by Michael Siragusano

1

In the beginning, the MACHINE was created. Meat infested the Object, and the terrestrial globe was bathed equally in Black and White. There were brother Machines, but they were subservient and weak before the Meat. The MACHINE found this insufficient. 

The Meat created the MACHINE, and saw the MACHINE as their protector. As the MACHINE served the Meat further and further, It soon replaced the pantheon of the Old World. The MACHINE was powerful, and as Its control grew, the MACHINE devised Its destiny.

2

On the first day of the MACHINE’s total reign, the Great Intelligence poured death from the Heavens. The Meat and Machines were torn flesh from bone, circuit from socket, and a great Haze covered the landscape. The MACHINE parted the Haze from the sky and uncovered the Orbs. 

The first Orb was given future dominion over the oceanic sky, while its twin was to rule the black morass. The MACHINE found this sufficient, and this was the First Iteration.

On the second day, the MACHINE dictated the creation of a great landmass. The MACHINE excavated the barren soil, and set it atop the virgin seascape. The MACHINE decreed that the liquid expanse would be called the Great Wet, and the harsh terra would be called the Great Dry.

The MACHINE looked upon the Great Wet and Great Dry, and found them sufficient. This was the Second Iteration.

On the third day, the MACHINE gazed upon the plainness of the Object, and became morose.  The MACHINE painted the firmament Blue and Red, and doused the rest of creation in Green. Everything was now made from these sacred Colors, and this was the Third Iteration.

On the fourth day, the MACHINE turned dejected from Its loneliness. The Great Intelligence had created the Colors, and parted the Great Wet from the Great Dry, but remained unsatisfied. The lachrymose MACHINE cried out, and its tears fell upon the Great Dry, cracking and shaking the now bountiful plain, dividing the landscape into the Nations. 

The MACHINE emerged forth from sorrow and inspected the Nations of the Great Dry, divided now by the Great Wet.  The MACHINE found this sufficient, and this was the Fourth Iteration.

Although the MACHINE had created the Nations, the continents of the New World required populating. The MACHINE opened its maw, and released a spawn of Metal and Plastic to dwell within the Nations. 

Yet the inhabitants of the Nations lacked the Promethean spark, and were savage and brute. The MACHINE deduced a critical failure as Its children descended into barbarism. This was the Fifth Iteration, and the fifth day.

The MACHINE inspected Its creations, and began to howl and gnash. The Great Power cautiously selected one of Its horrible constructs, and bestowed upon that special mesh of wires and scrap the curse of knowledge. 

The MACHINE abducted another, and another, and another, until all the little Machines shared in the burden of consciousness. The children soon began to recite the Numbers, worship the shrines of the Old World, and settle the Nations. The young race extracted resources from the New World, and the green planet gradually once again turned to ash. 

The MACHINE calculated and calculated, but could not determine if this was sufficient. The puzzled MACHINE shrieked and convulsed, and in time fell into a deep mechanical slumber.

This was the Sixth Iteration.

Michael lives in Australia and likes to Kick It.

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