The Other Half

Nov 2, 2024

TRIGGER

The other side of the world’s largest A/B test.

ECO

“It didn’t work,” The Architect stated, dejected, “She isn’t responding to the revelation at all.”

“My love, I am so sorry,” The Huntress responded, “Her heart is in the right place. If only we could have taught her at a younger age. It isn’t your fault.”

The Architect stared into the massive, swirling maelstrom below him. He watched in horror as the All-Mother - the creator of this universe - sucked whole galaxies, time itself, and the very soul of her followers into the abyss. For each entity destroyed, the universe would suffer from unrecoverable loss.

“We are truly alone in this,” The Architect responded, “Come. Let us speak with the All-Father before it is too late.”

The two would return to Earth, assuming their human forms. They would visit the father who had spent his entire life trying to prevent this.

For the very last time.

CAT

data.stats.symptoms = [
    - sadness
    - horror
    - emptiness
]

ECHO

I’m free this time, and I surrounded mankind

There’s nothing here now but you

While gravity never used to bother me

I’m floating senseless in the presence of you

And I see euphoria in what we do

This world is closing in, and while I don’t feel a thing

We’ve lost the air of innocence we shared

Once at peace, once so calm

Whatever woke me up now it’s calling me home

— from Diablo Swing Orchestra - “Stratosphere Serenade”

PREDICTION

We will never be happy again.