Part 7: They Failed To Reincarnate

Part 7: They Failed To Reincarnate

Instead of an epilogue

Having already finished and handed in the text, I was kindly advised to write an epilogue to make the story longer.

(Editor, looking right through my soul with his wise brown eyes - which he has used to count three thousand words more than there actually are, and that's why he thinks that with a small extra, we'll get a whole novel:) - Now, write an epilogue.

(Me:) - ?.. Epilogue?

(Editor, not even blinking either of his wise brown eyes:) - Well, you know, where they die together in a fire saving their little nephew and the sister's husband - to be reborn as immortal cultivators... like a thousand three hundred fifty... two chapters total.

(Me:) - Er?..

(Editor, completely forgetting about my existence:) - Right. And at first, they do not remember each other, and they find new love and have children, all that shit. And they improve their cultivators...

(Me:) - Their cultivation.

(Editor:) - That too. But this whole time there's some inexplicable sadness in their souls. Then one's love dies tragically in a fire while saving her little nephew, and also he loses all his children.

(Me:) - Walking them in the Central Park.

(Editor, giving a suspicious look my way but unable to understand which piece of furniture has learned to speak human:) -Yeah, whatever. And then they get to meet each other at last, but still they don't remember anything... Next, they go somewhere in like a hundred chapters* and one's wife starts being jealous for no reason... hah! So far for no reason! They don't remember each other, you know?

Inspiration gets him like marasmus senilis.

"And then they figure out they don't want to part, and the next 200 chapters their mutual feelings keep growing and getting out of control, and the wife is jealous for some real reason already, and they start remembering - but the bad things are the first to come up so they go separate ways for... let's say, 50 chapters (this is when the jealous wife has a short breather), but the fact is they already can't go on like that so they throw themselves in each other's way for another 50 chapters until... this is how it goes, am I supposed to make it all up for your sake?"

"There also must be a wise old geezer on a Buddhist peak who's supposed to reveal the whole truth to them but would kick the bucket at the worst time possible. Which will string out the story for another 500 chapters. He will cheat on the wife anyway."

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* This Editor has a dream... which is to make me admit that a proper chapter should be no shorter than 7 pages 350 words each. He has my sympathies. For now, I stick to the minimum of three pages and still consider myself to be victimized. My record though is 4 words per chapter.

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Nevertheless. Who am I to second guess the editor's strategies? He's not even human. I watch him stand at the coffee machine trying to open up a coffee packet with insistent finger-poking, about which the packet doesn't give a fuck, so I see no point in opposing such heavenly person.

Ok. Going to write now.

Epilogue (Chapter 1 of 1352)

(Let's traditionally start from the middle and write about the fire later. Like it pops up in the clouded memory triggered by some... whatever...)

The valley of preborn ones was drowning in astral violet mist. Nebulous shadows with no memories about their past 'egos', who do not answer to any name of ever existing in the universe languages, were crowding on low slopes, achromatous grass under their bare feet.

Neither spirits nor bodies were they, neither men nor ghosts. They took any shape, they didn't care which though, so with no reason to look in any certain way sooner or later they all resembled half-sucked gummy bears. A personal reincarnation number, that's all there was to know. The last announced one was something with eight thousand digits in it... once. Time was of no importance here.

Liu ShanShun was standing among other forms, habitually preserving his outer "self" as it had been a minute before the fire - not that he remembered that fire anyway... or the century it took place. There was no sense in going anywhere. In standing there was no sense either. Actually, sense itself didn't exist in this place so why worry. Especially, if he didn't remember how to do it.

The forms surrounding him were slowly sliding by. They uttered some unconscious sound formations which meant nothing to them. Nor they knew it was something called 'human speech':

"... your homework to copy, those three thousand rules of our sect."

"Please, stand clear of the closing doors!"

"Gheh-gheh-gheh k'natokh..."

"... as great Bo Bayun stated wisely somewhere..."

"... beg your pardon, how do I get to the prefecture administration? I beg your pardon, how do I get to the prefecture administration? I beg your pardon, how do I?.." a colorless voice was inquiring persistently.

"Wouldn't you better suck my dick? Fuck off with your administration already."

Liu ShanShun raised that part of his form which he didn't remember how to call - the round one on top, with ears - and turned it slowly towards the sounds. They were of no meaning for him but yet they bore a strange attraction. Electromagnetic fields and charged particles must have been at work.

(Editor, who had already poked a hole in the coffee packet's side, spilled it all around the coffee maker and were hovering behind my back:) - There was some inexplicable sadness in his soul.

(Me:) - Where would I be without you?

Liu LiZhong roamed the valley of preborn along with electromagnetic currents. Some time ago he discovered he could ride them like... he didn't remember what else he could ride.

The dense flow of prebiomass around created something inside that felt like irritation... if he could even feel irritated. Somehow or other, those half-sucked jerks were getting on his... those things...

Sterile sameness of the surroundings did not create any landmarks in non-existing time... until something changed. If he had remembered, he would have called it a scent... If he had remembered scents, he would have said that's how garden carnations smelled... If he had remembered why carnation scent got him excited, he wouldn't have been preborn and stuck in that fucking mystical haze for a million years.

Yet he started to move around, careful not to let the strange change in the non-existing atmosphere out of his perception.

Liu ShanShun, who had no memory his name was Liu ShanShun, took a step in the direction his... thing was calling him... that thing... one has to have it to die of heart attack.

At an arm's length in front of him he saw two blue shining... they must be "stars". He didn't know exactly how stars should behave so he wasn't surprised when they narrowed at him in disbelief. He only knew that there was nothing more gorgeous in the whole universe. Or had been. Or ever could be.

"Who are you?" he asked, the words coming reluctantly to him.

"I do not know," the other answered. "Give me that... with five those things... fuck! How do I call that piece of shit?!.. Hand! Give me your hand!"

(Liu ShanShun:) - Only my hand? You don't want anything else?

(Liu LiZhong:) - I want... I don't know what it is... come closer or those dickheads will trample us.

(Liu ShanShun, having given it a bit of thought, comes up with an idea:) - Take my other one... with those five things. You've got two of them too.

(Liu LiZhong, after some non-existing time:) - I want to touch you but I haven't got any more hands on me.

(Liu ShanShun, with a sober point:) - Then let one go.

(Liu LiZhong, entangling their fingers tighter:) - No way.

(Liu ShanShun:) - Then use those... under your stars... They are soft, and warm, and can smile... When you touch with them, the inside all shivers... I think so.

(Liu LiZhong, struggling to remember:) - Ears?

(Liu ShanShun, with doubt:) - No, not ears... The word is...

(Liu LiZhong, sealing his lips around he doesn't remember whose lips:) - Who fucking cares!

The inside was all shivering indeed and if, there had been a heart, it would have certainly had an attack. Small violet charges crackled wherever those warm and soft came in contact with the other's, no clear idea whose, body.

Subforms around muttered worriedly, panicked and backed off.

"That's public order violation!" a dumb face popped out of the mist. "I will report to the prefecture administration."

"Good luck finding it, stupid cow," Liu LiZhong said.

Liu ShanShun was staring at his chin from beneath, where folded skin, being protected from the cruel environment, was so untanned and chaste. Not only he wanted to brush the place with his lips, but also to take a rougher hold of it, maybe to bite a little... The image made his form pulsate with electric currents.

"Let's better fuck," he heard that dear husky voice.

(Liu ShanShun:) - What is that?

(Liu LiZhong:) - No idea... we'll figure out somehow.

They strolled across the valley making their way through subforms, occasionally taking a chance to stop and press into each other in the middle of the bioherd hurrying to be reincarnated.

Where their bodies met, they started to melt and a blissful intolerable sensation invaded their existences. It dawned on them they must finish that interpenetration and melt inside each other completely. No time to lose.

They quickened the pace, pushing stupid preborns aside, until they dragged each other into a narrow gully between hills with the same old achromatous grass, achromatous bushes and some grey indifferent boulders looking like they have been left behind by a retreated glacier... like there could ever be a glacier in this place... or anything else.

(Liu LiZhong:) - This is your chest... that's a muscle here, you have more... everywhere...

He investigated the other's body with his lips.

They had a reason to maintain a very certain shape, none other. That was a very important reason for it was that very well-forgotten shape loved by the other one in their long-forgotten life.

For the first time in million years Liu LiZhong found the smooth warm canyon between the pecs, the small stubborn dimple on the chin under the lower lip, the protruding cheekbone next to the ear, the lump of a biceps, an elbow's bend, the round precious bone on a wrist. He stroked them with his lips and warmed them taking the skin into his mouth.

Liu ShanShun, his eyes shut, the face raised to the missing sky, locked his arms around the other and pressed to himself for his dear life... or whatever in that place.

(Liu LiZhong, busy:) - ...

(Liu ShanShun, informs about something he has just discovered:) - We are naked.

The textbook phrase which made their progenitors run away in shame covering themselves with apples and tree leaves didn't have any disciplining effect under the circumstances... except for being an extra reminder to fuck asap.

(Liu LiZhong, in spite of the stone embrace imprisoning him, struggles to go lower and place his lips on Liu ShanShun 's stomach:) - Wait... Let me touch here...

A muscular arm stopped him, his chin was taken in a tight grip and tilted up.

(Liu ShanShun:) -...

(Liu ShanShun, softly:) - You said it: let me kiss those little lashes.

(Liu LiZhong:) - I did?

(Liu ShanShun, softly:) - I remember.

With Liu ShanShun leaning over him, Liu LiZhong 's gaze drowned in his dark, suddenly wide-open, bottomless eyes. They didn't contain a shred of that mystical violet fog anymore, the pupil had filled the whole iris sphere. They became as completely dark as a black hole devouring time and space with the speed of light.

One can go on and on about the oecumenic male instinct akin to black holes in space, and how a predator awakens, and how one drowns in another's desire and it echoes with sweet urges in their both bodies, and how the diaphragm presses against the throat, and all that shit. It would have been unfair to dilate upon such matters because that wasn't what happened, just didn't have time.

Having caught a glimpse of his reflection in Liu ShanShun 's darkened eyes, Liu LiZhong had a moment to feel a bit of fear and a bit of ravishment (being a man, he wouldn't comprehend it anyway), before being bit in a buttock's fold (felt and comprehended clearly) while Liu ShanShun 's penis was already in his that very place inside.

What's more, from his almost kneeling position Liu LiZhong was thrown flat on the back, to be exact on his pectoral arch, because now his legs were on Liu ShanShun, their bends reaching his shoulders. From "those little lashes" to the cock in the ass, it took incomplete three seconds including the eyes, the universe and whatever.

One can get really impatient after having missed his beloved for a million years.

Spasmed hands were clawing the colorless grass, tattering it and throwing away the pieces. Tides of pleasure were tearing everything inside starting deep in the groins and multiplying tenfold until they reached nerve endings. Uncontrollable, overlapping moans were frightening occasional subforms lurking behind the boulders.

Each thrust ahead cried out, "That's me. You are mine." Each retrieving motion was a promise to come back.

All firestorms on distant planets in methane atmospheres have burned out within their loins in several minutes. All stars of the universe got together where their bodies were connected and alloyed with them in one sparkling whirlpool tingling and tickling their bowels. Around them, the galvanized mystic mist was crackling with purple charges and got scorched leaving stormy ozone smell.

That was the end of the world. What was left is blissful nothingness moistured with mixed semen. Like before the act of creation. And the other man's body in the tightly locked arms. The beloved one's body in your arms.

"Your name is Liu ShanShun. My sweet Bai Chi," said Liu LiZhong.

Liu ShanShun didn't say a word. He imprisoned the lover in his arms and clung to him. At last, his eyes closed, he said:

"Your name is little piece of shit... no, wait... I remember... my bright-eyed boy... my precious LiZhong."

Upon having destroyed the universe, they were restingt, like somebody, don't exactly remember who, on the seventh day. Liu LiZhong started dodging about and finally settled sitting in the arms of the other man, leaning his whole body against him.

(Liu LiZhong:) - You know what I remembered? A lot... The sea. A ship, a small cabin and light coming through slits. And the salty smell from the wood... You don't remember?.. And the mountain road, seven brigands - how the last one swore to have his revenge on us?..

(Liu ShanShun, takes his face out of the other's disheveled hair for a second:) - He was swearing and backing off real quick!

(Liu LiZhong:) - (giggles)

(Liu LiZhong, musing:) - Do you remember Yafa?.. And also, hey, listen... Wasn't I somehow beating you all the time?

(Liu ShanShun, after a minute:) - I guess, I deserved it.

(Liu LiZhong, after a minute:) - I'm not sure.

(Liu ShanShun, prudently:) - So long ago. You must forgive me now... Was I a bad man maybe?

(Liu LiZhong, a relaxed smile:) - You were the best man. Still are.

(Liu ShanShun, his expression darkens:) - I have remembered... Like I strangled you and threw your body into a chasm?

(Liu LiZhong, a tired sigh:) - I guess, I deserved it.

(Liu ShanShun, gets distracted and listens:) - Did you hear that? The announcement, my reincarnation number,

(Liu LiZhong:) - Fuck your reincarnation. You are grounded for today. Serves you right for strangling me and throwing away.

(Liu ShanShun, relaxing, his palm pressed flat to Liu LiZhong 's abdomen:) - ...

(Liu LiZhong, eyes closed, his head on the other man's shoulder:) - We'll figure something out... later...

(Me:) - Have they no shame?! Where are my one thousand three hundred fifty two chapters now? Along with the West Coast University Award in Literature?! Those motherfuckers, did they really have to ruin everything?! Let alone the long and touching reunion instead of a thousand chapters only took as long as one needs to jump behind the nearest bush and give his beloved a thick and hard one, they also have screwed up their reincarnation! How are they going to fucking cultivate now? Fuck you, I'm done here!

Liu ShanShun woke up in his own bed. He jerked his body into sitting position and pressed his palms to the face. Stars, universes, some hideous formless shadows, violet mist were swirling around in his mind... Did he destroy the universes?!

He carefully put his hands down.

The sun was rising over the sea and made small smooth waves glisten when they popped out of the water surface. A few ships from Greece and somewhere else were dozily rocking off the harbor. A bright sunny triangle has already appeared in the far corner on the ceiling, opposite the window, and was already crawling stubbornly forward. One of the curtains had been pulled out at night and was swaying lazily as if late adventures left it exhausted. Everybody was sleeping except for birds which were chirping and stirring on branches in the garden. The morning air, still chilly, smelled of salt and spices.

Liu ShanShun looked at Liu LiZhong. The latter hadn't been actually disturbed with his abrupt motion and showed no intention to awake. He only stretched his arm on the pillow along the other man's warm bum - obviously to prevent Liu ShanShun from lying back. Liu LiZhong gave a somnambular malicious smirk and smacked those soft, warm... things of his like a puppy a couple of times.

"RouRou," Liu ShanShun whispered. "I dreamed of somebody."

His nephew's slender stars started to open and then they closed again. After a minute he asked:

"About who?"

(Liu ShanShun, trying to put it all together:) - Wait... About an editor with wise brown eyes.

Liu LiZhong 's eyes opened slowly and finally focused on Liu ShanShun 's thigh he was pressing his forehead against. He turned his head and looked at Liu ShanShun.

(Liu LiZhong, speaks very distinctively:) - What was that? Who is the editor?

(Liu ShanShun:) - Wait, let me explain... The editor was just in the beginning...

(Liu LiZhong, starting to get up:) - Ah, it was only the beginning? And who was next? The proofreader? And what about the illustrator, did he partake?

(Liu ShanShun:) - Will you listen to me or what?!

With one strong jerk Liu LiZhong dragged his lover's ass from the sitting position to a lying one, and leaned over him.

(Liu ShanShun, pushing away the hands which are aiming to grab him by the throat:) - Fuck off, I'm out of energy to mess with you now!

(Liu LiZhong, not willing to fuck off:) - We are out of energy? So what were you, motherfucker, doing with the wise editor at night?

(Liu ShanShun, struggling to restrain the playful puppy with the puppy's weight equal to an almost-pubescent bison calf:) - He is like a fortune teller! You... He said we'd die! And we did!

Liu LiZhong finally stopped frolicking on Liu ShanShun, attempting to choke him and bite his ear.

(Liu LiZhong:) - ?..

(Liu ShanShun:) - He said we would die in a fire saving our nephew.

(Liu LiZhong, makes a mental note:) - Shouldn't probably have given those matches to Shun-er.

(Liu ShanShun:) - And then we'll reincarnate as cultivators and forget each other, but we'll meet again after a thousand years... (sighs with guilt) We didn't reincarnate though.

(Liu LiZhong:) - Why?

(Liu ShanShun, looking sideway:) - I missed my turn...

(Liu LiZhong, tilting his head to catch his lover's eye, purrs:) - In that dream of yours, did we happen to wear anything?

(Liu ShanShun, pressing his forehead against the other man's shoulder not to let him catch his eye:) - We did not.

(Liu LiZhong, nesting himself comfortably on top of Liu ShanShun:) - Please, go on...

The sun was shining over Yafa. A new day was coming.

THE END

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