THE MOMENT
"In the cosmos's silent cradle, before the birth of stars and the stitching of galaxies, there existed two forces born from the ether to embody balance and duality. They were the universe's first children, brothers wrought from cosmic dust and nebular dreams, destined to play roles larger than life itself...," Kwame had only begun his story when he was interrupted.
"Sorry I'm late!" A young woman with orange-red hair and a black leather jacket emerged from a portal into the kitchen. She smiled at the four occupants already there and approached the table with a bottle of wine. "Hi, I'm Gia, Disaster's soon-to-be sister-in-law," she introduced herself to the two strangers.
"A pleasure," the red-haired woman with glasses nodded at Gia. "I'm Claudia."
"Kwame Boateng," Kwame introduced himself with a warm smile.
"Kwame just started sharing some of the myths of the multiverse with us," Gavin, Gia's brother, added as Gia took a seat at the table.
"Oh yeah? Please, keep going," Gia nodded at Kwame. "Wait, what'd I miss?" she asked.
"Two brothers were born at the beginning of time," Disaster said.
"Got it, I'm caught up," Gia giggled and gave her attention to Kwame.
"The universe, in its infancy, was a canvas of pure potential, yearning for definition and contrast. The elder brother saw this emptiness as a foundation for creation, a space for galaxies, stars, and life to flourish. The younger perceived it as the ultimate expression of freedom, an endless realm for exploration and adventure," Kwame said. He was a gifted speaker and the other four were taken in by his low, smooth voice.
"This difference in vision sowed the seeds of rivalry between them. The cosmos, their playground, became the stage for a monumental contest of wills. They agreed on a challenge that would forever determine the dominator of their dual forces. This contest was not of brute strength or cunning but of tenacity and endurance, a game that mirrored the balance they sought to embody. Thus was born the Celestial Duel, a competition manifesting as the simplest yet most profound of contests."
Kwame paused to take a drink and allow for questions. None came and he continued.
"The game was set in an arena with boundaries defined by the edges of a single universe. They traveled across the universe from edge to edge, attempting to maximize their score. As they played, their actions echoed through the cosmos, giving rise to the rhythmic pulsing of stars, the dance of galaxies, and the very cycle of life and death. With each bump and bounce, they created and destroyed, their game a metaphor for the cosmic balance."
Kwame paused again before continuing.
"As the duel continued, it became clear that no victor would emerge. Their strength was evenly matched, their resolve unbreakable. Over time, the brothers would see what the universe became from their actions and realize the nature of reality. Their endless competition maintained the balance. If either one of them won, the universe would cease to exist."
"Wow, I'm so glad Disaster invited you guys over for dinner," Gavin said. "I feel like we're going to learn a lot tonight. If you don't mind sharing, that is," he added. Kwame shook his head.
"Not at all. It brings me joy to share the stories I've learned," he said.
"What were their names?" Gia asked. "Did they have names, or are just, 'The Brothers'?"
"This is an ancient myth that's mostly been forgotten across the multiverse. I found very few instances, and of the ones I did find, each Earth gave them different names....," Kwame continued his explanation as he clicked his pen and began drawing something on a napkin. It didn't take very long, and he handed it to Gia.
"I've taken to calling them... ," he used the pen to point at each line respectively. A short, single line on the left side of the napkin with a long dotted line in the center, and another matching short single line on the right. "Lefty and Righty," He looked up and met Gia's eyes with the same flatly serious expression he held during the entire explanation.
"What?" Gia stared at the napkin, then she looked back at Kwame in confusion. He smiled and reached forward to complete the picture for her by filling in a single dot between the long dotted line and the small right bar.
"AAuuugh! You totally had me going!" she was frustratingly amused and the rest of the table broke out into laughter too. Kwame sat back with a broad smile.
"Me too," Gavin admitted, and even Disaster nodded with a laugh.
"Claudia said you were a good speaker; but, she never said you were a great liar."
"Well, I do know how to keep a secret," Claudia defended herself and Kwame shrugged.
"Although we are familiar with the modern version of Pong, it does not mean that myth did not happen. Coincidences abound in the multiverse," he said. "It hosts an infinite number of stories."
"So, can you share a real myth with us?" Gia asked.
"I would like to share another," he nodded. "Let me tell you of Anansi....,"