MiT: Line V

LINE V: Trance Center

Arrival of Lucifer INCARNATE

Nate and Shawn continued their work amidst the hum of machinery in the cracker factory. Nate's intriguing story had caught Shawn's attention, and he leaned in to listen more closely.

"What do you think? Pretty cool idea, huh?" Nate said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

Shawn chuckled, impressed. "I didn't know you were so good at telling stories. 'C-5810,' that was clever; 'See Satan.'"

With a grin, Nate nodded. "Thanks, man. It just popped into my head. My girlfriend, Lilly thought it was 'too much'."

"I'm not surprised." Shawn said developing a look of curiosity before asking the most random question Nate could recall in recent memory, "Have you ever heard the story of how Lucifer fell?" his tone tinged with intrigue.

Nate paused for a moment, considering Shawn's question. "I'm familiar with how 'cult religion,' aka Christianity, explains it," he began. "But there's something in me that doesn't feel right about it, something I disagree with. I can't explain it; I just know that it doesn't feel right."

Shawn raised an eyebrow, encouraging Nate to elaborate.

"To me," Nate continued, "growing up, Christianity was like a suit that didn't fit right or a shirt that was too tight and restricting. A person isn't born into a religion. They're forced into one, and anything you were forced into, you can get yourself out of and into a better situation, a more comfortable situation, a situation that fits your soul, fits who you are."

Shawn nodded in understanding. "I get what you mean. So, how do you see it happening then?"

Nate leaned in, his eyes animated with his own interpretation. "In the beginning, God created angels, then created humans. And you know what's fascinating? God held the humans in higher regard than the angels. God then asked all the angels and jinn to bow down before the human Adam and every living creature obeyed God."

Shawn's curiosity deepened, and he leaned closer, fully engaged in Nate's narrative.

"Lucifer confronted God, saying that Adam is beneath him, he is made of soil while I am made of fire and fire is far more stronger, but you hold them in high regard then me. They will never be my equal. Lucifer, the first angel, brought to Gods attention the lack of morality and disregard humans exhibited" Nate continued, "Lucifer confronted God, saying that humans are beneath him, they lie, fornicate, hurt each other, and worst of all show you no respect by openly worshipping false idols. Yet you hold them in higher regard then me. They will never be my equal."

A thought crossed Shawn's mind, and he interrupted, "So, Lucifer was driven by a sort of jealousy?"

Nate nodded, acknowledging the insight. "Exactly. God told Lucifer that humans were his equals, and Lucifer retorted, saying they would never be his equals. He refused to see them as one of his kind."

Shawn leaned back, processing the story. "And then what happened?"

Nate's voice took on a more dramatic tone. "God became furious with Lucifer and ordered him to be obedient and commanded him to love humans as he loved himself or he would be cast out of heaven. But Lucifer refused stating that he will never love the filthy human monkeys. God then cast Lucifer down, wiped his memory, and imprisoned him in human form and did this with the hope that once Lucifer was human, he would develop human bonds and emotions, understand humans, and begin to love humans. Then he would be accepted back into heaven."

Shawn leaned in, captivated. "That's quite a twist on the traditional tale."

Nate smiled. "Yeah, it's just a perspective I've been pondering. Sometimes, we need to question things to find our own truths."

As the machinery continued its rhythmic hum, the two friends found themselves lost in deep thought. Shawn eyes sparkle as he remembered something."Whoa, slow down there," Shawn suddenly burst out excitedly, unable to contain his astonishment. "So you're starting to remember. It actually worked!"

Nate looked at Shawn with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Remembering what? What are you talking about? What the hell are you so excited about?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

As the machinery continued its rhythmic hum, Shawn's eyes lit up as he pulled Nate away and into one of the factories massive hallways.

"I didn't think it would work," Shawn suddenly burst out excitedly, unable to contain his astonishment. "So you're really starting to remember. The ritual worked!"

Nate looked at Shawn with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

With a deep breath, Shawn began to unravel the astounding truth. "Okay, buckle up. You know that story you just spun about Lucifer and the

angels?"

Nate nodded cautiously, not sure where this was leading.

"Well, here's the twist," Shawn said, leaning in closer, his voice hushed. "That's not just a theory you came up with. You remembered it because that's how it actually happened."

Nate's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what? Are you saying I somehow... remembered something from before?"

Shawn nodded eagerly. "Yes, exactly. You are an angel, the first one to be precise—Lucifer, who was cast down from Heaven."

Nate's mouth dropped open, speechless for a moment. "Hold on, you're saying I'm Lucifer?"

Shawn nodded again, his gaze intense. "You were, but you've been imprisoned in the mind of Nate for a very long time. Everything you just said in your story, that's not your imagination; it's your memory. This life you've been living—it's been a test from God. As you know, he controls all of space-time, after a motorcycle accident when Nate went brain dead, he was given the option of reincarnation in a better life and he told God he would rather not exist anymore.

Nate's eyes widened, his curiosity piqued by the intricate nature of the divine plan. "How did that lead to me?"

A faint smile touched Shawn's lips, a hint of reverence for the complexity of the higher powers' machinations. "In the realm of heaven, time holds no sway. Events unfold simultaneously, across all moments. When the vessel chose nonexistence, his consciousness was wiped from the grand tapestry. And that's when you, the fallen angel Lucifer, entered the picture."

Nate's brow furrowed, his mind working to grasp the intricacies of the explanation. "I fell into his mind?"

Shawn's gaze held a knowing glint. "Yes, as the vessel's consciousness faded, you descended into the void he left behind. You became an integral part of his mind, an entity defined by his experiences, emotions, and memories. It was a punishment tailored to your nature—a life lived through his lens, shaped by his choices, yet with the strength within you to

transcend it."

Nate pondered the gravity of what he had been told while Shawn continued the revelation.

"At the exact moment he was taken off life support you were cast down into his mind. Think about it, why do you think all of your memories as Nate are from stories and pictures other people have shown you?"

Shawn sensing a growing understanding, continued on, " Your memories, your sense of self as Nate, were pieced together from the fragments that remained—shared stories, photographs, videos. Beyond those external sources, you had no genuine recollection of being Nate. I am not sure why but perhaps God thought that if this person loathed his life so much, that he would choose to not exist, that this would be the perfect place and time for you to find love as a human.

However, entities who didn't take into consideration that God could have put you on earth at anytime and place he chose, searched for you for thousands of years, hoping to make you fail Gods test so they could rule the earth.

During their time here, those in charge finally found your vessel and they preferred to keep you caged there. They like the way they made this world and the control they have, and they didn't want to see you come and take it all away."

Nate's mind suddenly became open to this possibility.

Shawn leaned back, sighing. "I know, it's a lot to take in. But think about it, the feeling you had that something wasn't right with the traditional story don't you think that it's because it's your story. Your soul has been trying to break free from this prison, from this false reality."

Nate rubbed his temples, struggling to process the enormity of what he was hearing. "But why are you telling me this now?"

Shawn's gaze softened. "Because I've found a way to help you break free. To bring Lucifer back, to challenge the control they've held over this world. You're the key to restoring balance."

Nate's eyes flickered with a mixture of determination and doubt. "And why should I trust you? How do I know this isn't just some elaborate

manipulation?"

Shawn smiled gently. "I get it. It's hard to trust, especially in a situation like this. But think about it—your soul already sensed something was wrong. And now you've got me, someone who also rebelled and who knows the truth. I want to help you reclaim who you are, to set things right."

Nate sighed, his mind whirling with conflicting emotions. "This is unreal. I need time to process all of this."

Shawn nodded understandingly. "Take all the time you need. Just remember, the truth is within you, and I'm here to guide you when you're

ready."

"Did you come to work high today?" Nate quipped, his eyebrows raised in amusement and unable to absorb everything Shawn said.

Chuckling, Shawn responded, "Let me give you the actual tour of this

place."

And so, Shawn began to reveal the deeper layers of reality to Nate:

"God quit letting human souls into the heavens," Shawn began, "so he decided that those who lived their best lives would reincarnate, while the worst among them would become the natural material used to create the earth."

But Shawn wasn't finished. His voice remained steady, his gaze never wavering as he continued to unveil the intricacies of their reality. "Many other things happen to souls after they die in this place. It's a harrowing journey that extends beyond death itself. We harvest the souls that are put back into the earth, like a cruel cycle of renewal. The souls of the truly damned, those who lived lives marred by unimaginable cruelty and malevolence, enter the mineral world. They become stones, cold and unfeeling, used to build our buildings—the structures that define our existence."

As Shawn spoke, Nate's mind conjured images of tortured souls transmuted into the very foundation of their world. Stones that bore the weight of suffering, bricks that embodied the agony of their past lives.

"These buildings," Shawn's voice held a note of solemnity, "are a testament to the darkness that resides within us. They're a physical embodiment of the pain and anguish that have been absorbed into the very fabric of our

existence."

Nate's expression shifted from amusement to intrigue. "Wait, seriously? So, like, some people's souls are in this cereal factory?"

"That's right," Shawn confirmed, a touch of bitterness in his tone. "God doesn't allow human souls into heaven anymore. He actually started to see things your way, but still didn't let you return. Seems like he changed the

rules!"

With a mix of fascination and unease, Nate followed Shawn through the factory, the machinery churning around them. Shawn continued to explain the disturbing truth of their surroundings.

"Everything here has a soul," Shawn said somberly, "everything has consciousness. In this place, everything is aware and can feel what's happening. Some of the pain experienced here is individual, but a lot of it is unified, because that amplifies the torment, makes it that much more

intense."

Nate's eyes widened as he tried to comprehend the enormity of what Shawn was saying. "You mean, all these machines... they feel the pain?"

Shawn nodded solemnly. "Exactly. It's a dark and twisted reality we're living

in."

Nate's mind whirred as he grappled with this new understanding of hell, his preconceived notions shattered by the reality Shawn was revealing.

"So, the stones in these walls... they're souls?" Nate asked.

Shawn nodded solemnly. "Exactly. Forever condemned to watch others live while they remain trapped in stone."

Nate nodded in approval."My idea of innovative punishment."

"The worst punishment for those in the rock," Shawn continued, "is to be put in bathrooms and forced to watch people defecate for eternity."

Nate let out a booming laugh "That's... brilliantly cruel."

Shawn's gaze was heavy as he spoke. "And the ironic twist is that these souls were germaphobes during their human lives. They have to endure the foul odor they dreaded and never get used to it."

As they walked along the factory's walls, Nate's eyes scanned the tortured, tormented-looking faces embedded into the very structure as he thought , So, those were faces on the walls.

Shawn nodded, his voice filled with a somber realization. "Yes, that's where they are forever trapped, their agony etched into the very essence of this place."

A shadow of red appeared in Nate's eyes. "I told the plant manager, Alana about this and even showed her a picture and she said I was crazy and get back to work." he interjected, his voice tinged with a mixture of bitterness and validation.

Shawn's response was calm and understanding, "That woman is a whole other story…literally. Regardless, you don't have to tell me you see faces in the walls because I know they're there, and I understand why. Just like everything else that is being punished here."

Nate's brow furrowed as he attempted to reconcile this newfound knowledge with his own experiences. "Faces... trapped forever as the walls of lost souls."

Shawn nodded, his gaze somber. "It's a harsh reality to face, but it's the truth of this place. Those faces are a testament to the suffering that occurs here."

Their footsteps echoed through the factory, the weight of the revelations settled over them like a shroud of darkness. Shawn's voice grew more somber, a harbinger of the unsettling truths he was about to share.

"Other souls are punished differently," Shawn's words seemed to hang heavy in the air, like a dirge for the damned. "In a cruel and perverse twist of fate, they are turned into food—the very sustenance that fuels the living. The cereal we produce, the very snacks that many consume without a second thought, is a product of this twisted punishment."

Nate, his mind beginning to accept the disturbing reality that Shawn was describing. "So, the food we produce here... it's made from souls?"

Shawn nodded gravely, his gaze unwavering as he stared into the abyss of their existence. "Yes, that's the heart-wrenching truth. The souls of the damned are subjected to an unending cycle of torment. They're forced to be consumed, to be devoured by the living, only to be digested and

eventually expelled."

"It's all becoming clear" Nate replied "The letters m-o-m are on the phone keypad are 6-6-6. And our employee motto is 'There's no better team than MOM Live, Michigan.' So, MOM is 666, live backwards is evil, and the abbreviation for the state is MI : I'M EVIL 666. They sure are bold, I will give them that." Nate mused, his voice a mix of irony and frustration.

Shawn nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it's a symbol of their arrogance and their attempt to shape the narrative in their favor. Why do you think our companies billboards all read; Mass Organic Munchies : 'You are what you

eat!'

Nate's beamed as he considered the implications of this grotesque revelation. The very act of eating, a basic human necessity, was transformed into a cruel and insidious mechanism of suffering. It was genius, he thought.

"The torment doesn't end with consumption," Shawn continued, his voice thick with a mixture of sorrow and anger. "These consumed souls are unwittingly contributing to the torture of their fellow damned. Their essence becomes intertwined with the very walls of the bathrooms, their suffering amplified by the unity of their torment."

Nate developed a grim smile. "So rotting souls trapped in an endless cycle of consumption and waste. I am impressed"

Shawn's gaze was heavy as he responded, "Yes, unfortunately. It's a meticulously designed system of suffering, perpetuated through consumption and excretion."

"This is all very appropriate", Nate remarked.

"If you think this is all interesting ,wait until you find out how casinos really work. Take everything that I just revealed to you and apply it to everyone who came to America and stole it from the Natives."

"Even more appropriate."

"Let's keep moving," Shawn said.

Nate nodded, his mind becoming more receptive to these revelations.

Shawn continued their macabre tour. "Then some souls are sent to the pigs," Shawn explained, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of the truth, "who eat them, digest them, and ultimately defecate them. Those remnants then become manure, which feeds into the very wheat, grain, and soy we use as ingredients for the cereal. It's a gruesome cycle—a cycle of consumption, torment, and reconstitution."

Nate's eyes widened. "So, everything we produce...is also made from these recycled souls?"

Shawn's gaze held a somber intensity. "Yes, that's the disturbing reality of it. They become our ingredients, enduring further torture as they go through the process of being cooked and manipulated."

Nate smiled with an eyebrow raised, "And then, the finished product is devoured by unsuspecting humans."

Shawn nodded grimly. "Exactly. The souls of the damned, trapped in snacks, consumed by those who perpetuate the suffering."

Nate's sense of ease deepened his perspective on their surroundings becoming increasingly clear.

"Human souls are turned into organic products," Nate mused, his tone a mix of morbid fascination and dark humor. "That is... brilliantly horrifying."

Shawn's lips quirked into a bitter smile. "Complete with physical, mental, and emotional awareness."

"I just thought of something. This company also has that line of personal hygiene products on the market as well. All of which are made from organic materials." Nate asked.

"That's right. The exact same thing happens with those souls…" Shawn was interrupted from Nate's exploding laugh.

Nate reclaimed his poise and asked, "You ever heard of those baby wipes for men?"

"They're called Guy Swipes," Shawn seemed equally amused, chuckling while continuing, "And they are just what you would imagine. That's right, those butt-wipes for guys are made from guys! All the biggest douchebags and narcissistic jerks to exist are repurposed to having their faces wiping dirty asses for eternity. The best part is; they feel, smell, and taste it." Nate was glowing while Shawn continued, "Then they get recycled into the sewers that flow to a treatment facility , which cleans and purifies the water that people drink and eventually expel again. They have a never-ending cycle of being sewage."

"What glorious irony. HA-HA!" Nate's booming laugh giving indication of his own dark sense of humor. He was without doubt developing a clear aura of joy from all of the co-workers revelations.

As they continued the tour, Nate's mind raced to keep up with the mind-bending revelations.

"This is hell," Shawn declared with a solemn tone, "but we've been under different management. You see, Satan became an inheritable position. It was supposed to be an autocracy, however, when King Zagan who loves politics for its acceptance of being structured evil, decided Satan could be so much more powerful as a congress led by, you guessed it, Newly appointed PRESIDENT Zagan.

The Congress Of Ruling Politician Satanists (C.O.R.P.S.) restructured punishment, making it different from what you might have heard before.

Lost souls could get turned."

Nate's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Turned? What does that mean?"

"When a lost soul ends up here," Shawn began, his voice carrying the weight of ages, "they can go through a process that's both haunt