Murder Recall

Earthquake

"You know, I'm not even 100% sure my name is Roger Wilson," the man in the top hat was saying, "I'm worried about that, what will become of me when all my memory is gone? Why is this happening to me, to us, because I can see that I am not the only one. If people were dying, wouldn't there be funerals and such? Wouldn't there be more people in the cemeteries or if not, then more cemeteries? Maybe my love died and I have blocked it from recall because I miss her so much. I want my memories of her back."

"There has been a war. Are you aware of that?" Maya asked. Roger had a puzzled expression so Maya continued, "Recently. We have both lived through it and are dealing with the results. We are the bystanders, civilians not directly involved in battle. As far as I can tell, most of us do not know exactly who is against who. Sophisticated artificial intelligence is operating on all sides. Weather has been weaponized. Earth is suffering and going through great change."

"Can a planet suffer?" Roger asked.

"You see?" Maya answered, "You are unable to recall details of your life that are self-defining events of your ego; however, realize memory is implicit in the question you just asked." Again, Roger had a confused expression and Maya elaborated, "The concept of a planet and the concept of suffering rely on your memory. To know is to remember. You learned what a planet is and you learned what suffering is, now you remember what they are and are able to ask that question. You don't remember all the details of experience when you remember something, but all the details are inherent in memory. For instance when you remember what an apple is, you are not aware of all the details that form that memory. All the details you have experienced come together in the concept of an apple."

Maya continued, "Now to answer your question. My answer is yes, although the majority of people would likely think 'no'. Let me ask you this: is the Earth alive? Because I assume all living things can and do suffer."

Roger answered, "I never thought of the Earth as alive. I'm not even sure what you mean by that. You're getting me to think, which I suppose is a strategy of mental health." He smiled and so did Maya in response. Then Roger said, "Living things have a concept of self, don't they? Does the Earth have a concept of self?"

"Let's assume that it does," Maya replied, "The Earth's concept of self may not be anything we could understand, or relate to what our concept of Earth is. Like the cells in our body. If they have a sense of self, which it seems they must in order to function, what would their sense of us be like compared to our own identity?"

Roger was thinking and after some moments of quiet, Maya asked, "Why do you wear a top hat?"

Roger replied, "I put it on whenever I wake up. I didn't always of course. I started quite awhile ago in order to be more noticeable. Why was I wanting to attract attention? I used to work for a theatrical wardrobe company! I used to work with my girlfriend, my love. Some things are coming back!"

Maya and Roger were walking together along the lakeshore on a little known path in the park. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The sky above them was clear. Suddenly, they both felt something and turned to each other. The ground was vibrating beneath them. After a moment it ended. After a few minutes, the vibrations started again and this time lasted about an hour. Everything was shaking. It was an earthquake! The lake became choppy with chaotic waves. Neither Maya, nor Roger, had experience of earthquakes and they didn't know what to do, so they sat on the ground, silently and waited. When the calmness returned, they still stayed where they were and waited.

Roger broke the silence, "It's over. Something happened somewhere."

"Far away," Maya said. There didn't seem to be any damage and they walked to the street, hungry. No one at all was around and that gave Maya an eerie feeling because she had never seen the city so deserted.