A:Evolution - Part One.

Evolution

There was something formless, yet complete
that existed before heaven and earth
without sound, without substance,
dependant on nothing, unchanging
all-pervading, unfailing
one may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven
its true its name we do not know; Tao is the name that we give
it.

Tao Te Ching

***

Time the incessant wheel of spinning forward motion. The one path all
tread, we are faced with in each and every instant, moving us towards a
constantly changing destiny.

Time a flower of interlacing petals opening ever outwards towards
infinity and beyond.

Time the one certainty that you cannot escape. You wake up and the
clock is still ticking by your bedside; and it won't ease up ticking,
the hours will pass - you cannot stop them.

Many wish they could go back and change mistakes that they've made in
their past.
These are the ghosts.

Others wish for goals that they believe await them in the future.
Becoming obsessed with tommorrow. These are the impatient.

Some just live each day as it comes, dis-regarding the past and the
future, content only to live in the moment. These are the
warriors.

***

The mind is a mysterious thing. Contained within its many walls, there
are millions, maybe billions of landscapes. Landscapes that have
evolved to become complex worlds of their own. And on these landscapes
dwell entities that are as old as time.

Some people have devoted their whole lives to exploring these inner
worlds; and returned with knowledge and powers that have dazzled and
inspired mankind.

Others have returned with what can only be termed as a dark
enlightenment, using their new powers to gain control over their fellow
man.

Some are drawn reluctantly there by accident through no choice of their
own; and to these it is a torment.

Others have never returned.

***

Chapter One

The night was a fading dark blue blanket, the stars tiny pin-pricks of
light in that blanket. Barely noticeable a lone star fell from the sky.
A trailing comet, falling with great speed through the earth's
atmosphere.

It fell deep into the emptiness of an early morning city park.

A strong wind picked up and gathered with it's invisible fingers: the
discarded bits of newspaper and leaves and sent them hurtling through
the trees. The branches of the trees swaying - the leaves whispering as
the wind spoke through them.

The fabric between the worlds grew thin, and the invisible started to
take on form and become visible. Atoms and molecules taking on the
quality of light and melding together into the shape of a human figure.
Along the sketchy outlines of this humanoid architecture,
phosphorescent particles raced like electricity.

The figure grew more and more solid. Till stood in the empty park was
a solitary person, that was neither male or female; but an odd mixture
of the two. It stood there for some time, head bowed, naked, on it's
back two great wings unfolded and began to flap slowly.

It raised it's arms to the sky, and as it did, they seemed to expand
outwards and grow beyond natural proportions.

Lightening raced to greet them, and the electricity of it wrapped
itself around the humanoid form like a rope, spiralling into the soil
of the earth.

The humanoid figure lifted it's head and looked up to the sky; and the
world around it began to warp and become distorted, like the disturbed
surface of a lake. Rippling, manipulated by unseen energies.

" I am here." The figure said in a voice that was neither male or
female, but both.

The wind seemed to grow more fierce as it spoke; and it began to laugh,
it's eyes shining brightly with the blue/white electricity of the
lightening.

It stood like this for some time, then slowly drew it's arms back to
their normal proportions. It's eyes dimmed and became like any other
human eyes, turning into the colour of hazel.

The figure looked at itself and realised it was naked. Clothes began
to appear and cover up it's body, hiding it's wings under the fabric -
and the figure's appearance became like that of a man. He grew hair,
black in colour, that went way passed his shoulders. He grew a beard,
like in the classic potrait of Jesus.

When he was satisfied with his new image, he smiled and made his way
through the trees and into the main area of the city.

***

She looked at him through the morning dew curtain. Strange that it
made her think, think about things she didn't normally think about. His
figure stood still by the pale glow halo of the streetlight. As the
shadow dancers carouselled the path of neon dreams underneath him. His
gaze fixed intently on her.

'Who are you?' she whispered in a barely audible voice.

" I am the fallen," a voice spoke behind her.

She spun round to see him stood in her room by the old antique chair
that used to belong to her grandmother. Her clothes neatly folded, by
the side of it. She was surprised that she didn't feel any fear. It was
as if she was in a trance, part of her knew that what was happening was
irrational, but it was as as it is in a dream.

" Am I dreaming this?" she asked.

"Of course you're dreaming, Mary. Everything is a dream, a dream within
a dream."

He cocked his head to one side and smiled mysteriously.

"What do you want with me?" she asked.

"Only your memories.." he whispered softly.

He began to walk slowly towards her. As he moved the room began to warp
and mutate about him. As if he was walking through the surface of a
pool.

She stood still, unable to move. Paralysed by something that wasn't
fear, but that nevertheless incapacitated her.

She gasped when he placed his hands upon her head. When she felt his
invisible fingers probing her mind, stealing her thoughts, copying
them, like a computer copying files to a disc.

"No.. stop." she said.

"Hush.. I'am nearly done, then you can sleep in peace, and dream your
dreams." he whispered reassuringly into her ear.

She felt the world around her dissolve into a soft black pillow of
nothingness. As the dark stranger stole her memories from her.

***

He lay her gently down upon the bed. Smiling at her sweetly.

Then took a look at his reflection in the mirror feeling the new
memories taking shape around the geometry of his face. The lines
becoming deeper, more defined.

He touched his face gently with his fingers. Yes she had been a good
choice.. he could feel it all, the joy and the pain, the emotions that
she once had been. The mind which had now become part of him.

-End of Chapter One-