Grace, Garbage & GODS

Chapter 2

The Beginning and the End.

Thunder exploded and lightening ignited the horizon. He maintained a calm stance. His eyes sparkled in a buoyant gaze as his arms swayed without effort. The rains pelted the earth. Streams flowed from the city. Crevices etched the mud. Lord Nick floated above the stream., He dipped his toes in the water. He remained dry. An aura wrapped his body. Silence caressed his mind. Council of the gods whispered his name. They met atop Mount Olympus hoping he would remain home. Somehow, he detected the clandestine meeting, but it made no difference. Supremes attended many meetings in secret.

Lord Nick remained invisible. He adorned a black hood and kaftan. Nothing exposed him to view. Silence squelched his movement. He attended to the peoples' optimism for the millennia. His eyes widened. He breathed deeper. A smirk etched his lips. Then the smile turned down as his lips quivered. His eyebrows scrunched together. Nick's face whitened as his shoulders stiffened and he inhaled deeper with acceleration. Shakiness spread through his limbs. He held back screaming as his heart tap quickened. Perspiration covered his body. His senses told him the meeting had a sinister intention. The motive for the gathering transpired to banish him from the gods.

Nick bolted his door as he entered his home. A sigh escaped and his shoulders relaxed. He warmed the goat curry his daughter prepared earlier. A knock interrupted his musings. He released the door an inch and observed Gavin, a friend. Gavin embraced him with a tight hug. No one spoke as they struggled for the right words. Gavin burst the silence. "Is that curry goat I detect?"

"Yes, my comrade Join me for supper."

A thump exploded against the rear door. Gavin asked. "What the ...?"

"It is Colonel Randolph, my pet goat. The mule blocked the barn door. The animals can't sleep. He clatters like a jackhammer striking concrete."

"I hear 'ya' talking. I'm soaked. Let me in."

"Shake off the water before you come in. I don't want my kitchen drenched from your quaking in the house."

"Ornery barn animals. "'Dey' supposed be my friends. 'Aa-c-chew,'blast 'dem.'

Gavin said, "Nick, Thank you for the invitation." Both discerned the magnitude facing them. However, neither yearned to tackle the conversation. They avoided confrontation. Nick's removal from the council of the gods stipulated their goal. They chose Gavin and two others to eliminate.

Zeus said, "One press of a red button could obliterate the world, and you are attempting to disconnect four Lessors, because they advocate world peace. What do you suppose the one above would might pronounce?"

They faded away without a resolution tilting their faces and shoulders downwards except Sophia. Her fists clinched, she snorted, eyes bulged, and her chest puffed. Her voice quivered as she shrieked, "Those nasty scum-bottoms. We should remove them. The four Lessors are elite and deserve promotions to Supremes."

"The Almighty allows those choices where Supremes exceeded their authority."

Some gods advocated massacring humankind. Others supported the solution of peace.

Thunder exploded in front of each Supreme as Gavin reported. A voice echoed from the clouds. The nameless Almighty God who ranks above all the gods reverberated his voice and said, "My patience expires. People hide and flee from you. Hundreds of years elapsed with no resolution. You have a month to solve the problem, or I will destroy all existence. No excuses. That includes gods, humans and earth. The choice is either destruction or peace." The quake of rattling knees flooded the halls.

From the back, Randolph yells, "Oh lord."

All in attendance focus on him. He freezes, displays a fake grin, puts his hooves over his eyes and slumps to the floor.

Gavin's voiced clattered, "The remaining thirty days give us time and resources to solve the dilemma and save the world." His arms clutched his body.

The Supremes mumbled, "How can we save the world in a month?" Their mouths plummeted. All but three Supremes gazed, focused on tables and shrugged their shoulders. They mumbled again, "It took lifetimes preceded this one to bring the earth to where it is. Millions of bad decisions accumulated creating an unsolvable mess."

The council of gods assembled that evening. The grimacing was widespread. Grumbling and blaming squashed the majority. Lord Nick rose and proclaimed, "We need to begin with two things before we can move on." The chamber quietened. Deep exhalation could be heard. All faces were ashen. Shoulders braced as they leaned forward to hear the words of wisdom. Nick said, "Shut up and listen." Then he sat.

Hermes said, "WHAT the...?"

Nick resumed, "We have wasted time bickering over who is right or who is wrong and lost concentration on what action to perform. The strength of one god determines nothing. We are bound to work together or die apart. If we align ourselves together, we can rise above any problem. A single god can ruin it for everyone and destroy us all. If we abuse our power or think we are better than other gods, we lose. Our greatest power comes from our bonds."

Sophia said, "We are Supremes and you are Lessors. I will defeat any four of you."

"Maybe."

"What do you mean, maybe? I can defeat any four Lessors."

"Yes Mam, let's test that hypotheses. Gavin, myself and any two Lessors of your choice challenge you to a flash-off."

Sophia chose two of her assistants. Nick smirked, and a gleam shone from his eyes. His strut widened and he let his body relax. He said, "Sweetheart, I love you. I do not want to embarrass you, but you are wrong."

Nick and the three other Lessors formed the four corners of a square placing Sophia in the middle. Each Lessor faced Sophia. They raised their hands forming ninety-degree angles. Each pointed at two others. A beam of light defined the perimeter. She pointed to Nick expecting, bolts of lighting, to strike him. Nothing happened. He nodded his head toward her. She floated to the floor unable to rise.

Nick said, "We respect you too much to hurt you. We collectively exposed the power to unite in an unstoppable peace."

Sophia stretched her arms exhibiting a broad grin as she strolled toward Nick. Her eyes glistened and her cheeks glowed. She touched Nick's face and spread her fingers across his lips. Her hands clasped around him as she embraced his back. Time loosened while fuzziness distracted her. Everyone in the room faded from her view except Nick. "You said you love me."

"I have for years."

Supremes shifted back a couple steps where they suspended in place. A gasp saturated the room while their eyes widened. Heartbeats quickened as the group clutched their chests. Embarrassment drenched the crowd. There was no place to hide.

Nick said, "Gods are called to serve. Someway we believe that we are privileged, and humans and lessor gods serve the Supremes. You are responsible for the ones within your realms and territories. They need your leadership and guidance. Absence of direction has led them to obliteration. The Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresence God admonished us for not leading our people to peace. The most important item on our agenda encourages us to concentrate on the ones in our care. What is the primary asset?"

Nick peered at Sophia and asked, "Wisdom produces WHAT?

"Wisdom fosters peace. Peace promotes hope. Both nurture love. Love develops tender and caring families."

"War creates WHAT?"

"War yields fear. Fear constructs distrust. Distrust generates hate. Hate breeds selfish individualism which destroy families."

"Thus, two paths which travel in opposite directions.

Sophia said, "In respect to the all-knowing God concerning peace. Wisdom tells us... brings it to fruition."