In The Beginning there was … er, technically I suppose The Beginning was way before our beginning but, as long as it's been mentioned, just so you know, in The Beginning there was this 1 very odd Thing. But that's for another beginning. In this beginning, our story picks up way after that. Though technically still very much after what we might consider the middle of what comes just before the beginning. End of the middle really. Maybe actually the end of what comes just before the beginning is where we begin our story.
And this is where we find a very confused little boy waking up on what looks to be a piece of plywood the size of Asbury Park covered in sparse sands with a few rocks scattered about floating through space.
Sigh.
Ok, that's no good. I'm gonna try this again.
*deep breath*
*cracking knuckles*
*sip of coffee* …. ok, let's go.
Chapter One: in a beginning.
Long before the lands of giants and legend (oh that's better), as time lay still unmade and magic had not fully come into being, there was a child. A boy whose memory was of a moment but whose understanding & experience were the measures of all Life.
This does not mean though that the boy could find nothing new. Quite in fact on the morning our story begins we find him utterly and entirely bewildered.
Should one have asked him the distance of the universe or where light began, the number of stars or what colors they emit to moons nearby... ask the boy about law and code, the rules of nature or what binds it all together... search his outermost recesses of thought for enlightenments on joy, humor, inspiration and all matters of condition, one would find all of the answers, even those they had not conceived to seek.
But ask him where he has just woken up and for the very first time the boy would get to say
"I don't know."
AGE 8: Day 1
Happy Birthday Boy
“Rul, is that you?” The boy blinked several times to clear the morning fog from his eyes which strained to focus on what there was to see. The child's mentor Rul sat among the Working Stones some distance away. Unbeknownst to the boy Rul had already begun to cook a fish on one of the Stones.
The Boy's awareness stretched to seek the other Makers but could not find them. They seemed separated by much more than just distance. "Rul, where is She? Where are the others? Are they off making my stories again? Has Unk hidden them again??" The boy asked excitedly.
"Be here." The Mentor said. And so the Boy was beside Rul. "I will show you a new Matter that has been made." He said poking at the Boy's body with one of his wands. The Boy observed his Self, this distantly familiar vessel. His Self was constrained unlike before but unlike before so capable and versatile. It was weighted with purposeless new boundaries but equipped with innumerable little widgets and functions. It seemed a finished project but bore none of the Maker's Signatures.
"I don't understand Rul … what's this Vessel all about? Who made this?" He poked and pulled at the skin with one hand while thumping his head with the other all while running in place. "Is this Boundaries work? Where is the Signature? Integrity is always having to tell Boundary to finish when finished. So ya, this must be it's work. Finished but no signature… yup, this must be the work of The Maker of Boundary."
He fell backward flat on his back and lifted his legs, waving them around like rubber chickens flapping about in the wind. "I know Rul, I know," mimicking Rul's voice "'Let what you don't know rest with the Unknown', I know." The Boy stopped, rolled over playfully several times and stopped again with his face in the sand. "But I do know!" A muffled yell muddled out. "HA! YA HEAR THAT UNK? I KNOW IT'S YOUUU!" The boy laughed and sprang up, "Boundary made this form with Purpose & Understanding didn't they? This is one of their experiments isn't it?" The boy turned over his hands and arms, all his limbs & body like a dog chasing his tail. "They are playing with my stories again aren't they?! This is awesome!"
The boy's body was to him what the greatest toy would be to any boy on his 8th birthday.
As the fish sizzled upon the rock the Boy explored this new vessel, this unique form he found himself within.
Fascinated by how the rocks felt against the flats of his feet he stepped and fell, stood up, stepped again and found balance. "WHOA!?! What IS THIS?!" The boy teetered on the rock playing with the constraints of gravity first with both feet then on just one foot then no feet and he fell. His mentor watched, smiling while poking the fish sizzling.
"This is beautiful Rul. Where did they Make this? Whose design …How did … and How am I in … Rul … Where did they Make … Whose Making is this?? ANSWER MEEEEE!!!" He growled playfully.
"Yours."
The boy froze, balanced precariously on one of the Viewing Rocks ...and fell again. Plopped onto the sand covered stage floating through space he realized he felt differently than he ever had before. And in the new frontier of this vessel, this expanding expanse within this unique Self stirred fear, sadness, hurt and all Matters of emotion both understood and unknown.
These were the Matters the other Makers kept away from. These Matters had been kept secret from all the Stewards, from the Stages & Tools and the Working Stones. Their designs had been kept safely unmade in The Cloak of The Maker of The Unknown. Or as the boy called it, 'Unk's Gunk'.
Yet now in the Boy, no longer in The Cloak these Matters orbited each other. Each separate but balanced upon each other inside his Self feeling very much finished.
The boy became very still.
He felt these Matters, these emotions. All of them together and separately.
"Rul."
"Yes boy?"
"Did Unk do something to me?"
"No."
"Is this.. did you put The Edge in me?" Rul looked at the boy, his eyes suddenly soft with hurt at the thought.
"Oh no, no Boy. No. Not at all."
"Did something happen to Her you aren't telling me?"
"Yes." He gently picked the fish up and turned it. "Yes. But focus here, recognize this for me first." Rul pointed at the fish with one of the wands. The Boy's eyes quivered, another feature unique to this vessel but one he knew he was not eager to explore. "Focus."
The boy blinked and stared overwhelmed. Looking up and all around he recalled the infinite blankets of darkness he and The Maker of Boundary would roll out with The Maker of Purpose so Rul could set the stars in place with plenty of distance between them.
"Rul…"
"Yes boy?"
"I don't recognize any of this but …"
"Go on…"
"It is familiar to me." The old mentor smiled as the Boy unraveled understanding without Her, as the Boy helplessly approached revelation without The Maker of Understanding nearby.
"Yes, it is familiar to you."
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"How?"
"Unk's Gunk, as you call it, is known to you because you are its Maker."
"I don't understand. Rul, where is She? "
"You will. But first, focus." He said again pointing to the fish. "This here is of your making. And as The Maker of Integrity says, you must first finish what you have started before starting anew." The boy's eyes widened and fixated on the fish as his mentor continued.
"Wait .. when … er um, no … how could I make …" Um was not forbidden but the boy was usually very good at heading the Matter of Caution around that particular word especially on this particular stage as it seemed to quake onimously at the sound of that syllable.
"In your stories boy, the stories you'd tell us as we sat under The Tree, from your stories, you made this."
The boy's voice was almost a whisper, "This .. is … it's a fish?"
"Yes. Yes, this is a fish." Rul smiled, the Warmth & the Light glowed brighter. The boy looked around in awe.
"Rul, how did You … only She can add to The Glow." Rul chuckled. The boy knew this meant he'd get no explanation yet, "Rul, what you say is. That's the Matter of Law. You say I made this but ... I am no Great Maker. And only Makers make. I am just … I am … I mean, I am not a Maker Rul. I am your helper. I help whatever you tell me to help. I've only ever been your helper. Where is She Rul? I can't understand!! What is happening???!"
The boy rarely faced confusion. What confusion had seized the Boy before would always melt away in Her presence. This sustained ignorance was like a humming vibration rapidly growing louder, piercing the vessel and introducing exactly the opposite of The Glow. The Boy did not have Understanding much less experience to help with this. Pain found the Boy who began to feel alone in his hurt. Began to feel abandoned. Began to feel afraid. And all at once, that quivering feature in his face seemed to break. The boy fell, the vessel crippled under itself in obsoletion. It's sound reflected the experience and so all sound became a shriek, a cry. The humming vibration was now coursing through the Boy and pouring out over everything, even around the Glow.
The Good Maker of Measure turned to the Boy from which Chaos had manifested. Rul touched the boy's cheeks which then became radiant.
The sound ceased.
The vibration ceased.
The pain and fear ceased.
The Boy was left quivering slightly, ignorant of The Matter of Chaos which now laid dormant on the stage some distance from the rocks. What had begun to envelop the Glow dissipated and from the boys eyes a single tear began to form.
"Boy, You are a Maker of much. But what you will make could not be made until the rest of us were finished making." Rul took the tear by the end of a wand, it absorbed immediately into its tip. The wand began to glow.
"Finished?" Rul's comfort began to swaddle the boy.
"The Makers of Boundary & Purpose agree and even She, The Maker of Understanding has said that all we are to make together has, for now, been made. The Maker of Integrity confirms this and The Maker of Unknown is in it's stillness." Rul stared back at the Fish. "We have finished and so now, you now will be given a thing."
"Given?"
"Yes, 'given'. You are special boy and this is the first day of your 8th age. You and I will make something together." Only once before had The Maker used the word special while speaking around the boy. The boy could not decide which was more exciting … that Rul used this word or that they were about to craft a Matter together.
"Like when You made the Matter of Blackhole with Unk or, or how like, how You & Boundary made the planets dance in their orbits?"
"Yes and no. You and I will make something different. We will make the Matter Choice."
"Biut, Choice? I have heard you discuss with Understanding about this Matter. Many times in secret, it's to be one of the Matters Unk keeps secret in The Cloak. She said this, YOU said this. So, it's a Matter of Law. How could we do this and besides, what does Purpose say?? Not to mention but I will, to make Choice we need Her & Unk to help. I heard you all agree. Yes, maybe not Boundary & Purpose or even Integrity but Unk & Her at least, right? I listened, you always let me listen! Choice can not be made without The Makers of Measure, Understanding and The Unknown. Rul, why are you putting so much distance between me and Her??!" The boy's eyes grew unsteady again though he found focus to constrain them.
"The nature of Choice as you have heard us discuss it will not be the nature of Choice as You will make it. I will help you Make it but then you alone will apply your signature. Choice will be your Matter to Make. The Matter of Law will not be broken in this. You are right about what we have said. But that was before we were finished." The boy's understanding was confused entirely … as I expect yours might be.
"I have no understanding Ruuuuul."
"I know. But you will. And you will completely." The Maker stared sullenly before continuing. "First though, today is the first in your 8th age and you must finish making what you have begun. So, after your signature is on the fish …"
"Wait, I have a signature?!?!" The boy excitedly interrupted … Rul chuckled heartily nodding his head.
"Then in sequence, You and I will measure out Choice. It will be measured according to what it is you Make."
"The fish?" The confused boy interjected.
"No. Not the fish." Rul shook his head smiling. "Focus, I will help you but you must make Choice according to your Self, you will be this Matters Measure entirely… or the "Ruler" as you like to say." He smiled at the boy. "You are already a Maker but from now on what you make will be its own Matter. It will not be one of ours. Choice will be measured against you alone. Just as Matters of Mathematics, Science and Measurement are measured against me; just as Truth & Joy is measured against Understanding; just as Law, Code & Princepal is Measured against Integrity; Form & Size against Boundary; Value & Meaning against Purpose ... so the Matter of Choice will be measured against you."
"So then, I will be the Maker of Choice?"
"No, I will give your name soon but that is not it. Focus. These are not just instructions boy, You must carefully do as I say, exactly. Ok? Always consider what happened when you glimpsed The Edge." With all seriousness, the boy nodded. "You must weigh Choice carefully within your Self. Measure this Matter dutifully against your Self as you have seen us do with all the Matters We have Made." The boy stared & blinked in expectant bewilderment. "Recall when She made my name for you." The boy erupted into laughter then he deepened his tone mimicking Rul's authoritative sound…
"You shall be Boy and as you are you shall be of help to me, The Good Maker, Maker of Measure in so far and near as determined according to the measure of my Will and to Her, The Good Maker of Understanding, Gratitude & Joy the illumination of The Glow our everything." Then speaking in his own affectionate tone "You are so weird Rul. I be 'Boy' and you be 'The Good Maker, Maker of Measure in so far as blahdyblah blahblaaaah'. I told you your name should be more like mine and you said, you said 'call me The Maker of Measure or if you would like The Measuring Wands.'" The boy laughed again. "The Measuring Wands?! Haha, You have never been good at naming things Rul. But She is huh? She always knows exactly what I'm thinking even when I don't have the words to thunk it. 'Ruler' She said 'Boy, meet Ruler'. In't she great? The Measuring Wand, hahaha .. ya, it's a good thing She's around or nothing would sound right." Rul smiled, still not understanding how 'Ruler' is any better than 'The Measuring Wands'. But the boy was right, naming things was not His strength.
"I became more when you two gave Me that name. You have helped Me in so much more than you realize. So I will tell you your name and I will help you Make Choice but, you must Make Choice alone. And you must remember what The Great Maker of Integrity and The Great Maker Purpose have taught you, remember the warnings from The Great Maker of The Unknown. Do not let a single word from The Maker of Understanding escape your toolsets. And as you make Choice consider the nature of The Great Maker of Boundaries and always set what you make according to the measures I have made in you."
The boy had begun moving his body about, adjusting it over and over without breaking his focus on Rul's words. "On your own, You will Understand all that is Unknown. You will form all Boundaries and determine all Purposes. And you will, abiding by Integrity, choose whether or not to make Choice. That said I tell you boy, that you have always been a Maker unlike the rest of us, unlike even Me.
So, let us reapproach Choice as next in sequence. Finish fish, focus on what you have already begun. Are you ready?" The boy nodded "So, as in your stories, can you … smell your fish?"
The boy's understanding was reeling but he knew Rul to be right. So the boy's eyes lowered over the fish, thoughts quieted, the vessel became still until it found an empty space in the chest. It focused on the empty space, made it bigger by bringing it forward and in this movement, the boy opened his mouth and took his very first breath.
"No … I can't smell it. Not like … not like I remember how I told you about smelling...OH WAIT!!! DUH!!"
The vessel shot up so excited both feet left the sand. The boy found it strange that they then reconnected with the sand but didn't have a thought to spare to think on that. "YES RIGHT!!!!" Leaning over the fish, closer and closer until the body's balance was lost and again, the boy fell. Rul chuckled affectionately.
"Try again boy. Remember your own stories, focus."
This time the boy moved his vessel about to not stand, not sit but something between those two positions the vessel formed, ready to try again. The boy centered the vessel's face so very close to the fish, almost touching it. Then finding that empty place inside the chest again, the boy expanded it as before, lifting the emptiness forward but this time focusing on the holes in the middle of the face, not the big one on the bottom. And with this second breath … the boy smelled the fish sizzling on the rock.
Without words, without understanding the boy sat. Breathing in, breathing out. Over and over and over and over again. The boy's understanding shattering, collecting, melting and forming a thousand times trying to grasp the overwhelming simplicity of what was happening.
"Rul, can you smell the fish?" The Maker of Measure leaned in and did as the boy did.
"I can." They sat their breathing together. "Whoa."
"You could not before?"
"Not until you did."
"Rul."
"Boy."
"I am a Maker?"
"You are."
"What do I Make?" Rul sighed, it was time.
"You boy, are Life. That is your Name. But you are not only your Name as The Makers are nor are you only a Maker. What You are and what You will Make will be so much more than all of what The Great Makers have made both together and apart. And what you are is so much more than just your Name. You will never stop Making, you will never finish as They have. The Matter you Make will Make Matter as you've told in your stories."
"Rul."
"Yes boy."
"You said.. You said I am not only my Name as The Makers are. Then you said.. you, you called the Makers they." Rul looked at the boy whose understanding was unraveling itself without Her... "You don't call them they. You say we. ….what's different Rul?"
"There is more to The Makers than Understanding & I have shown you, there is more us as well. And to you too."
"Where is She Rul?" The boy again felt the sting of sadness.
"She is here. They are all here. But they can not be with us now."
"Rul."
"Yes?"
"What am I?" Rul sighed.
"You are Special to me, to Understanding and to The Great Makers. But it is not for you to Understand yet, but you will."
"Ok. Ok then. What may I do for You Rul? Er, uh … hmm. How can I let You help me Make Choice Matter?"
The Glow brightened just a little bit.