In The Beginning by Alan Delaney

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SUMMARY: An alternate version of an old story.

In the beginning was the Game and the Game was without rules and without boundaries and its players were without form and mass but they played the Game and they saw that it was good. And the game was without scores and without prizes and the players had no rest nor need of rest for it was a game without end.

And the Usurper said unto them, Let there be moments when the Game is played and moments when it is not. And there came a separation and a changing and the Game was played at certain moments and no Game was played at others. And the moments when the Game was played was called Day and the moments when it was not played was called Night. And thus was created Time. And the Game became smaller.

And the Usurper said, Let there be a place for those who play and a place for those who do not and let those who do not watch over those who do. And the place where the game was played was called the Universe and the place where it was not was called the Heaven. And the Watchers in the Heaven watched those who played the game but did not play themselves. And thus was created Space. And the Game became smaller still.

And the Usurper said, Let there be prizes and rewards and let those that win the game earn those rewards and those that do not return the rewards. And thus was created light and fire and electricity and those that were winners gained these things and those that did not gave them to the Watchers for the Watchers did not play. And soon all manners of powers were created and new prizes and rewards were borne from the Game. And thus was created Energy. And the Game became smaller still.

And the Usurper said, Let there be places where the game is played and places where it is forbidden, and let the places where it is played be filled with light and energy and the places where it is not be dark and empty. And thus there came a great division of space and the Universe divided up and became galaxies and the galaxies became solar systems and the solar systems became planets and stars. And the stars created the energy for the game and the planets was where the game was to be played while in between all was naught but darkness and emptiness and no Game was played therein. And thus was created Matter. And the Game became smaller still.

And the Usurper said, Let there be rules to the Game and let the Game obey these rules always and let there be laws and boundaries and let the Game be played therein. And from the planets there sprung forth mountains and seas and creatures of every kind to live in the seas and in the air and on the land. And there was created the atom and the photon and the cell by which such things were composed and the rules were created by which such things were controlled so that there was naught but what was under the control of the rules. And the rules were called Physics and Chemistry and Biology and all manner of things besides. And thus was created Nature. And the Game became smaller still.

And the Usurper said, Let the players take on a form and a mass and let them live within Nature and play the game therein.