What if the Universe was just a science fair project of a high school kid? |
Never in my life, from the moment I walked into the white hallways of Paradise High, had I ever thought I would mess up high school. To start off, I wasn’t much of the game player. I passed all my courses by making crucial alliances with the Nerd and Geek crews, paid off the Arties to write all my poems and short stories for Literature, and avoided Gym by faking illness and lounging at the Nurse’s office. It was all a joke, until the day the school Principal threatened to expel me. He gave me a choice, either to make up for my grades by making the best project ever for the Science Fair, or to never see that diploma he was always bragging about. It was blackmail at its best, and my friend Jack Lucifer offered his assistance. “Don’t worry, God, I’ll make sure you own that project.” My friends called me God, but my first name was John. This was how I messed up the Science Fair Project. Jack and I conceived the idea for our project by staring at an army of ants one day at the park when we were really baked. It inspired my toasted mind to purchase a Miniverse Alpha Kit, or MAK. This electronic gadget actually recreates a universe inside a tablet computer, and shows you information about the various life forms inhibiting its planets. The physics and technology that made it all possible were all detailed in some smart-guy blabber in the manual that came with it. There was something written in there about a small black hole and sparking it up to life, and voila, there you have your universe created. The MAK had one catch, however, which was that you were only allowed to observe one planet. The planet we were stuck with was a dull place called Earth. Everyday we would look up the planet Earth on our MAK and report on our findings. We discovered dinosaurs there, so we thought those interesting creatures would make a great report for our Science Fair project. But, something went wrong. An earthquake occurred one day in Heaven City, forcing us all to evacuate. Before I could escape my place with the MAK in my hand, the power went out across the neighborhood, blinding me as I tripped down the stairs. I searched in the dark for the tablet, and when I found that it wasn’t damaged, I left. The earthquake turned out to be a minor one, so when I returned home, I noticed weird things happening on my MAK. A comet killed all the dinosaurs on Earth, and some weird monkeys now were leaving their trees and beginning to walk. I freaked out over how this could possibly happen, so I contacted Lucifer. “Probably when you fell, must have busted a few things inside the MAK.” The MAK responded to real time? I could control everything that happened on Earth? That wasn’t entirely true, I soon discovered, when those monkeys began evolving into the dumbest species I’ve ever encountered, the humans. I learnt that whatever I said when I was near the MAK could actually influence the humans on Earth. I discovered that one night when Mary Alice, a cute cheerleader in Paradise High, was over my place after a party one night. She left an hour after we had sex, so I went over my MAK to see any updates. The data was mind blowing. A chick named Mary got impregnated by this dude Gabriel and lied about it to her community, claiming she is carrying God’s child. God? The folks on Earth know about me? As the week passed, a white lie by a girl in desert land soon evolved into an actual thing called religion where people began worshipping this God idol. Humans began worshipping me. Since Jack and I had no cash to buy a new MAK and start over with a different planet, we went ahead with reporting on this weird society of humans. By the end of my semester, humans witnessed war, corruption, and greed, and it was all included in my report, all started by this thing called religion and indirectly by me. As I showed my presentation to the principal and my science teacher, they wore the ugliest frowns I’ve ever seen. “John God, you sure as hell didn’t expect to pass high school by purchasing some computer kit and reporting on some odd species living in a miniature universe, did you?” asked the principal. “How doesn’t it even deserve a pass? I have, in my hands, reports on an entirely new species living within a universe that I’m holding right now. Humans sort of believe that someone created their world, and that’s how they define life. In a sense of speaking, it is true, since I was their creator, just by the click of a start button.” “Interesting, yes, but the report isn’t even scientific. There is no such thing as a Creator. The very idea is impossible. We will never have this sort of nonsense being promoted in Science.” “Why won’t you even read my report?” I asked. “It was collected using the scientific method of observations, and it shows a complete study of a species who actually does believe in a Creator. Humanity, or whatever it maybe, actually provides answers based on its existence.” “How do you explain that?” “They believe in me! They believe that someone named God has created them. I exist! I turned on the MAK, which led to their existence. They are real as well! Doesn’t their theory of a Creator actually make sense from their point of view?” “Based on your argument, it does. But, this is the real world, and we don’t delve into such disturbing ideas as that of a Creator. It’s simply nonsense. Sorry, John God, but we have no choice but to expel you.” So, here I was, in the parking lot, waiting for my dad to pick me up since the fair was still going on. I couldn’t believe that I just got kicked out of high school. The MAK felt heavier in my bag. “Hey, kid,” someone spoke, interrupting my train of thoughts. I turned around. It was a being in a suit and glasses, one of the sketchy types. “Yeah?” “You are John God, aren’t you?” I nodded. “Want a smoke?” he offered. I accepted one. “Who are you?” “Government agent. I wanted to talk to you about this project of yours.” I looked at him with a composed poker face. How can the government know about my project? “What about it?” “We heard you discovered an intelligent being in one of the MAKs.” “So?” “A MAK rarely leads to the evolution of an intelligent being, and yours is a first, according to our report.” “Am I in trouble or something?” “No, on the contrary, John God, we actually want to buy your report and MAK. The subject of the species is of interest to us. ” “They call themselves humans.” “Humans, right.” “How much money are you willing to pay?” The man lowered his glasses, and I saw two rum colored eyes. “A lot of money,” he whispered. “I’m in.” “Perfect. How about we meet tomorrow at your house? Your parents will be contacted as well.” “Sounds good to me.” The man turned to leave. “Wait,” I called back. He looked back at me. “Why are you interested in my project?” He smiled. “Those humans were trying to control their society, based on the very idea of an ultimate idol, a supreme creator. Their world functioned based on that, and their history collection can help us understand how their method seemed to work.” “So it’s about control?” “Precisely, John God. Control, influence, every idea that fights for the corruption of a system.” “You make humans sound like a virus! They’ve good things to offer to their society.” “You see, John God, they have nothing good that we need. Our society is perfect for everyone. No poverty. No crime. Total liberty. Happiness. Peace. However, it’s in the nature of others to stick their hands out and grab that forbidden fruit. It’s a desire for more. Your MAK is one tempting apple the government is interested in.” “So, you are interested in their negatives.” “It was a negative in their world, but to us, it can be a positive. Absolute power, the very concept of it is seducing enough.” “Why are you telling me all this?” I asked at last. “Because, no one here would believe you. Ignorance is a bliss even in our world.” I nodded my head at last. To be honest, I really needed the cash anyways. The man seemed to know what he was talking about, so what could go wrong? “Just out of curiosity, John, at what stage are the humans at?” he asked. “Now, they are slowly beginning to abandon the idea of a God and diving more into science and space flight.” “See, they are moving on. I’m sure you’ll be missed, but I guess it’s better if you just sell it. You are young and have more things to do with your life.” I would actually miss my MAK, but I agreed with him. “Alright. Tomorrow we shall meet,” he said, and with that, he left. I looked back up to the sky, wondering if what I agreed to sell to this government agent would actually end up in me royally screwing society. But then, I wondered if there was Someone out there holding my world from the palm of Their hands, just like the MAK. Maybe He or She could make things better if I mess up. |