Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: ZENITH (04/21/16)
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TITLE: Maslow's World | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gary Ritter
04/25/16 -
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The creature sitting across from Kenneth stroked the long whiskers poking at right angles from his cheeks and adjusted the special wire-rim glasses that accommodated his surgically altered ears.
“After all this time, Kenneth, and the myriad sessions we’ve had, it’s inconceivable to me that you wouldn’t want to be all that you can be.” The doctor pulled out a colorful picture of a triangle. “We’ve gone over this before, but perhaps this is the time it’ll make sense to you.
“It’s been shown how right Abraham Maslow was with his hierarchy of needs. We need not discuss the four lower levels, only the highest. Maslow taught us that when we as a society fulfill every other need, that we long for self-actualization. This is the pinnacle of human achievement. It is why we have elevated him to such a lofty position of exaltation. As Maslowians, devout followers of our father Abraham, it is imperative that every humanoid organism reach for this zenith of accomplishment in his, her, or its lives. This is different for every individual, and that is the key.
“Maslow said that, ‘If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.’ Don’t you see how true that is? I am an otherkin, who is a mouse, who happens to be a doctor. That lovely creature who showed you in today, Nurse Cow, also an otherkin, has embraced the true essence of herself. What could be more beautiful?”
Not convinced by this impassioned speech, Kenneth leaned forward to speak in a whisper. “Doctor, I don’t mean to be unkind, but Nurse Cow is rather gross. She…looks like a cow with that udder hanging from her, and her nose is…large.”
“Exactly!” The good doctor jumped up and clapped his tiny paws together in excitement. “You see there is nothing stable about our identities. We are who we believe we are because of how beautiful it makes us feel. When we express who we are on the outside with our true inner self, it’s an idyllic state, one that someone like you will never experience, unless you believe.”
“Didn’t there used to be a lot of people like me?”
Dr. Mouse shuddered, causing his tail to curl up tight. “Please don’t use that term in my presence.”
Kenneth blinked. “I’m sorry. What term?”
“The ‘p’ word.”
“You mean ‘people’?”
“Stop! Yes, that word. It’s so offensive. This world is no longer populated by such arcane beings as what that word implies.”
“Doctor, you may not accept this, but I actually do think of myself as a per—“
“No! You give me the shivers, almost as if there’s a cat in the room.” Dr. Mouse suddenly peered at Kenneth through his glasses. “Say…are you keeping something from me? Are you secretly a cat? Is that why you make me feel so uncomfortable? My fur just stands on end when I’m with you.”
Sure enough, the medically augmented gray fur covering those unclothed parts of his body was raised and quivering. Kenneth felt badly about that, but didn’t think his being a cat in Dr. Mouse’s mind was the problem. “I was wondering if my faith has anything to do with your reaction. After all, I believe there is a God who is above man and who created us to be human, not humanoid, otherkin, or whatever else someone wants to pretend he is.”
The doctor snorted. “How foolish and simple a concept. Really. A Creator God. This is the reason, Kenneth, you are hopeless. Surely you know the world has passed you by.” He leaned toward his patient, his whiskers tickling Kenneth’s nose. “Once you are gone, my friend, this idea of anything existing above what we ourselves imagine will disappear. It is why you are special in your own way and why we have preserved you as we have.”
Kenneth nodded. He was lonely, but he wouldn’t change.
The guard led him back to his dwelling. Inside, he looked out the glass window that allowed him to view the weird creatures passing by on the street. Likewise, the twenty-four hour cameras projected at him displayed his every move to the world as the last Christian on earth.
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Very creative!
Blessings~
I appreciate how you write with conviction and Truth.