Perihelion

Perihelion: The Convolution

John Pirillo

"Copyright 2014

Smashwords Edition

Chapter One: The Convolution

Perihelion

A place of absolute balance between the forces of light and darkness. Definition of Perihelion from Chalker’s Dictionary of Metaphysical Terminology.

When the care of all life becomes as important as the saving of one’s own, then one has reached the point of Perihelion, where one may become blended with the One Light and Great Spirit within us all. As quoted by the Silent Ones from the studies of the Infinite Convolution, a book on the alternating realities of universal creation and written by the Druish Wise women at the Council of the Sixth Point of Convolution.

Red hot arcs of energy dashed against endless streams of freezing expanses. Flaming magma exploded forth from blowholes in the very fabric of time and space. Burning desolation stretched in infinite stretches before him. Spurs and spurts of miserable pain, then exalted flares of ecstasy shot through his being. Then... nothing. Unending flows of nothingness that spiraled into a tornado of equations. Finally, calm and a soothing coolness.

Richard opened his eyes to the new world about him, not even daring to breathe for a moment. It was spectacular. Beyond his wildest dreams. The Professor had been right. He had been right. The Convolution worked.

He turned slowly, afraid to make a mistake. Not daring to move in case it might mean his death, but afraid not to move, because he had just finished a journey no man should ever have been able to do.

This new world was beyond his experience. Tangible, but frightening at the same time. He stood at the edge of a great cliff. It must have towered dozens of miles above the earth below, because the ocean he could see in the distance, was cotton candied with clouds at a number of layers of altitude. The fact that he was able to breathe at all was a miracle considering the height he had to have stood at that time.

The mountain he stood upon was the grandfather of Mount Everest, which would have only been a hill in comparison to this mighty edifice. This world was rich in oxygen. Very earth like. Its skies a bit bluer and richer in substance. The air quite a bit cooler, but then, he was quite high. But the air seemed sweeter, almost as if it had never been tainted by the mechanical and industrial smells that came with American civilization.

Just look at me, Professor. He blurted out to no one in particular. In the middle of a dream. I wish you could be here too.

For no particular reason he could think of he did the most stupid thing he could think of in years, he pounded on his chest like Tarzan of the Apes and let out a yodel like the famous Johnny Weissmuller.

Embarrassed at his own silliness, he froze a moment, turning quickly to see if anyone had been watching. He couldn't explain it, but he had the strangest feeling he was being watched. But how, he couldn't put a finger on. He shook his head.

A swift flow of air swept past him, bringing an even stronger scent of sweetness. He breathed in it deep, and his euphoria seemed to get even stronger. If only the professor could be here now, he wished to himself, knowing what it would take for the man to make that leap of faith in his condition.

This time he was more sober when he said, Dear professor. If only you could be here with me now. Even the euphoria that had swept over him seemed diminished at that moment, as he thought about his words.

The Professor couldn’t. He’d probably never be anywhere with Richard. The man suffered from severe muscular disease. He was restricted to a wheelchair, that only moved by the power of the man’s will. He had devised an interface with the master computer of his lab that allowed his chair to almost read his thoughts. Actually, the chair was responding more to an emotional need, than a thought, but it was close enough that it ultimately had the same effect. This was to get from there to here. And here to there.

Richard felt a sudden urge to vomit and toss his insides over the cliff’s edge. But as quickly as the nausea swept through him, it vanished. He staggered back from the edge of the cliff, just to be on the safe side.

Just as suddenly as he nausea had struck, he again felt this wave of euphoria smash into him, at the same time as a new current of air struck him from...

Richard spun around and looked upwards. His eyes seemed unable to focus, as if he were drugged or something. The bleak mountain continued to stretch upwards before his eyes. Like layer upon layer of some kind of god-like cake, made of living plants and stone. It swept upwards and upwards, almost seeming to merge its crown with the great sun that was now directly above it.

And what a glorious sun it was. Nothing like our own. He could look directly into it and his eyes didn't hurt or blink. It actually felt kind of narcotic, soothing and peaceful. Was this the source of the euphoria? If so, he could imagine this place as a fantastic tourist spa, where the stressed and strained could come to let go of their inner tensions, and feel a kind of peace at least.

His eyes strained to hold the view; the light was so bright it hurt, but not painfully. No watering of the eyes. No burning sensation. Then he spotted something moving on the mountain, descending rapidly on legs that defied description. Like a gigantic spider, whose body was more mammal than insect, the beast was quite literally leaping and bounding down the mountainside.

At that exact same moment when his euphoria was at its lowest, he saw something emit from the beast's mouth. Again, he was struck by a euphoric breeze and he almost staggered this time from the bliss of it. He swept his arms upwards, absorbing as much of the feeling as he could bear.

Richard’s eyes were better than most. He had never worn glasses a day of his life. He had perfect vision, and was able to see better than most sharpshooters back home. And it didn’t take him long to get a look at the mouth of the creature. It was huge and horrible. Filled with blackened teeth that were foaming over with saliva. Now why did he get the idea that dinner was about to be served?

Just like that he snapped out of his euphoria. The call to save his neck had grown stronger than the feeling to stay and relax and worry about nothing, just feel the joy. Yeah. The joy of being lunch for some alien creature!

Richard began the process that would bring him home again. He closed his eyes for a moment, visualizing the mantric pattern of mathematical symbols and equations he and the Professor had devised.

An even stronger wave of Euphoria and wind blasted across him. He staggered from the intensity of it, losing control of the thoughts he was forming into a liquid, substantive reality. He closed his eyes to regain his balance. He took several deep breaths, using his meditative pranic lessons, to soothe his mind, clear the false euphoria. As he did he felt the visualization coming easily to him again.

He opened his eyes again. The Convolution of patterns now floated in the air before him, expanding outwards, growing larger and larger. The mathematical symbols began turning red hot. The equations turned to white hot gasses that ignited and exploded inwards.

He made the mistake of looking up again. A fresh blast of euphoric wind struck him the same time as he saw the descending creature almost within jumping distance of him.

Come on! Richard pleaded. The Convolution was taking too long. At the rate the creature was descending it’d be on him before he could cross over.

Richard looked about him helplessly a moment, hoping to find something to defend himself with. After all, he was the invader to this creature’s world. For all he knew it was only defending its nest. But if this mountain was its nest, he’d hate to think what else was roaming around this place.

He heard this bone shattering wail, and then jerked his head upwards. The creature had reached above him, and was preparing to leap upon him. No more euphoria came this time, only the foul, foul breath of something inhumanly hungry and horribly anxious to make sure he was its next meal.

He could smell its foul breath. It opened its mouth wider and wider, and then leaped.

Ready or not! Richard said, and then leaped into the Convolution that sprang to life between him and the monster.

He felt a moment of complete disassociation, as if every atom of his body had been utterly separated from his beingness, then the same surges and spikes of red-hot energies, which were painful and not painful at the same time. It was almost like a bliss that was so extreme it was too painful for his senses to handle, then a rush of heat and cold.

Next thing he knew he was standing in the jump off room, the Convolution closing behind him. The bright, familiar lights of the small lab welcomed him. He suddenly became aware of how tense his whole body had become. He'd made it. He was back. Safe and sound.

He relaxed, and grinned. That wasn’t so bad. Hey Professor... He started to greet when he saw him wheeling his chair into proximity, but the look on his face froze the greeting in his throat, because a horrible, horrible scream of anger and frustration exploded from behind him.

My God, Richard! The Professor’s voice cried out.

Richard spun around and saw the mouth of the creature pushing through the Convolution, as if it could hold it open by force, even as the Convolution continued to diminish in size. Richard backed away, fending off the horrid stench and sight with flailing arms, as if he could somehow magically make it go away. A sizable, furry arm with huge spike shaped hair on it swept through and at his throat. He ducked the