Jake Becker

HUMA1100
4-23-16

Omni-Light

How was school? Fine. The Marshall`s were sitting down for dinner, it was a spring
evening, the notes of winter were finally being put to rest, though being in this mountainous
region of the US they were always attempting an encore. Did you learn anything interesting
today? Mrs Marshall always tried to be involved in her families affairs, at least when she had
time in between her reality tv shows and her somber episodes induced by her Xanax
prescription. Oh the joys of being a housewife. I learned about a breathing technique in my
meditation class. Meditation class? inquired Mr Marshall. He was a stark man that lived in the
same city his entire life. He served in the military for 8 years then after getting his degree in
business decided to start one that sells different types of insurance, car, business, life, property.
If theres one thing he learned from the military it was that there is always something out there
thats trying to shit on your parade and he would be damned if he wasn't prepared for it. Since
when did Reagan High School start offering such a mumbo jumbo class? When I went there we
learned things of value, like history, science, and economics, What is this meditation class going
to give you aside from an excuse to sit with your eyes closed all day? Derrick I'm sure there are
a lot of benefits to meditation remarked Mrs Marshall one of the ladies on Real Housewives of
New Bush City goes to a yoga class everyday and she looks very in-tune with everything. Dad
its not like that, my teacher is amazing, she lived in India for 15 years. Im sure she did a lot of
cool hippy dippy things son but how is that going to translate into you being a benefit to society,
we need doctors and engineers. Times are getting worse, those terrorists keep trying to destroy
everything we've worked for and our president is a socialist. Washington is rolling over in his
grave.. I don't know what happened, once they legalized pot everyone just stopped caring

about what matters. Mr Marshall finished his 3rd beer of the night which indicated that he was
just getting started. You know said Mr Marshall as he popped open his 4th beer. Back when I
was your age, we had purpose in this country, we wanted everyone to experience our
accomplishments and did our best to make sure that happened. Freedom, democracy, a right to
do anything you wanted. These were the values that were important, Now I don't know what the
hell this country is becoming, some haven for degenerates of every nation that wants a hand out
and doesn't want to work. I feel sorry for your generation son, no purpose, no structure. Mr
Marshall starred off into empty space with glazed eyes and preceded to drink more.
A sudden knock sounded at the door, this sprung Mr Marshall to high alert, nobody
visited anyone without notifying. Now who the hell could that be, it better not be some drifter
asking for a place to stay or a handout. Maybe its the president here to give us all our free shit
that we didn't earn. Oh I wish it was the president, said Mrs Marshall. He is so handsome. The
Xanax was beginning to kick in and Mrs Marshall was feeling elated. Mr Marshall opened the
door. I told you guys it what going to be some drifter asking for a handout. Hey Dad.
Duncan?? Yeah Dad, he reached in for a hug but Mr Marshall pushed him away. What are you
doing here? Oh my work brought me to town. I thought I would stop by and see how everyone
was! Mr Marshall had this look on his face as though he had just seen his puppy that died when
he was a child except this time it had risen from the dead and was possessed by satan.
Duncan!!! Mrs Marshall screamed. Oh my sweet baby boy how I've missed you. Mom its
great to see you. Duncan beamed. What happened to your hair? You look like a girl. Mr
Marshall seemed to have collected himself from his traumatic puppy thoughts and began his
usual 4th beer discourse. Is that Tyler? My god man its great to see you! Duncan gave his little
brother a hug. Hey man, its been awhile. Tyler smiled. Too long lil bro and I'm sorry for that.
Time has a way of making puppets of us all and I lost my strings a few years back so Im not the
best with keeping up with it. Why didn't you call us ever? All we got was a quick goodbye

saying Im leaving the country. Mrs Marshall`s elation from the Xanax gave her the ability to ask
such questions Mr Marshall on the other hand resorted back to his perplexed state. He was in
the corner staring at his son as though he was some alien artifact from Roswell.I know that how
I handled it was terrible. exclaimed Duncan. Being a 22 year old kid bottled up with angst and
confusion kept me from making this situation better. I didn't have a phone for 3 years and I was
so infused with the present moment that I never acted upon getting one until I got back to the
states. I knew id end up here eventually and I wanted to surprise you guys. Well we are glad
you're back, right Derrick?Mr Marshall didn't say a word, it seemed that the combination of his
4th beer along with the bewilderment of seeing his son left him confused. He left the room.
Dont mind him, he has had a long week, there was this client of his that lost a business in a fire
and he thinks he did it on purpose to get his insurance claim. How long will you be staying? she
inquired. Oh I wont be staying, I'm only in town for 4 days and I have a place to stay. But
Duncan we have a room all ready for you, you got to stay. I wish I could mom but I have
obligations elsewhere. Im working on a project here with my company. What company? Just a
company, we are based out of Germany and curate environments. Thats really all I can say
about the matter. Oh that sounds interesting, well my baby boy I'm so happy that you're back
for the time being, Oh god is it 8? The housewives are having a reunion tonight, our DVR is
broken so i have to watch it. Lets catch up after! Mrs Marshall hurried out of the room as
sounds of hyper dramatic music accompanied by slow-witted remarks about someones nose job
ensued. I see nothing`s changed smirked Duncan. Yeah man I cant imagine why you ever
left. Tyler sighed. I wish I could've stayed in touch with you at least buddy, I'm really sorry
about that, I just got swept up in my own subjective truth that I didn't pay attention to anything
else. Its ok man, life`s been alright, when you left I was a shit head anyways, just a 14 year
old kid who didn't care about anything but video games and jerking off. We all got our vices
man but at least you're aware of them. remarked Duncan So what are you really here for?

asked Tyler What I saidI work for an event company based out of Germany. Its called Omnilight. We travel to different parts of the world to put on festivals. In some areas where we go the
local government is supportive of what we do, in other places not so much. Which is why I cant
really talk about it. Why would you go to places where the government didn't want you to be
there? asked Tyler Because those are the places that need us the most lil bro. Need? Yes
smiled Duncan. Oh Tyler its great to see you man we really need to catch up, but I must be
heading back theres a lot of work to do. What are you doing this weekend? Nothing probably
just hanging out with the fellas. Nice man well if you want I would love for you to come to this
event. I don't know if Dad would let me sighed Tyler He wont let anyone do anything unless its
buying insurance. Well If you could manage to come I think you would have an amazing time.
What is it? A celebration. Of what? Life smiled Duncan. Anyways man I got to get going, I have
a phone now so just give me your number and Ill text you the address. Its 45 miles east of here
in the mountains. You have a car right? Yeah. Ok well I'm sure you can get up there. assured
Duncan. Great seeing you Tyler looking forward to this weekend! Duncan walked into the
living room to say goodbye to Mrs Marshall. Unfortunately the Xanax had fully kicked in and she
was comatose on the couch, the housewives were just getting the part where one called
another a slut for wearing a swimming suit that she wore on their last vacation. Man is she going
to be upset that she was asleep for this.
The next morning at breakfast the Marshall`s were conducting their usually mid week
ritual. Mr Marshall was watching Cox News from the kitchen tv while eating his usual bacon and
eggs. Mumbling about taxes and terrorism as he drank his coffee. Mrs Marshall was attempting
to clean the kitchen after making breakfast but with the amount of Xanax she took last night she
was still in limbo about what reality she was in. Tyler sat at the kitchen table reading a book
about some far off land where there was magic and a sense of wonder. The Two paths to
paradise? I hope your hippy dippy school isn't forcing that smut on you. remarked Mr Marshall.

It was a commercial break from his favorite show the Sean Dimwitty Hour, so his attention could
now be placed upon his family. Its not required by the school, and its a fiction novel based in a
mystic realm. said Tyler Fiction isn't going to teach you how to build a wall for our borders or
save the lives of people once they get that new virus thats popped up in the Congo. Boy you
need to start focusing on whats real, like these terrorists and how we are the verge of another
recession, I knew that damn Commi president would cause something bad to happen. Now
Derrick I'm sure that book has some gems in it. Mrs Marshall was starting to realize where she
was. Tyler is going to change the world for the better she smiled. It was such a shame that Mrs
Marshall had developed such an addiction to benzos and television, when she was in the
present moment she was such a joy to be around. But when you're caged inside a house with
no purpose other then to make sure that the box is clean and well managed then I can
understand why someone would resort to such distractions. Thanks Mom replied Tyler. I just
wanted to let you guys know that I'm going camping with Michael and his family this weekend,
we are going up to the Jefferson Mountains. Camping? You camp? inquired Mr Marshall Boy
maybe theres still some hope in you! Of course, you can go just make sure you kill something, if
you're going to act like a man you better do it right. The Sean Dimwitty hour was back on so
that was the extent of Mr Marshall`s thoughts on the matter, he resumed to listening about the
latest news regarding the Plains Virus. Oh Tyler you just be careful out there. Im sure
Michael`s family will make everything safe and fun. After that nice sentimental moment the
family returned to their roles, Mr Marshall went to work to deal with the business owner who he
was sure of committed arson, Mrs Marshall went about her Xanax induced cleaning spree while
her latest show played in the background and Tyler went to school wondering if anything would
ever change.

It was late afternoon, the weekend was in full effect and Tyler packed his car full of what
he thought he would need. A festival? Like what a rave? Is everyone just going to be trashed
and trying to get laid? Tyler had never been to anything remotely close to a festival or rave, his
Dad always told him if he went he would get roofied and raped and his mom was always scared
that he would take a drug and join a cult. Driving up the winding road into the mountains Tyler
was infused with anxiety and wonder, each thought he had seemed to be more intense. The
light reflecting through the trees seemed to filter the terrain in such a way where he felt as
though he was in a painting. Life had meaning. It could've been a number of things that brought
on this perspective, deceiving his family, his brother showing up after 4 years. He didn't know
what to expect but thats what made him go, the structure of school, his room, the street he grew
up on, the town he lived in, the flag he said the pledge of allegiance to everyday, he was
beginning to wonder if there was anything beyond the repetitive structure of his life. He felt like
his existence was already planned out for him and he was just going through the motions.
Maybe thats why he gravitated to all the fantasy novels and video games when he was younger.
He knew there was something more, and even if it was just going to be a weekend with a bunch
of burnouts and his brother, the feeling he was getting from deviating from the status quo was
enough where he didn't care where he ended up.
Well the GPS says its only a few more miles, as Tyler began to ascend the mountain
where the festival was being held he noticed a heart with an American flag hung on a tree. At
first he thought he was hallucinating but then he saw another one, this time with the the flag of
Israel on a heart, then of Palestine, then of Russia. He was wondering why there was such
diplomacy scattered in the trees. As he continued up the mountain road he began to see dead
presidents with their faces painted, from Theodore Roosevelt having a heart on his cheek to
Abraham Lincoln with a third eye on his forehead. He then began to see colors of every hue
scattered amongst the branches of the trees. The sky was beginning to show its twilight feelings

and the trees were accompanying it with their own refraction of the transitional light. The last
mile up the road Tyler felt as though he was in some wormhole, or like that scene in Willy
Wonka and the chocolate factory when they ride the boat through the tunnel and everything
seems to be alien from reality. What was happening? He was almost to the summit when he
could hear something faint, he didn't know if it was his heart beating with anticipation or if there
was something wrong with his car. It was a pulse, a constant pulse, unst, unst, unst, unst. He
realized it wasn`t his heart nor the car but a drum. The beat was being carried from the apex of
the mountain to the forests below. To him it signaled the beginning. Of what? Life.

The rays of the late spring sun were disappearing behind the mountains to the west, the
high mountain sunset was imbued with vermillion and amber waves below and the stars in the
light blue zenith began to appear. You never see anything like it in the city, Ahead Tyler saw
lights reflecting through the trees, a rainbow of color emanating from the forest. He pulled up to
a toll booth which was manned by two people that looked like they were pagans that just came
out of a paint ball game. The blending of color with primal fabrics radiated as though they were
stewards of the colored forest. Hey there sunshine smiled a girl. Um hi said Tyler anxiously,
I'm here for the event. The event is here for you too! beamed a man with glitter in his beard.
Head on in and park your car to the left. Have a wonderful time buddy! Um thanks said Tyler
Do I need to pay you anything? Pay? the two laughed. You`ve paid enough already friend, go
have fun! The two beckoned him forward and Tyler hesitantly drove on. The sound of the drum
got louder.

Once Tyler got out of the car he began to see people in the parking lot with euphoric
demeanors. Cheers of joy and friends holding hands as they began to trek into the forest. Tyler
didn't recognize anyone, everyone was a different, height, weight, color. Girls with flowers in

their hair to men in body suits ornate with lights and everything in between. It was like a
pantheon of humanity ascending into some unknown jungle. What is going on he thought.
Where did all these people come from? No way they're all from Franklinville.. As Tyler followed
along the path of all the eclectic deities he noticed a sign above the entrance to the festival. It
was of a heart with words inscribed in it that said Be Here Now. Am I dying? What is this
place? A girl came along side Tyler, her face was painted with accents of gold and aquamarine,
she wore a toga with angels wings on the back. Hey friend you look a little lost, hold on one
second. She grabbed some paint and gave him some markings on his face, then she grabbed
some angel wings from her friend and gave them to him. Its ok to fly here she smiled. I must
be dying thought Tyler. How is this possible? Thank you he stuttered. No worries pal, see you
in there! She skipped ahead moving in sync with the sound of the drum as she howled into the
sky.
As Tyler moved through the forest he began to see something through the trees, it was a
grove filled with colors and outlines of people. That was the source of the drum. As he got closer
to the colors, sounds, and people he began to hear cheers of euphoria mixed in with the
melodies of compassion. The drum had companions now. As he flowed through the trees and
broke through into the grow he saw something that he would only imagine in a dream. In the
center of the grove was a giant construct in the form of a free, the branches sprawled out unto
every direction and they were lined with a variety of lights that changed with the music. In the
center of the tree was a face. This was an alter, err I mean stage of the festival. Inside the tree
was the silhouette of whoever was channeling the sound and emotion that was permeating
through the grove and transforming everything is touched. In the foreground of this grove there
were more constructs that were at least 30 feet tall as he got closer he began to recognize
them. One was the son of god who died for our sins, another was the jovial boddhisatva of the
East. A plethora of hindu and pagan deities accompanied them. Surrounding them were

symbols of Judaism and Islam, and around that there were flags of all the nations under the
Sun. The world`s stage was set and the players were dancing their hearts out.
On the edges of the grove there were vendors of various things, well I guess vendor is
the wrong word here because people weren't paying for their merchandise. Varying from
tapestries to kombucha the reagents of this union were meant to amplify the the environment.
To encourage the self to become one with the self. Tyler approached one of the vendors whose
booth said More than Midas A man that looked as though he had lived a thousands lives was
handing out necklaces with stone pendants. Hey there buddy he beamed You look like you're
in the need for a grounding stone! Seeing as that you don't have one, take mine. Its served me
well enough and I have plenty more memories to make. He removed an amber pendant from
his neck. This is Smoky Quartz my friend, it will help you along the way. Along the way to
what? ask Tyler. Anywhere and everywhere you wish to go. smiled the Sage of Stones. You are
in control. You always have been. DUDE WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING thought Tyler. I
don't understand, what is going on, is this life? Why do all of these people remind me of my
childhood friends as well my dead grandparents and everything in between. Be here now he
heard behind his shoulder, it was a girl that seemed to be in a trance of some sort, she was
garnished in leaves and enchanted with glitter all over her skin. She looked like a fairy, Be here
now she said again. She opened her eyes and starred right into Tyler. Thats a beautiful stone
she remarked, and I love your wings. Thank you, I love your leaves where did you get them?
He inquired. Wherever leaves come from I suppose she smirked. She perked her head and
looked towards the ever-changing tree in the center of the grove. Oh man I think Orpheus is on.
Orpheus? asked Tyler. One of the best musicians I have ever heard, have you seen him? No I
havent. He remarked. Well my friend, lets go pay him a visit. She smiled and grabbed Tyler
by the hand leading him towards the vertex of the grove.

The sound resonating from with tree was an ethereal melody accompanied by the pulse
of 4 to floor kick drum, the foundation of it all. Like Moses his fairy friend parted the red sea of
deities that were celebrating the the sounds of the moment. The spectacle of people that were
moving and smiling was something that no museum or encyclopedia could define. People
dawned the attire of all that had ever been, past, present, future, they were all here celebrating
eternity with one another. From Caesar to Michael Jackson, Athena to Pocahontas. How did
people get these costumes? They're Flawless. Tyler saw Michael Jordan and Mark Twain two
stepping together while Cleopatra and Nikola Tesla were engaging in an intimate tango. The
crowd opened up a little bit because Pikachu was spinning fire while angels and nymphs
danced around him. Is this really happening? thought Tyler. How? Be here now, he felt a tug on
his arm. His navigator smiled at him and they went closer to the stage. Now the Dj was
beginning to transition the sound of the moment into something monumental, the stream of
synths began to fade into ambiance and the pulse of the drum slowed down. It seemed as if
time was following their lead and each breathe felt like eternity.
Slower..Slower.Slowerthe sea of deities laughed and mimicked the metaphysical
hymn as it got closer and closer. Slower.CloserSlower.Closer. They were moving
towards the edge of eternity which seemed to be just like the top of a waterfall. Closer they got,
everyone began to look at one another in a deep-rooted way, as though the universe was
gazing at itself through its reflection in the void. Finally the rhythm reached a stand still. The
ambient waves had faded and all that was left was the drum. It was the same sound that Tyler
heard just as he was transcending unto the mountain. UNST..UNSTUNST..UNST. The
feeling of the eternity was vibrating through everything that was in the grove. Everyone and
everything was one. Tyler looked up into the sky as a newborn looking into their parents eyes
for the first time. as above, so below. Shall we? BOOOM ORPHEUS SMASHED HIS LYRE
INTO THE VOID and the beat ensued. Cries of divine pandemonium swept through the grove

and echoed through the forest, all the deities rejoiced at the continuation, the progression, the
movement of the moment. Life was in full force and the vibration of the celebration transcended
everyone there into something more than what they thought they were.
Tyler`s companion seemed to be channeling the forces of nature with her movements.
They went closer to the tree. Tyler tried to say something, anything. but words eluded him. He
tried to think something rational, he tried to abstract this moment and define it, box it into
something and tuck it away into his psychological strongbox. Words and abstractions were no
good here. He couldn't define anything, pick anything apart, it was all one. He just moved and
felt the moment, the energy, the reflections of the divinity cascading down the slopes of eternity.
LIFE WAS HERE LIFE WAS NOW. LOVE WAS HERE LOVE WAS NOW. All the flags of all the
nations bellowed in the distance, the deities of history embraced one another and danced. As
they got closer to the tree Tyler was beginning to see Orpheus, with a crown of roses on his
head and a beard imbued with flowers. A smile as big as the cosmos he was in a trance, like a
shaman summoning the elements of existence he conjured up euphoria. Tyler began to stare at
him more and more, this man was the embodiment of love, of compassion, of hope. He looks
like someone I`ve known all my life. Time stopped once again, Tyler felt a rush of eudaemonia
and then it hit him. Orpheus opened his eyes from his trance and looked directly at Tyler. They
locked eyes and the fusion of energy between their gazes lit up everything within space and
time. Tyler began to cry and Duncan began to laugh. It all makes sense. We all make sense.