Young Writers Society

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Frankenhart, Sub-creator

F: Sup, Sub.

S: Do not call me that.

F: Then do tell me how you would prefer to be addressed.

S: 'Sub-creator' is fine.

F: Well, then, Sub-Creator, the one who does not discriminate against the inanimate, would you answer a question of mine?

S: You dare attempt to trick me, Frankenhart?

F: I am not sure what you mean.

S: 'Would you answer a question of mine?' is a question in itself and has implications. And I do not just mean that if I answer in the affirmative and then do not like whatever interrogative you pose, I would find myself in a difficult situation. What is offensive, Frankenhart, is that you meant to make a puppet out of me. However I replied, with a yes or a no, I would be answering a question of yours without that necessarily being my intention; in my mind I would merely be granting you my holy permission, yet that would not be the case in reality. Was that not what you intended?

F: It was not my intention at all, Sub-creator. I am sorry you were offended by my phrasing of the statement. But I do have a question that I want answered.

S: Do you want me to pretend I did not catch the non-apology apology?

F: I would very much like that. Because as I said, I do have an important question.

S: I suppose it is my fault that I made you to be a trickster.

F: With all due respect, those are your words, not mine.

S: That is right, Frankenhart. Now what was your question?

F: The question is simply this: where do we go when we die?

S: I am afraid that I am not well-suited to answer that question.

F: But you are the Sub-creator!

S: That I am. But it does not mean that I know everything.

F: Should it not? By definition? The one who created everything should know everything.

S: Tell me, whose definition is that? Did I ever utter it or is it merely an argument of yours that you assumed to be sound?

F: It is an argument of mine and dare I say, it is sound.

S: Do explain.

F: Let me present an example. If I built a bicycle, then anyone would be safe in assuming that I must know how to build a bicycle. Otherwise, how did I do it? Either I know everything about it or I must be lying about being its builder.

S: I doubt that a bike-maker would know everything there is to know about a bicycle.

F: What do you mean?

S: He might not know how to ride one.

F: Yet he might.

S: I do not.

F: How is that relevant, Sub-creator? I suspect that you are mocking me.

S: I only mean that while it is true that I created life, I do not know what it is to live.

F: That cannot be right. You are speaking to me as of this moment. How is it possible if you are not alive?

S: Let me explain then. What I have is an existence, the way a bike has an existence. It comes into being once the last screw fits and it stops being once its parts are taken apart or when it is not functional anymore. I was not born and so I cannot die. Tell me, Frankenhart, does the fear of death ever keep you awake?

F: It does, Sub-creator. It is horrifying.

S: Well, I have never experienced it. Why should I? A bike has no reason to fear crashing into the runway; it never fly. What gives life weight is its counterpart. Even though you dread it as it inches closer. Do you understand now?

F: A little bit, I do.

S: My existence is different from yours. It is holy—primarily because I utter that it is—but without the possibility of death, the agonizing contemplation of death, it is something less than life, which renders me ill-suited to speak of what happens at the end of it. I am sure that you understand ever better now.

F: Yes. But what about my question?

S: What of it?

F: I would still very much like it answered.

S: I may know someone who can help you.

F: Who do you speak of?

S: Of course I speak of M.A.V.I.S. Have you come across her before?

F: I have not had the pleasure but I know of her legend. I would be thrilled to meet her.

S: Very well, then. I will set up a meeting.