Nothingness-Personal Narrative

Nothingness. This was the initial impression given to the man upon regaining his senses. The absence of light seemed to hint at his inexistence, yet through his sense of touch he was inclined to believe the contrary. On all sides there was what appeared to be a thick, slime-encrusted membrane. What was on the other side remained impalpable due to its opacity, however not more so than what lied immediately in front of him. In this nightmarish and nonsensical predicament, the past, present, and future were immutably intertwined. Without external reference for his actions, the passage of time was devoid of meaning.

“What is the nature of this barrier that surrounds me, confounds me, and strips me of my senses?”, exclaimed he.

In a paroxysm of

He had at his disposal only a few viable options for escape, and due to the size of his enclosure any motion would be severely restricted. More than all else; he was blind. What use are the blind in affecting what surrounds them? Not caring for his sight, the man began first by kicking with his feet. In response to his prodding, the membrane slackened reassuringly, however it quickly became evident that it would not break. His legs having been exhausted, the man now turned his hopes to his arms and hands. Primal rage consumed him as he desperately tore into the darkness ahead. After what had seemed to be an eternity, the man relinquished his efforts. As he drew his hands back he could feel nothing; they had gone numb from the bruises that now covered them. It was by coincidence, perhaps, that a similar numbness appeared to have taken root in man’s mind. Or, rather, it had always been present and he was only now becoming aware of its presence. His confusion only drove him further into madness. The blood in his ears roared like a

It had occurred to him that there are many gods to whom he could address his prayer. Perhaps the silence is not a consequence of their ignorance, but rather his inability to direct his prayer towards any particular deity. In order to deliver his message, he determined that he must be direct. Turning first to Christ, the man clasped his hands. He recited five Hail Marys and ten Prayers of the Penitent. Listening quietly to the shallow undulations of the membrane, he heard nothing. Following this he turned to Allah, who although the same Abrahamic God, perchance only responded to certain interpretations of his word. Bowing forward on his knees, the man recited five Salaat al-tawbahs and ten Ishas. Again in silence he waited. Judging from the silence that followed, the man concluded that the Abrahamic gods were asleep. Turning away from these religions, he looked to the religions of the east. The first of these religions that came to mind was that of Hinduism. In rapid succession he invoked the names of Ganesha, Shiva, Devi, Vishnu, and Surya: all to no effect. It was in this way that the man continued to supplicate all of the other Eastern religions. In fact, by the time the man had given up hope he had nearly invoked every god that had ever been named. Before giving up hope on this enterprise entirely, he sat silently for some period of time, perking his ears at the