not a chapter.
Hello, my name is Allen. I am one of the scholars and translators of the book "Genesis" or "Hretyas". The translation of the book had been very smooth. However, as always, when a journey is going too smoothly, of course a problem would appear. Well you see, Dr. Tristan, one of my peers in translating this damned book filled with complex knowledge had his family sent to the hospital just yesterday. Before going home, my phone rang. It was Dr. Tristan, I had missed his calls 35 times now. It seems like he has to say something urgent, I guess.
"Hey Dr., How's your family are they doing great? Why would you call me so much? You do know that our research facility jams signal right? Anyway, that's not important, how's Gloria and the kids?"
"Hey, uh... T...They are not doing so well, the doctors are having a hard time knowing what disease or ailment they have. E.. Even I nor my other friends know what's happening to them. But hey, listen... I... I would like to.. withdraw my participation for the time being." He says, while seemingly forcing out a laugh.
Of course, I respond to him,
"But, the book! We have already seen the potential and knowledge it holds! Why would you withdraw now?" With disappointment mixed in my voice, I raised my tone.
But then, he seemingly weakens for some reason. And then he says in a low voice,
"It's just that, I think, too much knowledge may expose us to beings that we may not fathom. Extraordinary Beings that we are not really ready to face yet."
My face showed confusion, as he was kind of not making any sense. We made it this far and yet he was worried about such a thing? Isn't this just fiction? How is this even true? Dr. Tristan may have gone coocoo from the incident that his family just faced. And so, I respond to him once more.
"Too much knowledge? Dr. ---- no, Tristan, my friend, we have gone this far and yet here you are already chickening out! Where has your vigor gone? Is it due to your family being sick? Just why-"
Before I voiced out more of my complaints, he cut me off.
"Goddamnit Allen. Listen to me for just a second. That book, is not normal. The knowledge it holds is too much for a human vessel to possess. Think of it as a bucket being filled with an ocean's worth of water! Those damned enlightened creatures we found out from that excavated area? T-they came for me and my family. Listen Allen, for the sake of our crew, for the sake of your friends participating in this suicide project, you guys have to stop now. It is not yet late for us to turn back!" He laughs loudly for a while, and he talks to me once again.
"Listen Allen, they appeared in my dreams. How? *Laughs* I do not know! All I know is that, as your best bud since third grade, you ought to stop now. This shit, it has gone too far. I... I skimmed way ahead of you guys in the book. I have learned too much." He says, with his voice seemingly speeding up, it seemed like he was in a hurry.
"I- I still want you to live Allen, m..my family, they were fine last time, right before I told them some pieces of knowledge from the book. But, after I did so, they suddenly experienced a fever that any human being wouldn't be able to withstand. Not only that, but Gloria suddenly collapsed and fell in a state wherein she's like in a coma with her health rapidly deteriorating... How is that even possible? It's all because of that damned book Allen! Things are getting problematic for me, some strange occurrences have happened a lot of times now. Allen, I feel like I am being pursued. So, If I don't call you back within a week or so, it only means that they have made a move on me. For now, I'm--" he suddenly cuts off, I guess the signal reception is bad, well, obviously.
"Hello, Tristan? Tristan? Are you nuts? Are you getting high again? I told you that you should abstain from consuming drugs right? Pursued by who? What is going on Tristan? Hello? Tristan! Damn it." I swore and I punched the door in front of me. Whatever Tristan is on about, he's on his own. The research shall proceed. We must know more about the entity. The book caused his family's ailments? What a joke, that's not possible. He may have just been overthinking it. I think I was right on the money, he may have been taking those drugs again. He may have been my best bud since third grade, but that 'best-buddies' relationship of ours ended 8 years ago. And so, I entered my house and proceeded to do my routine of cooking, eating, watching the news for a bit, and then sleeping. I need to be awake for tomorrow's translation of the book once more. However, when I woke up, and arrived at the center earlier, my other colleagues informed me of Tristan's death. Police reports stated that he died after his car lost their brakes and then he fell off a cliff. Hearing this, I, started to doubt myself.
'Could he have been telling the truth?' I asked myself.
But, I stopped doubting myself because the thirst for knowledge shall prevail. I will know the truth behind this world. Behind the existence of other life and especially that 'entity' described in that book.
But, is this really the right decision?