Waiting For God

A long, long time ago (give or take a millennium), there lived two cavemen named Oog and Brin. Oog was a typical Neanderthal with a typical Neanderthal outlook on life. The entire extent of Oog's education was that Oog should always carry a big stick. With his big stick, Oog could bash things over the head and drag them back to his cave to eat or mate with, as the case may be. He could also bash other things over the head that occasionally tried to eat or mate with him. Oog's big stick made him a member of the tribe that dwelled on the south slope of the miles long ridge which faced the big running water. Oog's big stick was his tool and it made him a member of the club called MAN. Oog's big stick was the biggest big stick in the tribe and that made Oog the leader.

Brin lived in the cave next to Oog's. Brin was older and wiser than Oog and Oog often came to Brin for advice. It was at Brin's suggestion that all the rest of the tribe carried roughly the same size big sticks. This had proven to be a very effective way to keep internal conflicts to a minimum. Everyone else did what Oog said because he had the biggest big stick. And Oog usually did what Brin suggested because Oog wasn't very bright. Brin had always been very helpful to Oog.

At night when the lightnings came, and the thunder rumbled through the hills, Brin would sit at the mouth of his cave and listen to the thunders deep echoes while he watched the lightnings. The terrible power of these nightly displays frightened the rest of the tribe and each night Brin would listen to their terrified howlings as they cowered at the backs of their caves as Oog had ordered. Oog always howled the loudest. Oog had chosen his cave because it was the deepest to be found in the area and he could cower the farthest back away from the frightening display of nature. Oog had the idea about cowering at the back of the cave and howling on his own.

Brin decided to take a walk and visit his neighbor Oog. Approaching Oog's cave Brin called out in a clear strong voice (Brin didn't spend half the night howling himself hoarse till he fell asleep) "Oog! Come out of your cave and stand with me in the lightnings and the thunders! No harm will come to you!"

"No, I cannot come out of my cave, or I will surely die!" howled Oog. "The lightnings will strike me dead, and the thunders will rattle my bones apart!"

"I will protect you from the lightnings and shield you from the thunders," cried Brin "for I can control their workings and bid them stay away from us."

"That is not possible! The lightnings and the thunders are wild untamable things. None can control them!" cried Oog.

"How then do I stand at the mouth of your cave without being killed? How did I walk over here from my cave and live?" asked Brin as Oog slowly edged closer to the mouth of his cave, eyeing Brin suspiciously.

"Why are you not at the back of your cave trembling and howling as I have ordered?" demanded Oog, regaining some of his composure. "The lightnings will strike us all down if we do not hide from them. Run to your cave and join our chorus of howls or we are all doomed!"

"It is not so," replied Brin "for I stand before you in the midst of their ragings and remain untouched. The lightnings fear me. The thunders cannot assail me. You too can stand out in the raging storm with me, if you believe in Me."

Oog trembled as a bright flash fell from out of the sky and struck the waters edge. The roar was deafening and the wind tore at Brin standing on the bare rocks, but he stood his ground and remained impassive. As the frightened Oog crept back near the mouth of his cave he stared at Brin standing defiantly before him.

"You do not fear the lightnings anymore, Brin?" asked Oog. "Does not the thunder cause your very being to quake with fear?"

"No, for they are Mine to control." answered Brin.

"I will really be safe if I join you? You will protect me?"

"You need have no fear of the lightnings or the thunders if you promise to believe in Me and obey Me." stated Brin. "I will grant you safe passage through the storm."

Oog crept to the very edge of his cave. His primitive instincts could feel the ozone crackling in the atmosphere as the storm ripped through the night. The rain started to fall on his arm and Oog recoiled from the contact.

"The water that falls from the sky will not harm you either." said Brin smiling. "Just believe in Me."

Oog slowly came out of his cave and stood, trembling, next to Brin. The thunders continued to rumble and the lightnings flashed, though none so near as the one which Oog had felt sure was meant to punish Brin for his disobedience. The biggest big stick had always ruled the place on the south side of the ridge facing the big running water. Oog had gotten it from his grandfather when he had become too feeble to wield it. Oog's father had died before Oog could remember, but his grandfather had told him that his father had died protecting the tribe while they were hunting. That meant that it was also Oog's job to protect the tribe, but he could not do anything about the thunder, he could not turn aside the lightning.

"Why do the lightnings not strike us down?" Oog asked Brin.

"I have commanded them to stay away from us for a time, that I may show you My power. From now on you must do what I say or the lightnings will find you in the deepest cave on the ridge. The thunders will cause your head to roar with an unending noise. The rains will smite you wherever you go. The tribe will not find any food when you hunt, unless you obey Me."

"I will obey Brin. Your power is strong to turn aside the wrath of the storm. I will obey You if You promise to always protect the tribe with Your power". Oog paused. "May I return to my cave now? It still frightens me." said the recently deposed leader.

"No." said Brin. "First you must climb to the top of the ridge without your big stick to prove you believe in Me. Walk, do not run. Stand there a moment and return, also walking. I will stay here and watch over you, but do not cry out or begin to run, else I may remove My protection."

"Yes, Brin" answered Oog who trembled as he passed the biggest big stick to the aspiring leader. "I will believe in You and I will obey You."

Oog moved off in the direction of the ridge, shivering as the thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind buffeted him. He moved at a rapid but dignified gait. As he moved away he mumbled for Brin to guard him from the terrors of his ordeal and continued to mumble supplications for protection all the way to the top of the ridge.

When he arrived at the top of the ridge Oog turned for about the twenty-fifth time to check whether Brin was still watching over him. He looked out over the hills that lay beyond the ridge. For as long as any could remember the tribe had hunted here for food. Some of the animals that lived beyond the ridge could be hunted with ease. Some of the animals were savage beasts that killed many hunters over the years. It will be a good thing to have Brin watch over our tribe, thought Oog. Yes, it will be a good thing, Oog thought. I believe in Brin, He will protect us.

Oog turned and began the long walk home. He looked at Brin in the distance and wondered if he would be allowed to keep his deep cave. It wasn't the most comfortable cave on the ridge, but it was the deepest and that had always given Oog comfort.

As he approached the edge of the ridge and started down a sudden movement rushed at Oog. The tiger's long curved fangs tore into his belly and he shrieked in terror as his entrails tumbled out of the gash, his blood staining the grasses at his feet. His wailing set up a new chorus of howls from the other caves, which had started to quiet down.

The lightning struck again on the water and for a brief instant Brin could see the animal's great weight plow into Oog for the second time. Oog went down under the onslaught of fangs, claws, and rippling muscles. He died screaming as the big cat began to feed.

Brin scurried into the deep cave. "Well," he thought, "it's too bad about Oog, I could have used his muscle, but I think I can still make this work. I'll have to polish it up some for the masses. No more ridge walks at night. I need all the believers I can get."

Brin sat down in the mouth of the deep cave watching the lightning, and listening to the thunder. The howling of the rest of the tribe was dying away again as they fell asleep from exhaustion. Their throats raw from hours of howling.

Brin contemplated the next days work. If there was anything left of Oog he would say that Oog must have gone crazy in the night and run out into the storm where he met his fate beneath the claws of the saber toothed tiger. He could claim it was a divine manifestation that took the sometimes cruel Oog from them. Brin had the biggest big stick now and could claim that he found himself in the deepest cave with the biggest big stick when he awoke. "Yes," thought Brin, "this is going to work out just fine." and He smiled as He chuckled to Himself.

The next night as the sun was going down, and the thunder began to rumble, and the lightning started to flash, Brin created GOD in his own image.

But at least he wouldn't have to listen to that damned howling anymore.