1 A BEING

*"!@$# #$@# *#^$!@ $ $_!) (_@$ @! #!"*

Bzzz!

*"!#@ *((@ wh@t?"*

Bzzz!

The first thing I recognized was darkness. Information flowed in what you call a mind. I learned what an eye was together with some other necessary details.

It took a while to digest the constantly flowing information, but over time, I somehow managed to process them all.

Comprehension

Bzzz!

I soon understood that there are more beyond this darkness. I was compelled to open the organ known as eyes to confirm if what I learned was true.

Something bright hurt my eyes.

Bzzz!

It was light, it took me a while to get used to it.

The first thing I saw was some mysterious being staring at me.

Its form had many folds, and its hair had already turned to the color silver. Its "skin" was white, which extended up to its neck and wrist. It draped over its body and created a space….

Bzzz!

My head hurt as it buzzed for the fifth time. Information I previously did not know appeared, and before long, I understood the being was wearing was no skin but an object called clothing. I also understood that the creature was called a woman, and I should refer to it as 'her' or 'she' depending on the situation.

Add to that; what I referred to as her "form" was actually called as a face. How disorienting.

I did not know anything other than that.

I stared at this mysterious, and unfathomable being.

Her eyes reflected a shade of red.

I blinked once, and the woman abruptly raised the two meat sticks dangling on her side.

"Ihiq polartion ge Mascu Dep-lado! Poval Esa! "

I could hear sounds coming from her. It was incomprehensible to me.

I failed to understand why she was making such sounds. Did they hold meaning? I wish to know if it does.

Bzzz!

There it was again, my head, it hurt...so those were words?

Hmm, I paused, retraced my thoughts and noticed a pattern. Pattern? What is a pattern?

Bzzz!

I understood what a pattern is… that's how it works.

Information surfaces in my head once I question something I do not understand.

Though the method was left unclear what's important was that its use.

My attention returned to the woman.

She turned to look away, and I followed her line of sight.

There was a group of "females" with their lips curved upwards. I still did not understand why their lips were positioned like such.

They are looking at me with an expression I could not comprehend.

Bzzz!

*'My head hurts'*

I was enlightened.

…

I now understand what that expression meant. It's called a smile, and the way the woman previously raised her hands was something you do to celebrate a joyous occasion.

What was she glad about?

She turned to me.

Bang!

Startled

She held her face closer to my general direction, but I could see something was stopping her from getting any closer. Her face smooshed onto a transparent object. I did not know what this object was.

Bzzz!

It was called a glass.

The woman opened her mouth to utter foreign words.

"Ihiq polartion, derohoun awa uqoian! Oro sa, Lethias"

She smiled to show her joy. Her laughter could not be stifled.

She left soon after — the others followed.

I should be concerned as to where they went, but something else caught my …

*'Words'*

What were those words coming out of her face hole? What is their meaning?

*'What did she say?'*

I grew curious.

I waited for the buzz, but nothing came. It must have its limitations.

Well, I learned of its limitations, that's a silver lining I suppose.

I tried raising my hands to celebrate my success.

It took a while, but I managed to do it — celebrate. I was satisfied.

I reckoned some things have to be learned by myself. What a pity, such efficiency, gone.

I began looking around, I questioned many things, learned a lot, and managed to piece together even more to gain new knowledge I could not gain from asking.

Bzzz!

Bzzz!

Learning

Bzzz!

Bzzz!

I finally understand that I was inside a glass container, floating. I can't touch the ground.

Just so you know, the ground was the surface of an object.

*'I learned that.'*

I raised my hands—

I was floating inside a container; every time I move, I produce a spherical object that floats upwards. I later learned it was called a bubble.

Bubbles are thin spheres of liquid that entrap air.

*'I learned that too.'*

I raised my hands—

I determined I am inside a glass that contains some sort of liquid because of these bubbles.

I found myself moving to produce bubbles. I was enthralled at the sight of these tiny things. So, I moved more in order to see them. Because of this, I further learned how my body worked… how convenient.

Other than these two arms, I too have two legs, a torso, and a head, I could control them all to some degree, and a stinging sensation arises if pushed to their limits.

I also understood the meaning of what that "stinging" I felt when I moved my body beyond what's passable. It was something called pain. I'm not too fond of that feeling.

It is unsettling.

As I was messing around, my eyes grew tired, I closed it and fell into a state known as sleeping. It was a wonderful thing, everything blackened, and my mind was cleared.

Time passed, and I only opened my eyes because of a rhythmic echo.

I was still light-headed, but with a buzz, I was woken up and learned that the sounds I just heard were called footsteps.

The woman was already there. Other figures were with her, I first classified all of them as a woman but later understood there were other beings called men.

I have observed that my form is similar to mine… am I man, or a woman? I wish to know.

But what if I am both?

A Womanman, that sounds rather strong — I have no idea how to differentiate each other except for what's called the genitals found in the nether region. I lowered my head, and confirmed I had something called a penis?

Hmmm, does that belong to a woman?

Bzzzz!

I clarified I am not a Womanman, but a man.

Time passed

Curiosity, Learning, Tired… this would be my cycle of being.

I grow tired of this.

At first, it was interesting but it soon went stale as I found myself without the need to learn.

I already understood what I needed to learn from inside this container. I grew weary of my state of being.

As I awoke, everything seemed dull. I learned as I watched, but limitations inhibited me from pursuing anything further.

Although I was slowly learning their words through its repetition, I was not satisfied with simple words.

Time seemed to move slower now than it was before. This was when I understood the concept of boredom.

To combat this, I chose to sleep instead of listening.

I did this multiple times over. I never counted how many times it repeated. I learned when I am interested in a topic then slept when I am unable to concentrate. My pursuit of vocabulary of these men and women stopped.

Even bubbles failed to amuse me.

I began longing for the place outside my container.

What was it like outside?

What's breathing?

What's walking?

I wish to know.

I tried to escape the container's confines but ultimately failed.

I have neither the means nor the resources to make an escape — I gave up.

That's more logical.

*'Why pursue the impossible?'* I questioned and let it go.

Time went on as usual, and as I was sleeping, I heard something that frightened me and made my head hurt with multiple buzzes.

BOOM!

BZZZZZZZZZZZ!

There was an explosion. Not only was my head vibrating, but my ears also rang,

I opened my eyes my heart beating like never before. It was similar to when I was startled, but, much worse.

The information continued to flow.

Men and women flooded the room, bright colored flames now surrounded my container.

*'What's happening? Explosions, smokes, fumes—'*

From one of the entrances, I saw the old woman running to my direction. She reached my area and I noticed that she now had a red patch on her shoulders.

BLOOD!

Touching the surface of my container, she sweated profusely and her face grew ever pale. Unpleasant information flowed. The buzzing wouldn't stop, and my head felt like it would burst.

Explosion, pale face, extreme pain, wobbling, blood, and death, what's all this? Is she going to die?

Die?

Death?

*'What's death?'*

Bzzz!

The buzz was there, but before information could be comprehended, the old woman did something, and the glass container lost its liquid.

The flowing information disappeared together with it. I slowly floated down while being drained.

The buzz is no longer there to explain what I want and need to know.

The glass container was raised overhead. Air entered my nose and mouth.

This is breathing.

I tried standing up, but before I could perfectly do so, I found myself stumbling and almost falling.

A hand supported to keep me from experiencing unpleasant pain. I raised my head and saw the woman with the wrinkly face holding a shiny blue sphere in her hand.

She laughed then held me close to her.

She shakily spoke — the woman she no longer had that same energy of before — I decided to pay attention without knowing why.

"069, piskis oto mayen lopexsew mo-wald sabe ra… gioka, show them, aserds, brilliarces of the Scientists Lethias."

Fwu!

When her words stopped, the sphere filled the room with resplendent light while the death throes of the other men and women echoed.

My heart trembled.

I know not what's happening.

I was blinded by the blue light; my sight was robbed away but I could feel myself being lifted from the woman's hands by some mysterious force.

I was still not able to see anything. Something then touched my chest. I could feel the woman's palms.

"Waagar, Leasdam, Mordestaz!"

Her hand vibrated with intensity and I could tell that something entered my chest.

I felt a jolt inside me.

*'What's this?'*

I wanted to understand what happened but couldn't. I only heard her speak again.

"069, itow weaos, rise."

Boom!

An explosion occurred, and my ears rang once more. I felt pain starting from my left arm, and then to the rest of my torso's left side. I heard screams and shouts.

It was painful… I don't want this! Take it away!

I wanted to react but failed to let a single eke out.

"Poerascawop hagowas Poleaca Crea, weh slesasca Lethias om Xias!"

It was a man's voice shouting the same incomprehensible garble I failed to understand. My suffering continued, but no one did anything to settle my worries.

The woman who held me only shouted next to my ears!

"Pasdeasce hagowas, geas Poleaca Crea, Xias kilasomasser!"

"You dare moreon hilamvi Poleaca? DIE!"

An explosion happened, and all but noise disappeared together with the light.

I do not know why or how, but I could tell that I was no longer out of that chaotic place.

I was safe, but also in pain — so I let it all out in one word that encapsulated this experience.

*"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"*

This might not do anything, but it does help me vent… so I continued my words.

*"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"*