Hupert

Chapter 1 (13/13+?)

Cândido’s words could not be more unaligned with the truth. The motive behind Paul’s and Marty’s alternative activities was not pleasure, but rather their resolution that, clearly, whatever they do would be more accurate to their philosophies than what their fellow section dwellers rejoiced in. Besides, their realizing such activities in the company of one another was absolute bliss.

Every day the two would engage in a particular activity, never repeating themselves. Marty found them extremely diverting, for, as an existentialist, exploring the infinite derivations of the nothing was delightful. Paul, on the other hand, as an irrationalist, was dazzled by the striking poetry of living. In that particular evening, they had decided on performing a variation of the activity that had the potential of pleasing them most: placing a scorpion in a container and beholding it battle a random animal. A praying mantis would be its opponent that day.

After positioning the scorpion in the container, they placed some cockroaches on top of it. The praying mantis, once also placed inside the battlefield, ignores the presence of the motionless scorpion and ventures to climb it, aiming at its prey: the cockroaches.

“With the desire of feeding on what life offers, the one who prays ignores its dark fate rushing headlong towards it,” Paul said narrating the actions of those he beholds.

“However” Marty implemented “its future can not be read. For the nothing, overseeing reality, allows the darkness to be harmless, equally to the chances that it will hold the one who prays and inject its deadly poison in it”

At this moment, the scorpion decides to attack the praying mantis: Marty projected his body away from the animals in astonishment, while Paul maintained his eyes fixed in the scene, motionless, and commented:

“The darkness presents itself to the prayer” the praying mantis escapes from the attack “but the faith and will for life allowed him to stay free” the scorpion projects itself to a second endeavor of attacking the mantis, it succeeds.

“With an effective projection of the darkness over it, the praying mantis’ trust in a higher power ceases, as well as his life” narrated Marty.

The two philosophers sighed before the hastiness of the battle coming to an end. They glanced at each other and said together:

“Now we must try it with two praying mantises!”