The view from Hua Hin

    I wanted to be a God. I needed a universe for me to be a God.

​

　I didn't need to look at the manual to create the universe. The words for the creation of the universe are set in stone.

    'Let there be light!'

　Suddenly my eyes went blank, and before I knew it, the universe had expanded in a flash.

　This is how my universe was created.

　According to the manual, I have succeeded in being a god, potentially, because I am the only one in this universe at the moment. I say "potentially " because my existence as a god has not been determined. For my existence as God to be confirmed, the presence of the universe must be verified. For that to happen, there must be a sufficient number of observers in the universe.

　The next page is the setting of parameters of the universe.

　The existence of a sufficient number of observers is made possible by setting an optimal group of parameters of the universe. I must fix the parameters by manipulating the universe, and then the observers must be evolved.

    'I just have to observe, right?'

　Someone interrupts me from the side. I look over there, and I see a face that looks like mine.

     'I'll observe it.'

　I wonder if it came out of my brain. It looks like me, but without sharp fangs or pointed ears, and how frail its face looks.

　The manual says this. Any self-referential observer born of your consciousness is inappropriate as an observer to stabilise the universe and must be removed immediately if you observed.

    'They say your existence is inappropriate.'

　Delete!

　An annotation pops up. It's easy to remove self-referential observers. But be very careful, as they may restore themselves autonomously when you don't intend to.

　The annotations bothered me, but I'm afraid I won't be able to move on if I get sidetracked, so I snap out of it and return to the manual.

　To generate a proper observer, a group of parameters of the universe must be set in the right range—Planck's constant, or the speed of light, or something like that. The proper range is the range within which the universe can survive for the time necessary for observers' evolution, not too hot, not too cold, not too heavy, not too light, not too dilute, not too dense. If you don't know, stick your hand in and see what happens.

　Try to do what it says. The feeling I get from sticking my right hand in the universe sounds good, but I'm not so sure about it now.

　Believe in yourself!

　A letter emerges from the manual. I follow its instructions. In other words, I'm going to trust the manual and trust myself.

　My hands feel wet, numb, hot, cold, breezy, sticky, pleasant, and unpleasant. The page turns before my eyes, and I move on to the next chapter.

    'The Primordial Vortex.'

　Keep stirring the universe with your right hand.

    'Oh, you've already taken your hand out,' a voice said. There was a face there that looked like mine that I was supposed to have erased earlier.

    'I know, I just need to remix it, right?'

　I stick my right hand in again and stir.

　The whirlpool should not be too strong or too weak. When a sufficiently large vortex is formed, leave it for a while.

​

　Ten billion years have passed.

　I plopped down on the manual and went to sleep. The manual, wet with drool, rippled slightly.

    'You've been sleeping a lot,' a face that looked like mine said.

    'Then wake me up.'

    'I've got a good thing going for us. '

　I look at the manual at hand. The next chapter was the stars' birth, but it was over, and countless stars were shining in the universe.

    'The formation of the planets is over too,'

　Zooming in, I see a small rock in my universe, circling a star.

　I rush to turn a page in the manual.

　The next page is "the generation of the observer." The observer must be intelligent.

    'Are there any intelligent creatures out there already?' I ask.

    'Not yet,' he answers.

　I look at the star system carefully. As I watch, following the planets' orbits, I feel dizzy.

     'Is this the planet with the creatures?'

　With a twist of my head, I ask. I thought it was the red star, the fourth planet in that system.

    'The third planet is correct,'

　The presence of the sea would be suitable for the occurrence of an observer.

　Sea. Plenty of water. Clouds flowing and casting shadows. There was indeed an ocean on the third planet.

    'Why don't you zoom in on it more?'

　It's in the manual. Observer generation is a delicate process. Proceed with caution. Anything that does not look like you is a failure.

　There were many creatures in the sea. A hundred and eight eyes glowed, and a thousand tentacles swayed.

    ''Failure!''

　Indeterminate creatures that don't even look like me. I toss the nearest asteroid into the sea.

　The ocean bubbles up in front of me.

    'You're so violent.

    'This is my world.'

    'But I think you should read the manual carefully.

　Triumphant advice.

　Don't give up, even if the first ones you make don't look like you. Be patient and nurture it. Be aware that the world with the ocean is precious. Don't waste the water.

　I rush to get the red-hot meteorite out of the bottom of the ocean.

    'It's okay. Creatures are still alive at the bottom.'

　There were far fewer strange creatures, but there was one that looked up from the bottom of the sea with resentment. Its skin is slimy, but it has two eyes.

　Let's raise observers to look like you—fins into your hands and feet, soft skin firm. I make a sharp claw at the creature.

    'Hey, wait,' he says. 'Read the manual. It says, 'To look like you,' you know?'

　The creatures come to land, walk around, run around, and fly through the air. It slashes with its sharp hooks, and its fangs pierce. For now, they are so dull that if something steps on the tip of their tails, they won't notice it until tomorrow, but it looks like it's going to be just like me when they get wise.

    'They're going to be just like me, aren't they?

    'You don't understand. They can't be the same as you. It doesn't make you a God, you know.'

　Sure, the whole thing is different, but the parts are precisely the same. The sharp claws and the pupils that narrow like needles when they are bright could be ultimately the same.

'It's a mistake if it goes on like this. I think we'd better start over.'

'A mistake? '

　That's what I feel like when he says it.

'It can't be the same. It has to be looks like.'

'Is it better to reset it?'

'But water is precious. So be careful this time.'

　I selected a smaller meteorite than the meteorite I used before. When I dropped it on land, it got dust in my eyes.

    'What do you think they are?'

　As the dust that covered the planet settled, I found a creature that looked just right in the shade of the forest.

    'It looks nice.'

　The creature was frightened in the shade of a tree.

　Choose a vulnerable creature. Vulnerable creatures are more alert and will develop intellectually faster, and will be good worshippers of God.

     'Yes.'

　To encourage intellectual development, I lend a little hand. I gave thumbs that opposed to other fingers so that they can grab things. I curve their spinal column into an S-shape so that they can stand upright. The creature leaves the forest and stands up on its meager two legs.

　The parts are totally different. But the overall appearances are vaguely like mine. They don't have horns, but they have large heads and broad foreheads. The two eyes at the front of their face are looking straight ahead.

     'Is this creature, right?'

    'I think it's fine.'

　I will civilise this creature. With this, the universe will be observed, and I will be a god.

    'Come on, hurry up.'

　I give that creatures fire, I give them words, I give them letters. A book will be written by that creature that evolved, and in it will be described thus.

　God shall be in its image.........

​

    'Did it work?'

    'I think it's a huge success.'

　The creature has no wings, horns, nor hooked tails, no sharp fangs nor claws. The ears aren't pointy, the smooth skin looks weak, and there are no glistening scales. But the observer I've made stands on two legs and has two arms. Their pupils are round, but they have two eyes in the front of their face.

　The whole thing is similar, but not the same.

　The lights of the cities shone on the night side of the planet. It was probably time to build a telescope and start observing the universe.

    'Is it time to go?'

    'I think it's fine.'

　Then he chuckles.

　I spread my big, black wings and descend to the planet, to be observed and worshipped as a God.

​

​