09-04-2016, 09:43 PM
Beto's eyes widened as he watched Little Bird lift the mug. He froze his expression to show nothing further. Inside though, his mind churned. He'd seen the videos- the destruction at Jeddah; Brandon's creation of the arch and statue; the terrorist attack in the square in Moscow- he'd seen them with his own eyes on a video screen. He knew them for truth, that they were real. And yet...everyone had seen special effects in videos all their lives. There was a disconnect in the visceral reality of the whole thing, what was on a monitor and what was before you. It was real in a whole new sense of the word.
Here and now, in this coffeeshop in New Mexico, he saw something unnatural being done. Simple, to be sure. Nothing earth shattering. And yet, all the same, he felt something stir in him. Not for this man, Little Bird. Or for the girl. No. It was if an enemy, an adversary, an equal had finally deigned to manifest himself at long last. God was out there somewhere. Not 'gods', not these men and women granted this power. But the one behind it all.
It was not often Beto examined this aspect of himself. He knew what solipsism was. He knew how it was regarded. But he also knew that he was not normal and never had been. He had his persona and wore it and did it well. But the secret was, he never quite believed others existed- at least not as he did. They weren't real in the same way he was. But he always wondered if there was another out there like him. Real like him. Not the God of the Church. He was too small and pathetic. No. But absent any other name, God would suffice.
And now he had revealed himself, in this simple coffee shop and Beto felt a stirring of recognition. Because finally he might get answers.
All thought of the law or parameters took second place. They would still be pursued. He was who he was and was able to focus with unnatural concentration. The image of the spout of coffee filled his eyes.
He lifted his gaze, his face impenetrable, to regard Little Bird. The man was a conduit of sorts to that source of power. He turned to Ms. Makawee, seeing the same thing. He let a small smile play on his face. "Very impressive,"
he said quietly. He took a sip of coffee. After a moment. "You understand that I have so many questions I do not know where to begin. My own curiosity, of course."
The question he had was the one that struck to the core. "Where does it come from, this power? Is it new? Or has it always existed?"
If it had always been around, why were people only hearing about it now? What had changed? Or had it just been hidden?
Had God been hiding from him?
Here and now, in this coffeeshop in New Mexico, he saw something unnatural being done. Simple, to be sure. Nothing earth shattering. And yet, all the same, he felt something stir in him. Not for this man, Little Bird. Or for the girl. No. It was if an enemy, an adversary, an equal had finally deigned to manifest himself at long last. God was out there somewhere. Not 'gods', not these men and women granted this power. But the one behind it all.
It was not often Beto examined this aspect of himself. He knew what solipsism was. He knew how it was regarded. But he also knew that he was not normal and never had been. He had his persona and wore it and did it well. But the secret was, he never quite believed others existed- at least not as he did. They weren't real in the same way he was. But he always wondered if there was another out there like him. Real like him. Not the God of the Church. He was too small and pathetic. No. But absent any other name, God would suffice.
And now he had revealed himself, in this simple coffee shop and Beto felt a stirring of recognition. Because finally he might get answers.
All thought of the law or parameters took second place. They would still be pursued. He was who he was and was able to focus with unnatural concentration. The image of the spout of coffee filled his eyes.
He lifted his gaze, his face impenetrable, to regard Little Bird. The man was a conduit of sorts to that source of power. He turned to Ms. Makawee, seeing the same thing. He let a small smile play on his face. "Very impressive,"
he said quietly. He took a sip of coffee. After a moment. "You understand that I have so many questions I do not know where to begin. My own curiosity, of course."
The question he had was the one that struck to the core. "Where does it come from, this power? Is it new? Or has it always existed?"
If it had always been around, why were people only hearing about it now? What had changed? Or had it just been hidden?
Had God been hiding from him?