GetDotted Domains

Viewing Thread:
"The Edge of Existence (A short story)"

The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.

Wed 03/03/04 at 20:23
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
For sixty years it had remained - buried deep in this ageless earth. I was fifty again and it was time to return to the marsh beyond the gates, time to return to the mighty oak that served as a marker to the edge of the existence, and dig far beneath its roots. There I would find it, untouched by human hands for six decades, my secret, the greatest secret in the history of time.

Once more my hair had begun to thin and the lines on my face had grown in number and depth. I was certain that this was earlier this time than last, but I’d been in my twenties between 1964 and 1984, and I’d made the most of it. I looked much older than my assumed age this time, and was beginning to have doubts about its powers. At forty-five I’d considered returning, but it had served so well over the centuries, that I was sure that it had been the abuse I had subjected my body to. Had I have drunk from it at forty-five I could have gone back to fifteen, and there were a whole lot of changes taking place back then that I certainly didn’t want to go through again, and definitely not in reverse.

This latest lifetime had been something of a success. It’s amazing what a man with the centuries of experience I have can do in the body of a young man. Of course, in those first 30 years I have to keep moving, only spending a few years in any one location. Whilst the regeneration process works in exact opposite to the ageing process - people tend to notice if you look better over the years and not worse. It was in these first 30 years that I made my fortune. I knew people, and could see their weaknesses. Whilst people will say we’ve evolved into more intelligent beings over the centuries, I disagree. Those same scams that worked in 1650 still worked in 1950, only it was easier, people seemed to be easier to dupe, they seemed to believe that they were owed a living, so getting them to hand over their savings, promising so much more in return was simple. By the mid 60’s I was considerably wealthy, and so used to running, that I knew I’d never get caught – after all, as the years passed the authorities went looking for an older version of me, not a younger one. When I was back in my twenties again, I no longer sought money, but spend it like it was going out of fashion. Drink, drugs, gambling, parties, I had it all, and made the most of it. Never had there been times like it, and I thought I could do it forever. But then I made the second greatest mistake of my lives. I fell in love again.

It was 1972, and I was 22. Still two years before the regeneration process was complete and I’d start to age again, but not so far away that it would be a problem. Her name was Linda, and she never wore a bra. We met when she ran over my foot in her VW Beetle. She was so sorry, so I said I’d forgive her if she let me take her out. I never planned to fall in love with her, I thought I knew people so well, that nothing could surprise me anymore. One day, as we walked along the beach she ran into the sea, fully clothed, when she emerged she ran up to me, threw her wet arms around me and kissed me. It was this spontaneity that made me fall for her.

We lived together for thirty-two years, until I was fifty, and twenty-five of those were the happiest of all of my times, but the memory of Mary tore me apart in those last years. Mary was my greatest mistake. Mary was the first girl I ever loved. Mary was the one girl I swore I’d never leave. In 1804, on a stormy night, I’d taken Mary beyond the gates, through the marsh, to the marker of the edge of existence. As I dug, she danced, catching rainbow droplets of this most amazing rain on her tongue. I dug deeper than ever before, the shifting roots of the oak had tried to take it deep into the earth. I dug so deep, I could no longer see Mary dancing in the rain at the edge of the existence. When I returned with it, she was gone. Thunder cracked in the air like the laughter of demons, and I knew she’d been taken, pulled from the edge of existence into the darkness that threatened me every time I returned here.

I stood on the edge for the longest of times. I called out to it, called for it to take me into the darkness too, but the skies continued to laugh, and did not come. It was then that the light shone down on the gates, and I knew they would not come. I drunk from the cup that never emptied and returned to safety. I wanted to go on, to see the coming ages of man, I knew I could forget her, as hard as it would be, after all, I had all of the time in the world.

I had forgotten her, and for so many moons, until this time, when my body started to show signs of age again. I knew I’d have to return soon, and that I’d have to leave Linda behind. I couldn’t take her with me, not after Mary, and I couldn’t very well be de-ageing whilst she grew old and died. I left last week, giving her no reason, telling her only that I had to go, that I loved her, and that she could never truly understand.

I returned to the gates, and passed through them, to the mighty oak that signal the edge of existence. I dug deep, deeper than ever before to find it. I held it in my hands when I suddenly realised something so very simple. I didn’t have to drink. I could leave it there and return to Linda. I could tell her everything. I could grow old, and eventually die. And perhaps, for the first time, I could also live?
Tue 09/03/04 at 14:26
Regular
"RIP: Brian Clough"
Posts: 10,491
Maverick42 wrote:
> It won't be long until Forest Fan storms in here, bashing his bible,
> and telling us that the only way to immortality is by doing exactly
> what he says.

No, only on my own messageboard Maverick42.
Tue 09/03/04 at 14:15
Regular
"Going nowhere fast"
Posts: 6,574
The man is portrayed with such depth of character!

> Her name was Linda, and she never wore a bra.

Loved it.
Tue 09/03/04 at 13:28
Regular
Posts: 760
"I could tell her everything. I could grow old, and eventually die. And perhaps, for the first time, I could also live?"

I'd stick with eternal life, to be frank. (Who's Frank?)
Mon 08/03/04 at 18:30
Regular
Posts: 13,611
It won't be long until Forest Fan storms in here, bashing his bible, and telling us that the only way to immortality is by doing exactly what he says.
Mon 08/03/04 at 18:01
Regular
"Bicycle"
Posts: 4,899
Awwww... So poigntant.

Or however you spell it.

I mean good and touching. By the way.
Mon 08/03/04 at 17:56
Regular
"interconnectedness"
Posts: 14
I would like to point out at this juncture that I know the secret of immortal life. However it contains far too much cabbage and colonic irrigations for my liking.

Cool story by the way. And astonishingly accurate...
Sat 06/03/04 at 07:56
Regular
"Laughingstock"
Posts: 3,522
Cool story. If only I could get my hands on that thing
Thu 04/03/04 at 16:48
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
(OBVIOUS POP)

Thank you - I wanted to keep it short, under 1000 words, so rather going into too much detail about every little step, I kind of tried to capture the essence of the thing.

I'm putting this one aside for a while now, I think there's more I can do with it, so I'll come back to it at a later date.
Wed 03/03/04 at 20:29
Regular
"tokyo police club"
Posts: 12,540
Nice little story there, Meka, but not the kind that i could write myself.

When i begun to read it, i had doubts over whther you could pull off this 'fountain of youth' thing, but you did it by not going into much detail - sometimes, less is far, far more.
Wed 03/03/04 at 20:23
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
For sixty years it had remained - buried deep in this ageless earth. I was fifty again and it was time to return to the marsh beyond the gates, time to return to the mighty oak that served as a marker to the edge of the existence, and dig far beneath its roots. There I would find it, untouched by human hands for six decades, my secret, the greatest secret in the history of time.

Once more my hair had begun to thin and the lines on my face had grown in number and depth. I was certain that this was earlier this time than last, but I’d been in my twenties between 1964 and 1984, and I’d made the most of it. I looked much older than my assumed age this time, and was beginning to have doubts about its powers. At forty-five I’d considered returning, but it had served so well over the centuries, that I was sure that it had been the abuse I had subjected my body to. Had I have drunk from it at forty-five I could have gone back to fifteen, and there were a whole lot of changes taking place back then that I certainly didn’t want to go through again, and definitely not in reverse.

This latest lifetime had been something of a success. It’s amazing what a man with the centuries of experience I have can do in the body of a young man. Of course, in those first 30 years I have to keep moving, only spending a few years in any one location. Whilst the regeneration process works in exact opposite to the ageing process - people tend to notice if you look better over the years and not worse. It was in these first 30 years that I made my fortune. I knew people, and could see their weaknesses. Whilst people will say we’ve evolved into more intelligent beings over the centuries, I disagree. Those same scams that worked in 1650 still worked in 1950, only it was easier, people seemed to be easier to dupe, they seemed to believe that they were owed a living, so getting them to hand over their savings, promising so much more in return was simple. By the mid 60’s I was considerably wealthy, and so used to running, that I knew I’d never get caught – after all, as the years passed the authorities went looking for an older version of me, not a younger one. When I was back in my twenties again, I no longer sought money, but spend it like it was going out of fashion. Drink, drugs, gambling, parties, I had it all, and made the most of it. Never had there been times like it, and I thought I could do it forever. But then I made the second greatest mistake of my lives. I fell in love again.

It was 1972, and I was 22. Still two years before the regeneration process was complete and I’d start to age again, but not so far away that it would be a problem. Her name was Linda, and she never wore a bra. We met when she ran over my foot in her VW Beetle. She was so sorry, so I said I’d forgive her if she let me take her out. I never planned to fall in love with her, I thought I knew people so well, that nothing could surprise me anymore. One day, as we walked along the beach she ran into the sea, fully clothed, when she emerged she ran up to me, threw her wet arms around me and kissed me. It was this spontaneity that made me fall for her.

We lived together for thirty-two years, until I was fifty, and twenty-five of those were the happiest of all of my times, but the memory of Mary tore me apart in those last years. Mary was my greatest mistake. Mary was the first girl I ever loved. Mary was the one girl I swore I’d never leave. In 1804, on a stormy night, I’d taken Mary beyond the gates, through the marsh, to the marker of the edge of existence. As I dug, she danced, catching rainbow droplets of this most amazing rain on her tongue. I dug deeper than ever before, the shifting roots of the oak had tried to take it deep into the earth. I dug so deep, I could no longer see Mary dancing in the rain at the edge of the existence. When I returned with it, she was gone. Thunder cracked in the air like the laughter of demons, and I knew she’d been taken, pulled from the edge of existence into the darkness that threatened me every time I returned here.

I stood on the edge for the longest of times. I called out to it, called for it to take me into the darkness too, but the skies continued to laugh, and did not come. It was then that the light shone down on the gates, and I knew they would not come. I drunk from the cup that never emptied and returned to safety. I wanted to go on, to see the coming ages of man, I knew I could forget her, as hard as it would be, after all, I had all of the time in the world.

I had forgotten her, and for so many moons, until this time, when my body started to show signs of age again. I knew I’d have to return soon, and that I’d have to leave Linda behind. I couldn’t take her with me, not after Mary, and I couldn’t very well be de-ageing whilst she grew old and died. I left last week, giving her no reason, telling her only that I had to go, that I loved her, and that she could never truly understand.

I returned to the gates, and passed through them, to the mighty oak that signal the edge of existence. I dug deep, deeper than ever before to find it. I held it in my hands when I suddenly realised something so very simple. I didn’t have to drink. I could leave it there and return to Linda. I could tell her everything. I could grow old, and eventually die. And perhaps, for the first time, I could also live?

Freeola & GetDotted are rated 5 Stars

Check out some of our customer reviews below:

First Class!
I feel that your service on this occasion was absolutely first class - a model of excellence. After this, I hope to stay with Freeola for a long time!
My website looks tremendous!
Fantastic site, easy to follow, simple guides... impressed with whole package. My website looks tremendous. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to set this up, Freeola helps you step-by-step.
Susan

View More Reviews

Need some help? Give us a call on 01376 55 60 60

Go to Support Centre
Feedback Close Feedback

It appears you are using an old browser, as such, some parts of the Freeola and Getdotted site will not work as intended. Using the latest version of your browser, or another browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera will provide a better, safer browsing experience for you.