Meeting the Maker

(Cont.)

It was exactly three months after the workers had left the Empire: on that very day, they arrived in the wilds known as Sinai, near Eagan. It was a deserted area; and the masses of escaped laborers set up their tabernacles in these badlands, right in front of the hill. And Moses went up to the vortex on the hillside, because the wild man was calling to him from the hilltop:

“I have prepared some remarks that I want you to deliver to the people, to the workers of the labor force whom we have set free and led here. Tell them as follows: ‘You have seen what I did to your oppressors in the Empire. I sent an eagle to fetch you, as it were, and, on its wings, it safely brought you here to me. For this reason, if you will heed my instructions, and maintain your parts of our signed contract, then you shall be a precious possession to me: I will value you more than all my other treasures – and that claim has weight, because I own the whole earth. You shall become for me a kingdom of scholars and prophets, in harmony with all the other nations.’ This is the speech that I would like you to deliver to the masses, on my behalf.”

So Moses descended the hillside and called together all the chiefs and gurus from among the multitudes, and he placed on the table before them a copy of the above remarks, which the wild man had instructed him to relay. And all the representatives of the people answered unanimously, saying: “To all that the Volcano has spoken, we consent.”

Then Moses took their signed copy and went back to the vortex. And the wild man said to him: “Look – I have generated extra thick smoke to obscure my appearance: for I am now close enough to the people that the sound of my voice can reach them. I want them to hear what we say, as I talk with you now, so that they can believe me forever.” Moses then handed the people’s response to the wild man; and after he had looked at it, he lifted his goat eyes to Moses and replied:

“Go back to the people and instruct them to get ready for an important meeting. Let us schedule it for three days from now. On that day, the volcano of potential will appear before the multitudes. Now, you will need to install a protective boundary around my part of the hill, for the people’s own good: A steel fence, charged with lightning – warn the people not to touch it, as it shall deliver a blackout shock. I assume that you are familiar with this system, since you have herded for the Midianites – they use this same type of fencing for their goats, whenever they graze near dangerous areas. I stress that it’s strictly for the animals’ protection. Now, on the day that we appointed, when it is time for our meeting, you will hear a tone in the air – it will be distinct and sustained; there will be no mistaking it – once you hear that tone, the multitudes can come up onto the hillside.”

Then Moses descended the hill and returned to the people. And he helped them prepare for the upcoming meeting. “You shall make contact with the Volcano. It shall happen three days from now,” he said; “so, remain alert: Do not get caught in bed with your concubines, when that tone sounds in the air.”

§

And it happened that, on the third day, in the morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a cloud of thick smoke on the side of the hill; then a tone sounded on the air distinctly. And all the masses of workers trembled.

Then Moses guided the people out of the camp to meet the Volcano. And they stood at the nether part of the hill.

Now the hill was completely saturated with smoke, because the wild man showed up with the fire blazing from his vortex. And the smoke billowing out of it was thick and black, like the smoke from a coal plant. And the whole hill shook.

And the sound of the tone on the air continued so long and grew so loud that Moses could no longer take it: he bellowed out at the top of his lungs; and the Volcano answered him by a voice.

And the wild man with the goat eyes, whose hair hung over his face down past his feet, stepped out of his vortex and stood there on the earth, covered completely in thick black smoke. And he called out to Moses, and told him to come to the top of the hill. And Moses went up.

And the wild man said to Moses: “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to look at me, and many of them perish. And do not let any of your chiefs or gurus come near me, lest I break forth upon them.”

Then Moses answered the wild man, and said: “But the people cannot ascend the hill, for you instructed us to install the system of fencing.”

And the wild man said to him: “Off with you! Get yourself down there. And you can come back up here onto the hilltop, along with Bryan – just you and him, to see me. But do not let any of the managers that you appointed break through to come up here, neither the gurus nor any of the people from the masses, lest I break forth upon them.”

So Moses went down to the multitudes, to speak with them.

Now when the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the tone, and the hilltop billowing smoke, they removed and stood afar off.

And when Moses approached, they said to him: “We will listen, if you yourself speak with us; but let not the Volcano speak with us, lest we die.”

Then Moses answered the masses of workers, and said to them: “Have no fear – the Volcano is only testing you, so that you do not stray onto the wrong path.”

And the multitudes remained afar off, while Moses and Bryan went up into the thick darkness where God was.

Once they had passed through the clouds that engulfed the hilltop, a voice addressed Moses and Bryan alone; it sounded out of the hill, and said: “Step on the flat stone panel at the apex: a great fortune awaits you.”

After a moment of hesitation, they obeyed the order. The panel then began to give way beneath them, and it sank down slowly into the depths. When the stone stopped, Moses and Bryan looked around, and they found themselves in a large spacious hall, whose ceiling, walls and floor were made of shining polished square stones, on each of which were cut letters which were enigmatic to them. They looked at everything full of admiration. Hollow places were cut in the walls, in which stood vases of transparent material which were filled with bluish spirits or sparkling vapors. On the floor of the hall a great bronze chest stood open, and they saw inside it a handsome structure like a temple, and this was surrounded by many mansions; there were also strange vehicular contraptions without precedent, and a vast array of other good things. Every item was small, but exceedingly carefully and delicately made, and seemed to be cut out by a dexterous hand with the greatest exactitude. They might not have turned away their attention from this rarity for some time, if the voice had not once more made itself heard. It ordered them to turn round and look at the glass coffin which was situated opposite. How their admiration increased when they saw therein a maiden of the greatest beauty! She lay as if asleep, and was wrapped in her long fair hair as in a precious mantle. Her eyes were closely shut. They looked at this beauty with beating hearts. Then the voice said: “Return to the stone panel: now we shall have our feast.” The men obeyed without delay, and the panel rose up through the earth and reemerged at the apex:

They were greeted by daylight, and the Creator of All the Worlds appeared standing on a paved work of sapphire stone, which was as clear as the sky. And his goat eyes shone bright, through his abundant hair.

The man then said to Moses and Bryan, “Draw near to me; be not afraid. No harm shall come to you. I will give you meat and wine.” And they approached, and they did eat and drink together.

Then Moses was told to call Yeshua the Zealot up to the hilltop, along with Mr. Graeber as well. So they came up into the dark clouds, and joined them.

And soon Moses and Bryan were instructed to invite the masses of workers up the hill. Lastly even the chiefs and the gurus were allowed to come up.

And once all the people were at the top of the hill, the thick smoke encompassed the multitudes entirely. And the glory of the Volcano abode upon the hilltop and feasted with the people. Six full days they picnicked; nor did they rest, for they felt no fatigue; only on the seventh day, they slept. And the sight of the volcano of potential was like an unsolved mystery, in the eyes of the masses, on account of his hair. And all the workers of the world were in the midst of the cloud, at the top of the hill near Eagan, forty days and forty nights.