“What does that mean?” Decker asked, struggling with the strange riddle.
“Nearly four and a half billion years ago,” Christopher began, “as the first step toward colonization, the people of a planet called Theata, which is twenty-two hundred light years from Earth, did launch thousands of life-bearing probes throughout the galaxy, just as Professor Crick hypothesized[62] and just as Uncle Harry suspected after he found the cells on the Shroud.
“At the time, the inhabitants of Theata had progressed only to where the people of Earth are today. There had not been a single evolutionary change in the physical structure or intellectual capabilities of their species in tens of thousands of years. Theatan scientists came to believe that evolution had progressed as far as it ever would. No one even remotely suspected that throughout those years of stagnation, the next major evolutionary step had been fully within their grasp, waiting for them to reach out and take it.
“And then finally it was discovered, not by the scientists, but by the spiritual leaders. Just as it is here on Earth, so it was on Theata: Some truths are beyond the bounds of science. As a result, instead of advancing civilization, science itself had shackled Theata to the past. The same can be seen on Earth. As a simple example: scientists look at a quartz crystal and see only a mineral consisting of silicon dioxide. But, as spiritual leaders have been telling us for decades, it’s actually far more. Properly purified and tuned, quartz crystals can be used to correct negative energies within the human body, promote healing, and a plethora of other things.
“Less than a thousand years after the launch of the first deep-space probes, and long before any of the planets they had seeded became habitable, the Theatans at last took the next great step in their evolution: They grew beyond the need for physical bodies, and into pure thought or ‘spirit’ beings. In this form, they gained the ability to travel to other planets and solar systems and beyond the boundaries of this galaxy to the thousands of other galaxies throughout the universe. They learned to travel into other dimensions, as well as forward and backward in time, and they can do all of this effortlessly through just the power of their will.
“With these abilities, their plans to colonize other planets became obsolete. The planets they had seeded were allowed to progress at their own pace, with life evolving according to the particular dictates of the host planet’s environment. There are endless variations that evolution can follow, but over time it became evident that of those variations, only a very few possess the potential to emerge as sentient life forms. In fact, of the more than half a million planets in the universe with various forms of life, fewer than a hundred different types of self-cognizant creatures exist. And of those, only two paths have been found that can lead to eventual evolution into spirit beings.
“One of those paths first emerged on a planet in a stellar system just thirty-two light years from Theata. That planet brought forth a life form that’s highly instinctive and ordered. They evolved much more swiftly into spirit beings, but it turned out that the development of emotions and creativity was key to the Theatans’ evolution. Because the beings of this second planet were incapable of emotion and creativity, they could never advance as far as the Theatans. In all, there are seven planets with this type of life form: Three have achieved spirit form; the other four will do so over the next three and a half million years. In Earth literature, these beings have been known as angels.
“The only other evolutionary path that can lead to the emergence of spirit beings,” Christopher continued, “is the path taken by the Theatans. But in all the universe, on all the billions of planets, throughout all history, only one other life form has evolved along a parallel course with Theata. Only that one life form is capable of achieving true godhood. And that life form exists only on the planet Earth.”
Decker felt his breath escape him as he was struck by the universal magnitude of the drama they were playing out.
“By their nature,” Christopher continued, “Theatans are very reluctant to interfere in the affairs of other life forms. But when it was discovered how closely Earth’s evolution mirrored their own, one of the Theatans took on the responsibility of protecting life on this planet.”
Christopher paused, both as a transition and to give Decker a chance to take it all in before he continued.
“What I’m going to tell you next,” Christopher began again, “will be the hardest part of all for you to accept. But you must try.”
Decker was overwhelmed already, and instinctively braced himself as though Christopher’s words might physically impact him. He nodded for Christopher to continue.
Aleksinac, Serbia
Graduate chemistry student Mehmet Evcimik sped northwest on E-75, the modern four-lane highway, toward Belgrade, Serbia. With literally no one heading southeast, all four lanes were open and being used for evacuation. In Belgrade, the four students would have to decide whether to continue north through Budapest toward Denmark or west through Zagreb toward Spain or England. They were all too aware that either way, once they reached the Atlantic there would be no where else to run.
Ahead of them in the middle of the highway, an old Penguin Dongfeng electric had run out of power and been rear-ended by two other cars. All three were totaled. Along the way they had passed hundreds of abandoned electric cars and their stranded passengers, continuing their flight on foot. This one hadn’t gotten off the road, to disastrous effect. The body of the driver of the Dongfeng was pinned between the steering wheel and the crushed rear end. Three more bodies lay nearby, suggesting that they had been killed either in anger for the accident or perhaps in a fight over the fuel in the tanks of the two disabled gas-powered cars. In any case, it was clear from the gasoline and blood spilled near the cars’ fill spouts that it would be futile to attempt to siphon the tanks.
Briefly going off-road to pass the wreckage, Mehmet pulled back onto the highway and accelerated as if his life depended on it. Every time they slowed down, each detour they were forced to make, every stop for fuel could cost them their lives. Now food could only be gathered if it were found while in pursuit of gas. Stopping to use the restroom was entirely out of the question, and so the four students shared a Venti-sized Starbucks cup that Kenmal found stuck under the front seat.
Just ahead was Aleksinac, where they would have to find gas or else risk driving more than an hour to the next known station in Markovac. According to the gas station application on Emine’s tablet, there were two stations right off the road on either side of E-75, just past the intersection with Route 214. There were two additional stations less than a mile down the intersecting road. Betting that the stations on E-75 would either be out of gas or else have long lines, Mehmet took the exit onto 214.
“Turn here,” Emine directed a minute later and then added, “either way. There’s a station either way less than a hundred meters.”
Mehmet turned right and saw the station immediately. It was deserted. An abandoned car with personal goods tied to its roof gave added testimony to the status of the station’s tanks. It also strongly suggested they would find the condition of the other nearby station to be the same, or else the driver would have pushed the vehicle the short distance. This also explained the family they had seen walking onto E-75 when they were exiting.
Mehmet didn’t ask the others but turned and drove to check the other station. The broken glass door and nozzles left laying on the pavement indicated that these tanks had also been drained. “Bobby, check it,” Mehmet said as he pulled up to the pumps.
Bobby leapt from the car and ran to check if the pumps were turned on. If so, then the tanks would be empty.
To be sure, Mehmet tried each of the pumps, without results.
Bobby’s answer was obvious as he ran back to the car.
“We should check the other station just to be sure,” Kenmal said.
Mehmet punched the gas, cursing himself for not making certain when they were first there.
It was time wasted. They
had lost more than ten minutes and burned needed gasoline. It was highly unlikely, but all they could do was hope that one of the stations on E-75 still had gas. Emine checked her tablet for reports of the contagion.
Returning to the highway, they drove slowly past each of the two other stations. Lines of abandoned cars told them all they needed to know.
For a moment no one spoke as Mehmet followed the only course open to him, continuing northwest on E-75, past the family they had seen walking earlier. Mehmet, Bobby, Emine and Kenmal all knew it was unlikely they would reach Markovac, and even if they did, they would certainly find no gasoline there.
“Nis is burning,” Emine said as she read the report on her tablet. They had passed through the city of Nis less than an hour before. They understood the implications, but it was even worse. “The report says the circle is spreading faster,” she added.
“Over there!” Bobby Baker said suddenly, excitedly pointing toward a farmhouse a few hundred yards off the road. The others looked, but had no idea what he wanted them to see. “Stop the car!” he insisted. “Go back!”
“What is it?” Mehmet demanded, unwilling to yield any yardage gained on the madness unless there was an absolute need to do so.
“Gas!” Bobby managed. “That farm has a gas tank. They use it for farm equipment!”
It was probably a long shot, but Mehmet quickly turned the car around, drove back along the shoulder to the exit, and then took the frontage road until he found the long gravel driveway leading to the farmhouse.
“Drop us at the house,” Kenmal told Mehmet. “We’ll fill the water jug and find some food.”
“You have four minutes,” Mehmet said as he slid across the gravel, stopping at the front walk of the house, then sped off to the elevated gas tank Bobby had spotted.
“Of course it might be empty,” Bobby said belatedly.
“Fast!” Mehmet demanded as he pulled the car between a tool shed and the elevated tank.
“Or it could be diesel,” Bobby added under his breath as he realized he might be wrong about what was in the tank.
Bobby jumped from the car, removed the gas cap, and grabbed for the nozzle. Near the top of the tank, at the fill cap, was a Serbian word. He knew just enough of the Syrilic alphabet to know the first letter was equivalent to a b, which meant this was almost certainly benzin — the word for gasoline in numerous languages. His relief was short lived, however. The nozzle wouldn’t move. It was locked to the tank. He was about to swear when his eye was caught by a set of bolt-cutters leaning against the open door of the tool shed.
“Mehmet, grab the hose,” Bobby directed as he ran around the car to retrieve the tool. “When I cut the hose, shove it in the tank.”
“Why don’t you cut the lock?” Mehmet asked, surveying the situation.
“That’s hardened steel. It would take too long.”
Kenmal and Emine found the farmhouse locked but gained easy access simply by breaking a window. Inside they found various articles scattered on the floor, cabinets and drawers open, all evidence of a hasty retreat by the farmer’s family. Kenmal set the water jug to fill, grabbed a large bag of potato chips and took a two liter bottle of Coke from the refrigerator as Emine spread a dishtowel on the counter and loaded it up with several quart jars of the farmer’s canned vegetables and fruit from the cupboard. In addition to the food, Emine realized that an empty glass jar would be a significant improvement over the Starbucks cup.
“Need to go,” Kenmal insisted.
“Trade,” Emine answered, indicating the heavy quart jars she had gathered.
Kenmal dropped his load on the counter and gathered up the corners of the dishtowel. Two of the jars slipped out and fell to the floor. “Leave it,” he said unnecessarily as Emine turned and headed for the front door with the water jug and chips in her hands and the Coke under her arm.
Exiting to the front porch, they realized they had a few seconds to spare. Mehmet and Bobby had not returned. Looking toward the elevated gas tank and car, they heard the engine start. Immediately it sped toward them but then veered off, heading for the long driveway toward the frontage road. As it passed, they realized that Mehmet and Bobby weren’t inside. Instead it was the family they had twice passed on the road. Desperation gripped the young couple as they realized the family had come across the ditch to the frontage road and then to the farm.
Kenmal and Emine looked back toward the elevated gas tank and saw the bodies of their two friends on the ground as gasoline poured from the open hose.
Still holding the food, they turned to watch their only means of escape speeding away. Then suddenly the car swerved into the open field, coming almost to a halt. For a moment, there was a glimmer of hope that they might be able to recover the vehicle, but the driver corrected his course and sped across the field, back toward the frontage road. Reaching the road, instead of turning, the driver continued to accelerate, driving down the embankment, through the ditch, and then managing to climb back up to the highway where inexplicably, he turned the car southeast and ran head-on into the oncoming evacuees.
With all hope lost, Kenmal dropped the dishtowel full of jars, which broke at their feet on the stone walk, releasing the mixed sweet and salty aromas of the canned fruit and vegetables. With tears on her cheeks, Emine began to smile slyly as the smell was replaced by that of rotten eggs.
Over the Atlantic
“Fifteen thousand years ago,” Christopher continued, “a Theatan named Yahweh claimed that he had advanced to an even higher state on the evolutionary scale and had become superior to the other Theatans.”
Decker studied Christopher’s face to be sure he had understood. “Yahweh? The Hebrew name for God?” he asked at last.
Christopher nodded sorrowfully. “Yahweh claimed that his was the final step, and that it was an exclusive evolutionary state, one to which only a single being in the universe could advance. He said that in achieving this final step, he had become one with the power that brought the universe into existence and, thus, had become the ‘Creator.’ He demanded that the other Theatans worship him.”
Despite Christopher’s warning, Decker was dumbstruck.
“Theatans had abandoned the worship of gods long before they reached spirit form — indeed, doing so was the single most important step in their evolution! They could never go back.
“Eventually, when it became clear that the other Theatans wouldn’t comply, Yahweh went into a sort of self-imposed exile. Only his son went with him. But even though he claimed he no longer wanted anything to do with the others, in fact, he needed contact of a sort, even if it was only in the form of conflict. He chose for his exile, therefore, the planet Earth. If the Theatans wouldn’t worship him, he reasoned, then the next best thing was to be worshiped by the spirit-destined people of Earth.
“The Theatan who had taken the responsibility of caring for Earth tried to reason with Yahweh but to no avail.”
“Couldn’t the other Theatans stop him?” Decker asked.
“If enough of them had chosen to, yes,” Christopher answered, “but, as I said, they’ve generally taken a course of noninterference.
“You know the story of the garden of Eden?” Christopher asked. Decker nodded. “Well, even though the details reported in the Bible are incomplete and somewhat misleading, it’s essentially correct in several areas. The Bible reports that Earth was like a beautiful, peaceful garden inhabited by Adam and Eve. Into this garden Yahweh entered, taking on a bright and magnificent appearance, such as the people of Earth had never seen, and telling them that he was their creator. In their innocence and ignorance, they submitted.
“As his first law, Yahweh gave the people a command that seemed absurdly simple, even to their primitive culture: He ordered them not to eat the fruit of a certain tree, and if they did, he said they would die.[63] It wasn’t that the tree bore some poisonous or magical fruit, as the Bible suggests. There was a much more insidious reason that Yahweh chose this ridiculous law: f
or the very fact that it was ridiculous!
“You see, if he had given them a reasonable law, one designed to protect them and for their own good, then they would have followed it for the very reason that it was for their own good. Such laws promote understanding, as when a parent tells a child not to touch a hot stove. But Yahweh didn’t want understanding. He wanted ignorant and blind obedience! His objective was to give the people a law so senseless that by obeying it, they would do so simply out of subservience to him. That was the truly evil nature of his plan!”
As Christopher had warned, Decker was finding it extremely difficult to deal with these revelations. Obviously, when Christopher had said “the one who man thought to be his friend is instead his enemy,” he had meant Yahweh — God! Decker didn’t even want to think about who Christopher had meant when he spoke of “the one who man thought to be his enemy.”
Christopher continued. “Yahweh knew that the next step in Humankind’s evolution would require that they put away childish beliefs in gods and turn instead to trusting in themselves. If he could make the people of Earth submissive to him, they would never evolve!”
Again, if it had been anyone other than Christopher, Decker would never have listened, much less believed, but not only Christopher’s resurrection testified to the veracity and reliability of his story, so too did the evidence of his entire life.
“The other Theatan, the one who had watched over the Earth before Yahweh came, knew he had to do something,” Christopher explained. “Until that time, he had never appeared to the inhabitants of Earth because he knew that, with their primitive understanding, they might think he was a god — something he wanted to avoid at all costs. He knew that belief in a god, any god, would interfere with their intellectual growth and their self-reliance. But because Yahweh had already appeared to them, there was little choice. He knew he had to try to set things right by exposing Yahweh’s lies.
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