one else,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"In this universe, thereââ,¬â,,¢s just you and me.ââ,¬Â
You stared blankly at me. ââ,¬Å"But all the people on earthââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"All you. Different incarnations of you.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Wait. Iââ,¬â,,¢m everyone!?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Now youââ,¬â,,¢re getting it,ââ,¬Â I said, with a congratulatory slap on the back.
ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m every human being who ever lived?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Or who will ever live, yes.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Abraham Lincoln?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re John Wilkes Booth, too,ââ,¬Â I added.
ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Hitler?ââ,¬Â You said, appalled.
ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re the millions he killed.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Jesus?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re everyone who followed him.ââ,¬Â
You fell silent.
ââ,¬Å"Every time you victimized someone,ââ,¬Â I said, ââ,¬Å"you were victimizing yourself. Every act of kindness youââ,¬â,,¢ve done, youââ,¬â,,¢ve done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was, or will be, experienced by you.ââ,¬Â
You thought for a long time.
ââ,¬Å"Why?ââ,¬Â You asked me. ââ,¬Å"Why do all this?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Because someday, you will become like me. Because thatââ,¬â,,¢s what you are. Youââ,¬â,,¢re one of my kind. Youââ,¬â,,¢re my child.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"Whoa,ââ,¬Â you said, incredulous. ââ,¬Å"You mean Iââ,¬â,,¢m a god?ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"No. Not yet. Youââ,¬â,,¢re a fetus. Youââ,¬â,,¢re still growing. Once youââ,¬â,,¢ve lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.ââ,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"So the whole universe,ââ,¬Â you said, ââ,¬Å"itââ,¬â,,¢s justââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â
ââ,¬Å"An egg.ââ,¬Â I answered. ââ,¬Å"Now itââ,¬â,,¢s time for you to move on to your next life.ââ,¬Â
And I sent you on your way.