Almighty Doubt

The Genesis laboratory was hectic these days. It was the most advanced, well-equipped, and intelligent establishment in the Supremora Galaxy. The biggest project in their history was due in two days, and they still hadn’t achieved the desired outcome. Under the pulsing blue light emitting from the quantum biogenic analyser, Godfrey Willaby, the senior engineer at Genesis, towered over the complicated blueprints, messily arranged on his table. They puzzled him, even though he had drawn them. Godfrey pulled an all-nighter to come up with the next idea for the new world he had been working on. The first five days were a piece of cake. He looked after the source of light on the very first day. The sky came second. He separated the dry land and the seas for some contrast and created the trees and the plants to decorate the new world. The warmth of the sun would keep them happy and thriving. Godfrey thought it would be a good idea to have some sort of lighting at night, so he scattered a few stars over the pitch-black skies and, for further illumination, added the moon. The engineer was happy with his handiwork up to this moment, but it was far from conforming to his standards. On day five of his world-building marathon, Godfrey filled the seas with creatures that swim and the skies with creatures that fly. Now, this virgin world had a bit of life in it. The mastermind was happy enough with what he had done during the past few days, but the closer he got to the end of the project, the more frustrated he felt. He needed to put a final jewel on the crown of his creation. And this is exactly where Godfrey, the greatest creator of all time, was entirely, wholly, and utterly stuck.

‘You want a little break, boss?’ Godfrey’s assistant, Moseth, handed him a hot cup of Ambrosial Flame, a steamy drinkable goodness that kept the engineer’s own flame alight. ‘Need some help?’

Moseth has been Godfrey’s right hand for quite a long time. He was his cheerleader, hot drinks bringer, and administrative problem solver. He also kept written records of the engineer’s research over the years, compiling five volumes already.

‘Sure,’ Godfrey accepted the cup from his companion. ‘I need an idea for a perfect being to inhabit the perfect world that I just created. I have some ideas, but I’m not 100% sure. I’ve been staring at my sketches and notes for eternity, and I still have doubts.’

‘Well, just make them in your own image.’

‘I know I’m one and only, but I want them to be unique.’

‘Hmm.. well, they’d have to be capable of looking after the place they’ll be living in. Intelligence wouldn’t hurt to have either. They’d have to be creative, witty, logical, empathic, loving, spiritual, car…’

‘Wait, wait, wait...,’ Godfrey interrupted. ‘Where did all this come from? I had something simple in mind. Look at what I have designed so far – it’s minimalistic, elegant, and harmonious. I want to keep it this way.’

‘But there’s no fun in that. You have to go all out. It’s a blank canvas out there. You’re the first and greatest artist. You’re the painter. So, paint away!’

‘I know that I have the creative freedom, but I’m under pressure here. Today is the sixth day of me working on this project. I need the final touches to have an everlasting impact. My reputation is at stake after all! I must prove to myself that I can take on big tasks like this one.’

Godfrey started to feel agitated. He took a sip of his drink, realised it had gotten too cold now for his liking, and scrunched up his face in disgust. He angrily put the cup down on the table, nearly splashing its contents on the sketches, and then declared.

‘You know what? I quit’

‘What?’ Godfrey’s assistant looked at him in shock. ‘No, you ccc..cc..ca.can’t’, he stuttered. ‘You’re the best engineer here! You’re the only one who can do it. You have to finish what you’ve started! You can’t abandon almost a week of hard work!’

‘Yes, I can! I do whatever I want with my project. And I quit. It’s too troublesome to create a perfect inhabitant for my world. If it’s anything other than perfect, I don’t want to pursue it.’

‘Look, you’re almighty. I believe in you.’

Godfrey still looked frustrated, but he imagined that warm sun, the sparkling moon, all the beautiful plants, free-spirited birds, and serene sea creatures he created, and he knew that he needed someone a level higher who would have been able to admire it all. Besides, Moseth was right – he’s not a quitter. He felt ashamed of his desperate outburst. Godfrey looked at his assistant, who still stood frozen from shock, and smiled. The soft hum of various devices in the lab further calmed him.

‘So? ‘Creative’, ‘spiritual’ – what else were you saying?’

‘Witty, empathic, intellectual, loving, spiritual, caring…’ Moseth visibly relaxed.

‘I suppose they have to come in all shapes, sizes, and colours to keep things interesting. And they’d live everywhere. Yes, I like that idea.’

‘How long are they going to live for?’

‘Well, as long as possible, I hope. I’ll make sure one generation will continue in the next one and so on. I’ll give them memory and wisdom so they can tell their children about the past. So then this circle of life will last thousands of years.’

‘Oh, that’s very generous of you, Master’

‘Mo, will you pick up a pen and some paper, write down what I’m going to say, and distribute this note to all to get them started? “You shall have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

‘Oh, you’re giving them a lot of power, aren’t you?’

‘I want them to learn the same sense of responsibility and love that I have. I wish them to be creative and fulfil their full potential, by giving them the authority to make important decisions and take care of things themselves.’

‘A fitting choice for your vision. They are the pinnacle of your creation after all.’

Godfrey Willaby’s soul rejoiced, and his eyes were sparkling now as he added the inhabitants to each corner of the world, he gave life to. He believed they would make him feel proud and continue on what he had started. Though he created them, he bestowed a lot of power on them, hoping they would use it fairly and respectfully.

Godfrey gazed at his glorious creation with proud admiration. It now felt complete and had already started to buzz with an energy that only something new could possess. It was filled with promise and an undeniable desire to evolve. Godfrey let go of it now.

‘Do you think they’ll be alright from now on?’

‘They’ll be fine. They have thousands of years to work on it…’

Godfrey Willaby, the greatest engineer of all time, finally felt at ease. The biggest project of his career has been finished, and he couldn’t have been happier. He tried not to feel guilty about the fact that he almost quit. Godfrey gave this brand-new world one last evaluating look and smiled.

‘I guess it’s done, I can rest tomorrow.’

And tomorrow was day seven. All’s right with the world.