The Fountain of Eden: A Myth of Birth, Death, and Beer
Page 44
Chapter 44
The Wheel of Birth and Death
The Wheel of Birth and Death tipped from its pedestal of swirling galaxies and scraped across the universe, scraped across Time, scraped across Eternity. Sparks of Creation and Destruction went spinning off into the cosmos, fiery comets streaking across galaxies. And with a groan and a shrieking sound like the death of a universe, the Wheel came to a shuddering halt and lay broken and lifeless upon the stars clustered at the center of Existence.
At the sound, Shiva awoke from meditation.
He stretched in languid manner.
Well, it was time to get on with it.
If the Wheel of Birth and Death spins from its axis, Creation must perish. Humans must not become as the gods. It had happened before, and it never turned out well.
For anybody.
Shiva was Guardian of the Wheel, and his long-ago promise must be fulfilled. He had taken a great oath that could not be broken. He sighed with annoyance and summoned the essence of the Cosmic Dancer—one of his thousands upon thousands of manifestations—from within his ken. After a moment's hesitation, he stood up, did some light yoga, and slipped on his dancing shoes.
It was time to go to work.
For the Last Job of All Time.
Very soon, it would all be over.
Again.