Solutions: The Dilemma for the Gods by James Gerard (top 50 books to read .txt) 📕

Terrance eyed the schematics for the lesser of the lights that hung above and were aimed down at the children sitting at appointed seats in the tiered sections.  According to the tenets and written within the plans the reasoning had to do with the difference in stature between the high priests and children.  The bright lights highlighting the high priests and the duller lights highlighting the children dealt with the level of significance between the two levels of the Gods’ children.

The high priests, the Gods’ representatives in matters concerning the adherence to the tenets, the ones chosen to carry out the punishment as prescribed by the Gods, were placed high above all the children to simulate how the Gods looked down at their children.  The differences in lighting as prescribed in the tenets, was to simulate how the Gods were the ones deserving to be bathed in such brilliant illumination; not the children.  But with the truth known, the high priests viewed now as unwitting participants in the deception, Terrance smiled at the thought of reversing the deception of the intentions.

Terrance counted every light bulb displayed on the schematics and noted the wattage.  Carefully, he opened one box each of the different bulbs to discover how many bulbs were contained in their respected boxes.  Using a hand cart made available to move items in and out of the temple, he loaded the appropriate number of boxes of each and rolled it to the temple door.  Another look at the construction guide told him the length of ladders needed to reach the various tiered ceilings.  He took specific ladders and wrapped up each in an arm, and delivered them at the feet of the Lesser Temple's door.

Before entering, he quickly went over the scheme to avoid mistakes that could be made in the rush of excitement sweeping over him.  He even had to admit the rearranged lighting had nothing to do with disguising the dusty chairs and dirty floors, but more to do with exposing the lies that were perpetrated by the entities that could neither be seen nor heard.

Terrance turned the key to the door but was puzzled.  He knew he had locked it securely after the last time, but the thought was mute at this point.  He entered the door with a grin, but the grin vanished as a noise cried out in the dark.  He wondered if an animal had made a home in the seldom used temple.  He had heard such a sound many a times before at the Greater Temple.  Always, after a thorough investigation, the culprit was found to be some little furry creature going about its daily life.

Another quick burst of a sound echoed in the vacuous chamber.  Terrance froze for a minute to listen intently for the noise to repeat; dead silence responded.  He quietly stepped towards the light panel and with that one step the floor creaked.  A cry from the dark echoed loudly in the empty temple.  Another eerie cry sent a tingling fear up and down his body.

Terrance dashed over to the light panel and flicked the main switch.  Screams and cries erupted in the Lesser Temple as lights uncovered the fear spoken in the dark.  All around were women clutching their frightened children and crying out to the Gods for help and cursing Terrance.

“That’s enough,” he shouted.  But his command was not intended for the frightened children.

A violent kick to the temple door knocked it off the hinges.  He sprinted towards the Greater Temple with rage coursing through the veins.

Fast approaching the first cabin, the cabin that Rita had been cast out to, something stood out amidst the familiar sight of the frame.  The sprint came to a halting stop and his body turned.  He directed his stare and full attention to the figure standing in front of the porch.  Rage instantly came to the forefront of the focus.  The figure not only represented so many pests threatening the rose bush, but was recognized by its tall and lanky features and hooded overcoat flapping in the wind as one of the mystery figures seen at the Greater Temple.  It was one of the Gods.

Terrance marched up to the figure and stared it down.  He looked directly into the eyes that were black and glossy.  there was not a single hint of warmth from within the contemptible creature.  But knowing the end was near, a guiding truth quieted the rage, squelched the hatred, and focused the heart.

“It’s time to end the lie.”

The tall and lanky figure stumbled over to Terrance.

“Yes it is.  Walk with me to the Greater Temple if you would please.”

“This ends today.”

“Of course, but please come with me.”

“Why?” asked Terrance as he walked rapidly to keep pace with the giant’s strides, “What was the purpose of all this?”

“Let us just agree that it was an ill advised decision made by those many, many years ago.”

“Not according to the book you left for me.”

“True, but that decision, as I stated, was nothing more than an ill advised decision made by those many years ago seeking a lifestyle that benefited their self-importance.”

“And look where it got you,” said Terrance.

Terrance continued to struggle with the feelings that prompted him to speak harshly and with the lack of understanding and compassion towards the giant, and as much as he hated to disregard the emotions, the truth forced him to see the figure in a whole new light.

“True.  If they had not been swept up, drunk in their power then I may not be here confronting you.  But, if it makes you feel any better, it was their decisions that ultimately led to their demise.”

Terrance noticed the words were spoken with pursed lips.  The voice sounded as if it were emanating from the bowels deep inside the lanky figure.  He noticed the face was smooth and glossy with no hint of facial hair.  The brows appeared to be represented as thick black lines.   There was no show of any hair protruding from underneath the hood either.

Each step by the giant, long in stride but lumbering in motion, appeared as if the giant was struggling with the strength to propel itself forward.  Terrance examined the giant’s apparel up close and noticed the finely stitched seams and the exquisite pearl buttons.

The two approached the gates of the Greater Temple.  The giant’s strength seemed out of balance as the mighty strides swayed from side to side.  Terrance started to feel pity for the wretch, but the lie needed to be revealed before any such compassion would be demonstrated.

The craft Terrance had previously observed sat at the spot just beyond his garden.  The giant stopped and directed Terrance’s attention to the secret pasture mired in waste.

“I had long noticed your acts of rebellion Terrance.  What a pity.”  The giant sighed then softly laughed, “Then again, your actions have turned what was intended as our burial grounds into a field more apt for the cruel waste we burdened all of you with.”

“Why didn’t you kill me?”

“Because it was my decision not to.”

“But I offended all you didn’t I?”

“Terrance, you offended none.  By the time you began your antics our demise had well advanced.”

“The virus?” cried Terrance.  "It was the virus I read about wasn't it?"

“Ironically, yes.  The virus had been of a typical seasonal outbreak; it was rather mild.  But we, well, used manipulation to strengthen the strain.  It migrated to our lunar haven by our own hands, a curiosity over a man we had manipulated in our endeavor to create the worldwide panic.  The panic had been intended to expedite our plans to start the Earth anew by reducing the world’s population and sending irrevocable fear throughout all of humanity ended up utterly destroying us by our own means of destruction.”

“And the asteroid that was supposed to hit the Earth?  No one from the Solutions Center was responsible for that.  It never hit, right? ”

The giant moaned.

Terrance heard frustration, agony, and torturous memories in the moan.  It seemed as if reliving the events brought about by the interrogation frustrated the thoughts of the lanky figure.

“Of course,” the giant sighed.  “All the national crisis centers around the world took directives from them which took directives from us.  They were manipulated as well.   The perceived threat was needed to drive the final percentage of the remaining population underground.  Once that had been accomplished, we set about destroying all we intended by technology we held.”

Terrance understood all the giant had confessed.  The truth, the one question concerning the mystery of the Gods had been revealed.  He peered into the vast emptiness of the blackness that stared upon him and felt a sense of pity for the figure.

“You’re just a man.”

“This costume,” the giant smirked.  “It is of my own creation.  Created to mimic the near non-gravity environment in which I was born and raised.  Without it, Earth’s atmospheric pressure would crush the very life out of me.”

“The virus didn’t kill you; why?”

“I was isolated from the rest of the colony when it first stuck.  As for the others, nothing could be done to save them.  They had been so preoccupied with an amazing old man I took a liking to.  They did not realize their fascination was the beginning of the end.  We had built in safeguards, but they proved too late in halting the spread of the virus.”

“But you’re dying now?”

“If you are referring to my demise, then yes.  The virus was a major disturbance.  It ravaged our fortress but that was only due to our weakened state.  Our immunity against the virus was of none effect.  But it was our superior intellect that led to our demise, and had us believe that someday we could return to Earth as we had left it so many years ago.  We believed that we could maintain our physical bodies in the fortress we had built on the Moon, but our intellect failed us.  We could not overcome the physiological changes that evolved through the few generations that followed after the men had turned the conception into reality.  That was the true culprit that ravaged us.”

“There’s just two of you left right?”

“I did bring my wife with me.  We represented the last two of my people.”

“You don't have much time left do you?”

“Yes, but please bare with me Terrance.  I must finish what I came for before that inevitable conclusion.  I ask you for help.”

“Let me guess—you want me to bury you?”

“I long for such a deep and restful sleep Terrance.  The others are nothing but dehydrated corpses lying atop the lunar dust in makeshift coffins.  But my wife and I always preferred a resting place that is distant from the uninspiring vistas of the moon.  It is so uninspiring, hardly a befitting grave for even the ones left behind.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Do not fool yourself Terrance.  You have a natural compassion that I lack.  I have faith that you will abide by this, my last request.”

Terrance stared at the secret pasture and considered answering the request with a refusal, but deep down in his heart, the only place where any good existed, the sentiment was compliant with the man’s request.  The feeling associated with the exhibited obedience was that of a freedom he had long anticipated.  It was a freedom granted by the Truth he had only come to know in word, but now understood by the experience of being led by the Word.

The man led Terrance over to the craft.

“As you can see,