Caged God and Leashed Dog -- Part 1

Chapter 15, Tale Three: Caged God and Leashed Dog -- Part 1 pic and text

He sat in the cage and tried not to think. Thinking was dangerous, leading inevitably to below. Try not to think. Try to think on his name, not the other. His name was God. It was a name he had given himself, sort of. The other had carved it into his chest, in error. They had served the Master, so long ago, before the Master’s fall, then they had been adrift, and that was where the division began. He remembered being whole, still, remembered being one, not one or the other, but he couldn’t think on the other, thinking was dangerous. After the Master’s fall, the one had become two, and they had wandered together, in continuous battle, for a very long time. They had finally found this place, and had been taken, collared. The cage had been his solution, an attempt to cage the other while the new master, the old man, was occupied elsewhere. When there was a master he was under control, they were under control. They would respond to the voice of the master. But when the master’s eyes turned elsewhere there was nothing but division, nothing but the fight for control, and he took precautions, when he was in control. He was dangerous, too dangerous to be allowed free, to give freedom to the other that waited below.

Too much thought, thinking was dangerous. He scratched at his collar, trying to draw their attention. The cage, and the collar, think about that. Think about captivity, think about safety. Safe in the cage, waiting for the return of the master. He could be safe without either, if left to his own. The cage wasn’t for him, he himself was not dangerous. The cage was for Dog and Dog always so hungry! So hungry, starving! Ripping flesh gnawing biting. Meat, need meat, always so hungry. Dog not like other, Dog no need for control, Dog wanted meat, to eat, so hungry. Strong, Dog was, strong. Dog not like the cage, not like the collar, but fears master, fears old man. Old man tell Dog what to do, Old man tell Dog where to go, who to take, collars. Collar on Dog, collar on people, old man tell Dog who to collar. Old man not tell Dog to be in cage, other did that. Not to think, not to think on other, other scared Dog. Other below, waiting, hiding, wanting control. Other put Dog in cage, Dog not know why, Dog not think on other, thinking dangerous. Dog not need cage, Dog need only eat, so hungry. Always so hungry! Old man not like other, always make Dog to be Dog, not the other. Let Dog out of cage to collar, to feed. Gave meat to Dog, dead meat, freshly dead meat for Dog to devour, so hungry. But not think, thinking bad. Thinking not safe. Thinking bring thought of the other, hiding below. Other think name was not Dog. Dog carve name into chest, remind him of Dog, never forget name, never. Never think of other, never think of God and he stopped, panting, trying hard for control. It was so hard not to think. To not think of the other, always hiding below.

He was safe in the cage, for now, still. He didn’t know where the master was, now, so he had to stay in the cage, keep the other under control. He had to continue to fight for control without thinking, thinking was dangerous, leading inevitably below. The other, he couldn’t think on the other. He couldn’t think about Dog so hungry always so hungry but stuck in cage! Stuck in cage and so hungry, but not think, thinking dangerous. Thinking on other not safe. Other control Dog, Dog back in cage! But so hard not to think, not to think about God and he had to be in control. He couldn’t let the other out. Snarling in frustration he pounded his head on the ground, trying to clear his mind and not let himself think. Thinking was so dangerous. But he raised his eyes then, and found a pair of eyes looking back. Someone was outside of his cage.