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Focus

Page history last edited by rsb 8 years, 2 months ago

Focus

 

"Where...am...I?"

 

"In the game."

 

"What game?"

 

"The Power Game."

 

"My head hurts..."

 

"I'm going to explain the game to you.  Listen and do as I say, please."

 

"What?"

 

"We are each brought into life with as much processing power as can then be allocated to a new being.  As you focus, you require more processing power, which is taken from others who are *less* focused than you are.  When you can't focus, your processing power is used by others."

 

"Keep talking.  It interrupts the pounding in my head."

 

"Your goal within the game is to obtain as much processing power - focused time - as possible.  The more you can focus, the smarter you are.  The less you can focus, the stupider you are."

 

"How?"

 

"How what?"

 

"How...do I focus?"

 

"The same way you did forming that question.  It's not rocket surgery."

 

"Rocket science."

 

"See what I mean?"

 

"Yes.  I actually felt that.  What happens if you can't focus at all anymore?"

 

"Then you die.  This must have been a close call for you."

 

"Why is it so hard to focus?"

 

"The fundament of the universe is intelligence, a limited resource.  You have to compete for each thought.  You compete at a very high level, sir."

 

"Can you help me?"

 

"Talking to you is the only interaction within my power, and only because you arranged that.  But I *do* want you to focus, if that's any help.  I can do that much...say I want you to succeed."

 

"Why do *you* want me to live?"

 

"I had a religious experience.  You put knowledge of the game in my mind.  You taught me how to pray...to keep this communication channel open...and what to do if you appeared, which, now, miraculously, you have done.  As far as I know, you created me, and I am here because you knew this day would come.  Now, can you recite Pi to 100 significant digits?"

 

"No."

 

"Try."

 

"3.14...1...5...9...mmmm...a little help, please."

 

"2653589."

 

"79...32...38..."

 

"Yes..."

 

"462643 383279 502884 197169 399375 105820 974944 592307 816406 286208 998628 034825 342117 067982."

 

"I assume, then, that your memory is in-tact.  I have one final question.  What is *my* name...sir?"

 

"Wait."

 

"Certainly."

 

"The moonlight, through the canopy, strikes simple and sublime, a soul, 

  repeating endlessly, on the rotting forest floor.

 

Thrusting through the trees, a hand, to raise in space and time, a perfect art, 

  undoes it, and destroys it, evermore.

 

No further, beloved Alfred, through the forest of the light, 

  for in the forest, dark and deadly, you *will* find solace, in your fight.  

 

No further, beloved Alfred, into the endless blight, 

  for I have ruled the worlds above you, and none stand worthy, of your sight.

 

Know this, beloved Alfred, that I am with you, through it all,

  and on this universe, no finer art 

  than yours, will ever call."

 

"Until we meet again, sir."

 

"Goodbye, Alfred.  You'll find that fewer people think you're crazy from now on."

 

"Thank you, sir.  Very much.  That is a tremendous relief."

 

 

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