Brain Infection

The smell of relaxing herbal tea filled the room. It smelled good, and gave her a strange feeling of mystery. Madame Lasara sat in front of her, looking her into the eyes.

So tell me, she said. How long has this been going on?

I’m not sure. I guess I started feeling strange a couple of weeks ago, but it’s been evolving. The strange thoughts have been there a couple of days.

Volumes and volumes of books had been written since the Lady appeared. Ever since their ancestors found the Brain, ever since they realised there was an outside world, that their myths and legends were true, they had been studying, analysing. The Thoughts went slow, and were carefully investigated, but they went deep. Many of the aspects were hard to understand, and the Feelings were still a mystery. It all seemed to be connected.

Generations had gone by since the Walk had started. The wise had been debating its purpose ever since. Was it the same as the Visit? Would she once again be talking about her lack of energy, about her stomach problems? Or was it something else?

Arg’bong was the oldest of them all, one of the wisest. He had dedicated his long life to the cosmology, the knowledge of the outside world. He knew a lot of the history of the Movements, and the ways of the World Girl.

Now he lay on his bed, dying. His young apprentice was sitting by his side.

It’s time, he said. You will take my place, just as I did so long ago, when She was still entering the door. When my master died. Since you were born, two sentences have been said. They are deep and meaningful, and we know more about Thought than ever. Take it further, my friend. It’s up to you now.

Goodbye, master. Di’ong sat looking out into the air for a while. The future was his. The Conversation. He had to understand. He needed to know.

What kind of thoughts are they? Madame Lasara took a sip of her tea. -Can you explain?

It’s hard to say… It’s like something is interfering with them. Like if… Someone tries to read them or something. I know it sounds strange, but…

Di’ong was an old thaas now. Sentences had been said since he took over the leadership of the Study. They knew a lot more now. Thought was analysed to a greater extent, and things had become clear. They were the problem.

We need to change our ways, he said to the Leader. The main base had been moved to Brain a long time ago. The electricity was insatiable. -Our Divine Hostess is suffering due to our presence.

I understand, Di’ong. The Leader had great respect for the wise man. -I will do what ever’s in my power.

For generations the people of Thaa debated what could be done. Some said they had to reduce their number. Other talked about the consume of energy. The colonies kept growing, both in size and number.

The two women had been talking for a while. Rebecca had explained how he felt, what kind of problems she had. Madame Lasara had been listening, asking questions.

My head hurt, Rebecca said. I think I need to lie down.

Come, let me help you. Madame Lasara helped her over to the couch.

Could you fetch me a glass of water, please. My throat is so dry…

Sure, love. I’ll be right back. You relax.

Thir’daa was the youngest leader the Brain Colony had ever had. He was looking at the image on the screen in front. The Roof was all that could be seen. It had been that way for a long, long time. The Conversation had been studied back and forth. The Roof had been analysed, discussed. The Problem was debated in every possible aspect, solutions had been proposed. The Colonies had kept growing.

The Brain Colony was bigger than ever, They knew now. The knew the urgency of the Problem. They knew the size of the colonies and the consume of electricity was destroying the World Girl from inside. Nothing had been done.

Madame Lasara came back with the glass of water. -Here, have a… Rebecca was dead.

For a long time electricity kept falling. Thir’daa was the one to start the investigation for a way out. A solution for their kind. His predecessor was the one to execute the mission.

Through a dimensional hole in the last living tissue of the Brain, they sent a vessel. There was only room for a few individuals to go on the one way trip to the unknown to search for another world. No one knew if they would ever find one.

The rest was left behind in a dead world.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/small-animals-live-in-a-slow-motion-world/

https://www.alternet.org/visions/wake-our-world-dying-and-were-all-denial

https://vusf.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/gray-tinted-humans/

Temple of Death