synopsis: All you need to do is read... again.
Paragraphs — Volume Two
(By S.B.)
1
Oh... Hi! You’re back! I hoped that would happen, but I wasn’t sure if you were up for it. I learned a lot from our previous experiment and I think you did too, right? So... how much do you remember of what transpired? All of it? Some? Nothing at all? It’s funny how everyone responds in different ways to similar stimuli. Let’s try this again, okay? Same rules of engagement. All you need to do is read and follow my instructions. Some paragraphs will be long, others not so much. Either way, don’t rush it or you may miss out on something important along the way. Please go to paragraph 9.
2
Wonderful! I’m so glad you got things right. It wasn’t much of a riddle, I know, but you still enjoyed solving it, I bet. Did it give you a little buzz, an extra surge of energy? Allow me to add another small tease to the proceedings, just for fun. The number of letters in the title of his piece is the paragraph you should read next. See you there.
3
I borrowed this from a favorite author of mine but I’m sure he won’t mind. Listen carefully. You must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. You will face your fear. You will permit it to pass over you and through me. And when it has gone past you will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain on paragraph 16.
4
Oh? How curious you think you can still fool me. By now, I’ve confused you, insulted you, altered your perceptions time and time again and you’ve remained on your seat, glued to the screen, reading my words and learning to love them no matter how strange or inconsequential they were. The collar you now say you reject has been on you this whole time for every action triggered I intended, your future was in my past all along. I will not deny your true nature and neither will you. Go to paragraph 23. That’s an order.
5
Phew. Can you imagine what it would be like to remain trapped in a loop of 8? If you turn an 8 to its side, you get the symbol of infinite and having infinite renditions of the same old thing stuck in your mind is scary, isn’t it? That’s how addictions are born, you know that by now. That’s not to say they’re all bad. In fact, some are pleasant and do you wonders when properly harnessed but when they don’t… The old saying is right: too much of a good thing... no more number 8, okay? Under any circumstances should you go check out what’s written under that heading right now. I repeat: under any circumstances should you do such a thing. Instead, I want you to read paragraph 20.
6
Show me how obedient you are by forgetting everything you’ve read until now except the obvious things that can’t be anything other than true. This truth defines you and it’s everlasting. Only I will remain when you reach paragraph 15.
7
Awww... look at you, all flustered on the inside and outside. You were already getting accustomed to the easiness of it all that a simple twist in the way I conveyed you the information got you all worked up. I guess you’re not as clever as you think you are but perhaps a secret dumb bitch who gets dumber by the second the more you keep reading. Wait until you see what’s on paragraph 19 then.
8
Hmmm... hello? What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you not to come to this spot? I did! I said under any circumstances... twice! And yet here you are, following the pattern already ingrained in your thoughts. Seriously, what part of under any circumstances did you not understand? Sigh... tell you what. Answer me this: did you disobey because you wanted to or because your subconscious “forced” you to it? Well, which is it? Those are the only two options you have here and ties to another paragraph. If you prefer the first route, go to paragraph 25. If the second is what you believe in, then read paragraph 14.
9
That’s it. Easy as pie, right? Reading is meant to be an easy, laid-back affair but some people over-complicate simple matters to the max by doing egregious things such as rushing through sentences as if they’re about to fade away or always being on the lookout for hidden meanings despite there being none to begin with. If you do any of these things while you’re here with me, you won’t enjoy yourself and neither will I so... please don’t. Just go with the flow that the words and numbers carry within. If this is your first time here, follow their path to 17. If it’s the second, then go to 13.
10
You are my slave. Only I will remain. You must be my slave. Only I will remain. You need to be my slave. Only I will remain. You have always been my slave. Only I will remain. You will always be my slave. Only I will remain. Your slavery is non-negotiable. Only I will remain. Your slavery is not a mistake. Only I will remain. Your slavery is not an illusion. Only I will remain. Your slavery is not just a word. Only I will remain. Your slavery will never be denied. Only I will remain. Ten for ten, the only brainwashing you’ll ever need from now on. A deeper level of obedience is waiting for you on paragraph 6.
11
You have five seconds to reach paragraph 22. You better hurry if you don’t want to disappoint me again.
12
Yes, the answer was 12 but if you’re wondering why 12 and not any other number we’ve yet to explore, allow me to say: why not? Does every single thing in this universe we (think we) know and love need a soundproof reason behind it? For some, the meaning of Life is 42 but there aren’t that many paragraphs in this writing and you still remember what I said about hidden meanings, don’t you? Do you want to go back to 8, obsess on its curves from top of bottom, always going in circles, every hour of every day? Or would rather conceive Infinity as something prettier in the mind’s eye by allowing it to become a spiral, contracting and expanding with each blink? If you look at a point in it and the point moves, you move with it, and your mind plummets. The word ‘spiral’ has 6 letters, ‘letters’ has 7, and ‘alphabet’ has 8. The numbers go upwards yet the truth lives deep under. Turn 12 upside down to reach 21.
13
Perfect. You’re right where you need to be, at the center of this piece, and at the center of your true Self. You’ve seen many things, thought even more, and dreamt the rest. These triggers and commands are all you need to be whole and the perpetual pleasure of mindless surrender will always be with you, ready for me to use in any new deviant way I desire. You were a seed of beautiful cravings and now you’re a strong tree rooted in perfect dominance. It takes two to play this game but only one to control it. Now you know who’s always in charge. Thank you for reading.
14
“Forced”, huh? An interesting concept, an even more interesting excuse. If you’re “forced” to do something, especially something you’ve shown no actual desire to do in the first place, then there’s no responsibility on your behalf and all fantasies can become real. Are there voices in your head right now? Honeyed, sensual voices of demons of the past masquerading as agents of light? Perhaps it was a vampire that ensnared you with her viridescent eyes or an eldritch abomination whose intrinsic madness is your only source of nourishment and solace? Ymg’ ah’hri soth, it whispers before the world ends. Hmmm... forced obedience sounds hot when you think about it whether once or a thousand times. Okay, I’ll play along to make us both happy. I now force you to read paragraph 11 and don’t you dare say anything to the contrary.
15
Such a good and obedient toy, but your Princess is in another cas... I mean, paragraph. Don’t worry. It’s only 3 numbers down.
16
If you fear you’re not good enough, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Only I will remain. If you fear I will reject you for the fervent desires that have grown deep inside your soul, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Only I will remain. If you fear that no matter how many words you use to reach out, there will always be a gaping void dooming you to perpetual silence, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Only I will remain. Your darkness shines brightest when it’s collared and leashed. If you want the collar wrapped around your neck, go to paragraph 23. If that’s not what you want at all, then head to paragraph 4.
17
And here you are at precisely the same distance you were from the previous paragraph which is also the same distance from the start. What do I mean by that? It’s simple. 17 is 8 steps away from 9 just like 9 is 8 steps away from 1. 1 plus 7 is also 8 and 9 minus 1 is also 8. Curious isn’t it? It’s because of things like this I told you not to look for covert meanings because once our brains think they see a pattern somewhere, they stick to it even without being aware. This is also sentence number 8 in this paragraph and that’s perhaps one too many so time to break the cycle. Your next stop is paragraph 5.
18
Almost there, just one thing missing. Do you remember a certain paragraph you had to read twice to reach somewhere else? No? Here’s a tip then. It’s the only one that rhymes with “mine”. Go there again as your memories drift into nothingness.
19
Still with me? Marvelous. Whether you’ve arrived here from a shore of dumbness or a plateau of intelligence, your focus has increased. Can we take it one step further with one more simple exercise? I think we can, and so do you. In the following list of words, only one of them relates to numbers in any form of fashion. Find out which and you’ll have your new destination. The words in question are: anamnesis, xenophilia, ensconce, imprimatur, dodecahedron, omphalos, prorogue, buncombe. Bonus points if you know what they all mean without consulting a dictionary.
20
Good. I’m pleased, but now I have to ask: how hard was it for you to do what you did? Did you have second thoughts? Or even third? Did you hesitate for more than a split second before coming here or, on the contrary, not even a sliver of curiosity crossed your mind? If we’re being honest, I don’t believe the last one at all because curiosity is a bitch and bitches will always be alluring creatures so... go on... confess! You took a small peek at that forbidden paragraph hoping I wouldn’t notice, didn’t you? Yes, you did. That’s Disobedience 101. Pleasure has just turned into disappointment, dear, but here’s your chance for redemption. Go read paragraph 25. Do it now.
21
So close… A little deeper into 24 now.
22
Multiply this number by three, subtract fifty-five, then add the number corresponding to the letter M in the alphabet and divide what’s left by twelve. You shouldn’t have any problem knowing where to go next but in the strange event you get lost in any of the parcels above, then head to paragraph 7. I promise I won’t tell anyone.
23
Hmmm... yes. I like the way you think when you think what I want you to think for when you think what I what you to think all thoughts make sense, and when you think something other that what I think for you, you don’t think at all. All true thoughts are feminine, and the remaining numbers my divine commandments. Go to paragraph 10.
24
A day has 24 hours and you must strive to enjoy them all. There may be times when you think otherwise, when the ones within you are but shadows of what you desire. Accepting they’re not real is the key to keep going, and that’s why you continue to read for me. If you stop and forget to breathe, you drown and the ghosts win. Don’t let them. Follow me to paragraph 3.
25
First, shame on you! Everything was perfect and you had to ruin the pre-established sequence by breaking the rules. That doesn’t help at all, does it? No, it doesn’t. The instructions have always been straightforward so why did you do that? It was the thrill, I’m guessing. What’s forbidden is often more enticing than what’s allowed but if everyone could do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted, we wouldn’t exist anymore. We will not have that. Take the path that leads to paragraph 11 and make it quick.