The Man Who Became God

A Short Story By Vasu Gangapalli

Note :-

I had written this story long before “Bruce Almighty” could even come. If you liked “Bruce Almighty” then you may like this one too. No one can take the place of God…..that’s the idea of this story. This is one my favourite stories.

Have you ever wondered that it’s an argument, which usually starts a tussle? I am telling you this because I’ve seen Marry Shelley and Frank Willis’s tussles always start with some argument or the other and the end result is always the same. Marry packs her bag and leaves to her mother’s place, swearing never to come back again. But as you should know that all promises are made to be broken. At least in the matter of love, you see.

So, when the things get cooled down. Usually after a week or so, she returns back with her luggage. By the way, I didn’t tell you that Frank and Marry are both husband and wife. I presumed that you would know that.

Now too, again, it’s an argument, which resulted in a tussle, and Marry has packed her bag and as usual, she has decided that she will never come back again.

***

“Let’s see that too!” said Frank. “Marry, will you ever keep up your promise? At least once?”

“Eh? What do you mean by that? You don’t like me being here, isn’t it?”

“No, I didn’t mean that!”

“You keep seeing, I’m not going to come back this time. Even if you come to my mother’s place and beg for forgiveness, down on your knees.”

“And you don’t expect me to do that!” He cried. “Anyways, I’m not dying for you anymore!”

“Mister Frank Neither am I!” She cried on top of her voice. “Bye….bye forever…don’t disturb me…not even in my dreams.” She went towards the main door, dragging her bag along with her.

“No. I won’t!” He cried. “And don’t you slam that door while you leave!”

But she slammed the main door behind her.

“God dame her! How many a times?” He cried. “Oh, God, it’s easy to be you than you be me!” He exclaimed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Did you call me?” asked a voice.

“Who…who is it?” He asked, looking around. But he saw no one.

“I asked did you call me, Frank?” asked the same voice again.

“No, I didn’t call you. May I know to whom am I talking to?” He asked, turning and looking around.

“No. You did call me, isn’t it?”

“Come one, give me a break!” He cried. “Ok, what if I did call you and where are you talking from?”

“I’m everywhere Frank…in the air that you are breathing right now…even inside you…there is no place that excludes me…,” said the voice.

“Are you Mr. Air or Wind or Mr. Nobody?” He asked.

“Stop kidding Frank! I’m the creator and master of this universe! ” Said the voice.

“Creator…master…? Are you God?”

“Exactly!”

“Come on, now, you stop kidding alright. There is no one by name of God. It is sheer imagination of man.”

“So, I’ll have to prove my existence. Is it, Mr. Frank?”

“Maybe, yes.”

“Alright, then.” said the voice.” Let me perform some miracle. For example, these candles in the stand, in the natural course, would it be possible to burn them upside down. Could it Frank?”

“You say it couldn’t!”

“Very well.” said the voice. ” Now, watch carefully.”

The stand of candles floated in the air. Then they turned upside down, while the kept burning and then disappeared. But the brightness was still there. Then it too disappeared and appeared back in its normal place after sometime.

“Now, do you?” asked the same voice.

“No, I’m not impressed. To be frank, any ‘B’ or ‘C’ grade magician can do that trick.” He said.

“Don’t compare me with a magician, Frank. All right, let me do something else to convince you. Do you think you are standing on the floor, Frank?”

“No, I think I’m standing on the roof!” He cried, annoyed, looking down and he was scared. he was indeed standing on the roof and the floor was above his head. Everything on the floor was intact. “Roof…roof…bring me down! bring me down! Please!” He cried, astonished.

“Alright, now do you believe me?” asked the voice.

“No, I don’t!” He cried, when he was back on the floor.

“Any magician can do this too, right?” asked the voice.

“Yes.”

“Then tell me something which a magician can’t do and which only I can do?”

“Let me think…,” said Frank. “Alright, if you are really the God then can you make my wife Marry to change her mind and come back to me, now?”

“Yes, I can!” He said. “Go and open the door and you will find her standing outside.”

“Let me see that.” He said, walking towards the main door and opened it. In fact, Marry was standing outside the door. He was shocked.

“Did you forget something, Marry?” He asked her.

“No.” She said. “Did you expect me to come back, Frank?” she asked.

“No.” He said, closing the door on her face. “How did you do that?”

“Didn’t I tell you…now do you believe me, Frank?”

“Yes…what do you want from me?” asked Frank, starting to worry.

“Frank, I need a favour from you.” said the voice.

“God needs a favour from me? Come on, stop kidding!” He cried, reaching his hand to the knob of the main door and turning it.

“Don’t open. She isn’t there!” said the voice.

He opened the door and she was gone.

“What did you do to her?” He asked, looking around.

“I had turned the time backwards and froze it for a while.” He said. “Now, do I have your attention?”

“Ok, tell me what favour do you want from me?”

“Frank, actually I came to earth on my vacation. So, I’ll be staying here for some time. So, I need your body.”

“What? How can I leave without my-this body?”

“Don’t get excited. In the meantime, I need someone to take care of things in my absence. So you will take my place in the heaven!”

“So, I can be God during your vacation on earth, is it?” asked Frank.

“Exactly! You have got it right, my boy!”

“And exactly how long is this your vacation?”

“Say one month.”

“Ok, fine. I agree.” said Frank. “But on one condition!”

“And what is that?”

“I want my body back in the same condition I had handed it to you. Not even a scratch!”

“Fine.”

“One more thing.”

“Yes…”

“Don’t you touch my wife in my absence. Am I clear?”

“Frank, I’d created her. Don’t you think I have that right?” the voice asked.

“No, she is mine! Only mine! do you get that?”

“Ok, fine. Anything else, Frank?”

“No nothing.” He said.

So, Frank relaxed on the bed, closed his eyes and his should came out of his body and brightness entered his body. Frank dressed in the robes of God and wore his golden crown on his head and a flash of light appeared before him.

“Go on, Frank. That light shall take you to the heaven, my home.” said the Frank, getting up from the bed. “All the best, to the new God!”

“Thank you!” said Frank’s should walking towards the light and vanishing with it. As Frank walked to the other end of the light, he came to a very beautiful place filled with thousands and thousands of small colourful flowers…the palace was ahead of him. He had never seen anything like this before. He walked towards this place, which was guarded by two angels, with a pair of wings. They both greeted him and opened the gates for him.

***

Meantime, back on Earth, Frank opened the door and saw Marry standing outside: –

“Come in, dear.” He said, with a smile on his face.

“Did you expect me to?” She asked, surprised.

“Did I expect you to come back? Yes, I did. Because, I know that you love me very much!” He said, hugging her.

“Thank you.” She said, pleased.” I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s okay. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taken it so far. Anyway, I am glad that you are back.” He said, closing the door behind her. “We will be going on a world tour soon.” He announced.

***

Meantime, in the heaven: –

“I’m the God! I’m the God!” cried Frank on the top of his voice, resting on the royal throne of the lord of the universe.

“Did you call me, my lord?” asked a stranger coming, bowing before him.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Chronicles, your servant, my lord. Did you forget so soon, my lord?”

“No, Chronicles. I was only testing you. I should be dreaming all this, right? Tell me, Chronicles, who am I  ?”

“No, my lord, you are not dreaming all this.” He replied. “You are the master of this Universe!”

“Master of…ok..chronicles…tell me what I have to do now  ?”

“My lord, it’s time to listen to the prayers of your devotees on earth through messengers.” replied Chronicles.

“Through Messengers? Aren’t prayers directly heard by God…er me?” asked surprised Frank.

“No, my lord, you had appointed messengers for doing that job!” He replied.” Shall we now go to the meeting hall, my lord?”

“Ok, fine, let’s go!” Frank said.

Frank was led to the big hall and some messengers were waiting for him. They greeted him, bowing down in respect. They read out the messages to him one after the other. But Frank felt that many of the prayers didn’t really reach God. So, he decided to dismiss the messengers. But they pleaded with him not to do that. After hearing to their reason that there are millions and millions of devotees, and each prayer has so many wishes. It would be impossible to hear each one of them and make a note and even if they did listen and make a note of the same, then it would be impossible to read them all to him. Then man’s wishes are unlimited. He has at least one wish every single day….

“What if the prayers directly come to me?” asked Frank.

“That would be impossible, my lord!” said one of the messengers.

“Let me at least try and see.” said Frank.

“As you wish, my lord.” said all the messengers, bowing before him once again and taking leave.

***

Frank heard a weirdest sound and it was so loud. He felt it would make him deaf. He hadn’t heard of such a sound before.

“Stop it!” He cried. “Stop it at once! What the hell was that? Is that what you call a prayer?” he asked chronicles.

“Not a prayer, my lord. It is millions and billions of prayers of devotees on earth each one praying for you.” He replied.

“I think it needs a small change, Mr.Chronicles. I want everything to be computerized. I want my devotees to send me messages via emails. My devotees have to mark their messages “URGENT”, “VERY URGENT”, “NORMAL”. Well, if they need immediate attention then it will be marked “URGENT” ; If the decision can be taken in a day or two “URGENT” and if it can wait for some time then let them mark “NORMAL”. I will personally go through the “VERY URGENT” and “URGENT” mails. While you can take care of “NORMAL” mails. Am I clear?”

“Yes, my lord. “He said.

***

So, everything was computerised in the heaven. A website for the God was created by name “www.thesupernatural.com” and email ID’s “god_prayers@supernatural.com” for normal messages

and “god_flashget@supernatural.com” fort Urgent and Very Urgent messages or wishes or prayers were created.

So, you wonder how people on earth came to know about this? Well, they had this message conveyed to them in their dreams. Some people tried the same in the next morning and got succeeded and they informed others. The news spread like a cyclone around the globe, within no time.

***

The first message was from a fisherman’s eight-year-old daughter, whose father along with his friends, fellow fishermen had ventured into the sea for fishing. But the ship got lost in the storm and he didn’t return to home. The little girl pleaded to send back her father home safely.

“I want that ship to reach sea-shore, now!” ordered Frank.

“But my lord, that ship is destined to sink and all the people in it are supposed to drown in the sea.” said Chronicles.

“Who decided that?”

“Destiny, my lord!”

“Chronicles, who is greater, destiny or me?”

“Yourself, my lord!”

“Then do what I say!” He cried.

“As you wish, my lord.” He replied.

The next message from a desperate father, whose only daughter was in comma, fighting between life and death, in the ICU ward of the hospital and she was destined to die too. But she came to life. And the ship reached the shore safely amidst the cruel storm. Many such miracles happened on earth. Frank decided to personally visit the ‘Temples’, ‘Shrines’, etc to find out the reaction of his devotees. He was overwhelmed by their gratitude to him for fulfilling their wishes.

***

Now, God had to tackle the problems in the universe, like pollution, over population, etc, etc, the list went on and on.

“How did the God tackle all these problems like? I mean say for example over population? ” asked Frank.

“With natural calamities, like cyclones, floods, earth quakes, diseases, accidents, etc.” replied Chronicles.

“Let’s change it. Shall we? It’s not fair to go on killing people to accommodate more! How would it be if the earth starts growing to accommodate more people?” asked Frank.

“No, that would be a bad idea.” said Chronicles. “One fine day the earth will not be able to bear its own weight. It will spin out of its axis and be a big disaster all together!”

“Yes, you’re right!” said Frank. “How about making other eight planets suitable for living? I just wonder why did God created the remaining eight planets in the first place if it could be of no use?”

“Yes, that could be done. But the question is how will we able to transfer people to other planets once they are made suitable for living?” said Chronicles.

“It’s simple. Since, planet Mars is near to earth. So, we shall move half the population of earth to Mars. Once Mars gets filled up. Then half of its population to the next planet and so on and so forth.” said Frank.

“Good Idea! But, what if all the nine planets get filled up?” asked Chronicles.

“Don’t tell me we have only one universe and only nine planets, Chronicles?”

“Well, we don’t have axis to the other universe as such. I don’t know whether you know or not, every universe has its own God, planets, etc, etc.”

“No problem. Our God can take permission with their God and vice versa. Get me my laptop computer, Chronicles.” said Frank.

Chronicles bring and gave him his laptop computer.

“Just watch!” said Frank. He typed planet “Mars” and the computer screen showed the picture of planet Mars. Then he typed ‘Water’, ‘Air’, ‘Fire’, ‘Soil’, etc, etc similar conditions that of Earth. He moved the data to planet Mars and pressed the button [ Enter] and the atmospheric conditions of Mars suddenly started changing. It started raining heavily and plants started growing on the soil of Mars. Then he selected a dog on earth called ‘Tracy’ and transferred it to planet Mars to test whether it is all right or not. He watched the dog on Mars for some time. Then he transferred a cat called ‘Polly’ and watched it too. Sometime later, he transferred their owners to planet Mars, along with their families, relatives and friends. Finally, Frank made a list of people who would be transferred to Planet Mars on a given date. He informed them through their dreams. The list also included, birds, animals and insects too.

One the chosen day a mirror like reflection appeared on many places of planet earth. All the people on earth had to do was gather their belongings and pass through that mirror like reflection. When they came out of that reflection, they would find themselves on planet Mars. If at all those whose names didn’t appear on the list tried to pass through it then they would be bounced back or pushed back by some invisible force.

***

Meantime, in Frank’s house: –

“Well, our names are not in the list of peoples to Mars.” said Marry, with a sigh.

“Don’t you worry. It’s o.k. You’ll be more than happy on earth than on mars.” He said, smiling at her.

“Really, Frank?” She asked, hugging him.

“Trust me!” He said, patting on her shoulders.

“Have you enjoyed the world tour, Frank?” She asked.

“Sure, I did.” He replied, thanks for being with me.

“It’s my pleasure, Frank.” She said, smiling at him.

“Freeze!” said a voice and everything came to a standstill, including Marry Shelley, she became still like a statue.

“Hi! Frank, I think it’s time to switch back to our normal selves again.” God said, smiling at him. “By the way, tell me, how is it being the God?”

“It’s not easy to be God!” exclaimed Frank. “I wonder how you managed so long….I mean so many millions and millions of years together?”

“That’s the difference between you and me, Frank.” said the God.

“I want to ask you something. Why did you create all this for? Not for personal reasons, isn’t it? You have never thought about yourself, haven’t you?”

“No!” said the God, going and laying down on the bed and the light came out of his body.

“I think it’s time for me to take leave, Frank.” said the voice. “Bye, Frank. I think you did quite well playing the role of the God for a while.”

“Do you think so, God?” asked Frank, surprised.

“Yes, shifting the overpopulation to other planets never occurred to me before. It’s a novel idea!” He said.” I think I’ll appoint you as my new personal advisor. You will receive the appointment letter soon.”

“How are you going to send it to me, God?”

“By email to your email account, Frank. We shall communicate with each other through mails and I shall pay you one lakh gold coins every year as your remuneration. Besides build you a small palace in Heaven, so that you can stay over there when you retire and come. Plus you will be going visiting other planets of other universes, meeting their Gods on behalf of me, etc, etc. Would like to take up this job, Frank?”

“Of course, yes.” He said.” I have one more idea. Well, when a person dies on earth. Let him be reincarnated in the next planet, say Mars and when he dies there then on next and so on. He will return to earth only after eight births. That way you could even control population.”

“I have made a note of it, Frank, Bye.”

“Bye.” said Frank “Unfreeze!” He said.

Immediately, everything came to life.

“What happened?” asked Marry.

“Nothing!” said Frank, smiling at her. “I think you were lost in some thoughts.”

“Oh! then what was I thinking?”

“How would I know?”

“Yes, you are right!” She said, smiling at him.

The End.