Once upon a time there lived Nothing. He had such a strange name because he really was nothing. Some might question all this and say that nothing cannot live because it is nothing. But all the same, objections aside, Nothing did live.
Since he was Nothing, he could not do anything. On the other hand, no one ever asked Nothing to do anything. How can you ask Nothing to do something if, first of all, he is nothing and, second of all, he cannot do anything anyway?
So Nothing just sat around everyday, not doing much of anything. The sun would be shining, clouds drifting across the sky, and people all busy with their everyday lives, but Nothing would be involved in absolutely no activity.
One couldn't even say that Nothing sat around, because even sitting qualifies as an action - though one of the less energetic ones.
And so the days passed. Nothing did nothing and, naturally, nothing happened. Not surprisingly, Nothing eventually got bored, as anyone else would in his situation.
So Nothing started off on a journey. His direction, much less destination, did not matter much since Nothing didn't need much from this world. Now seconds, minutes and hours passed along with the feet, yards and miles traveled. Day would break and night would follow. Nothing continued to be, but not anything happened until he met Everything.
Everything, as one might guess, was completely the opposite of Nothing. Everything was involved in whatever was going on around her, taking part and giving it her all. Everything had no limits to her existence. When the two saw each other, they were both happy.
- Hello, my name is Everything - came the initial greeting. She was always first in everything, taking the first step, making the first move, the first gesture, etc.
- I am Nothing.
- Nice to meet you.
- Charmed, I'm sure.
- Do you want to be with me? - asked Everything.
- Sure, I am so bored being Nothing because nothing happens to me. I cannot do anything, and no one talks to me.
In short, I am lonely.
- Don't worry, Nothing. I am your friend now. I can give you anything you want, and from now on you will never be alone unless at some point you tell me that you want to be by yourself.
- Thanks, Everything. That's very nice of you. But are you sure you want to be my friend? I can't give you anything.
- Oh, don't worry about that, Nothing. That's not what friendship is about. You shouldn't even think things like that.
- Oh, sorry, I didn't want to offend you,
I just wanted to make sure that you were fine with this friendship arrangement.
- Oh, come on, relax, Everything assured him.
So Nothing and Everything became companions. Everything taught Nothing to do everything she could, which was
a lot, and it seemed like Nothing was eager to learn. Everything was pleased with her student and happy to teach him all the things she knew. Nothing, of course, could not offer anything to Everything, who for her part demanded nothing in return, because she didn't need anything and thus could share everything she had with anyone she wanted.
One day Nothing and Everything met Something, who was of course quite different from Nothing and Everything - neither fish nor fowl.
Nothing and Everything cheerfully greeted Something, and Something was cordial with them as well.
- Hello - they beamed - We know that you are Something. Would you like to join our relationship? There is a place for you with us.
- Absolutely! I know I am Something, and so I would like to get to know Nothing and Everything. Something was smart and guessed the situation right away.
So, the three went their way. Something joined Nothing in his learning from Everything. At first, all went well, but with time Something became the reason for a developing conflict between Nothing and Everything.
Nothing wanted to make Something respect him. He had learned something from Everything and now wanted to be
a teacher like she was. In short, Nothing became jealous of Everything's talent for giving, caring and being an active partner.
At first, all three pretended not to notice that something unpleasant was developing among them.
One autumn morning, all three friends were sitting near a fire to warm themselves up after a cold night. Everything had not gotten any sleep because she had been thinking about the spoilt trio and felt very bad in her heart. She decided that it was time to set things straight.
- Alright Nothing, no matter how unpleasant it might sound to you, we need to decide what to do next - she said.
- What's the problem, my dear? - said Nothing, like an innocent lamb.
- Well, you used to be my friend, but you probably are not any more. A true friend would not do something behind my back.
- Oh, please, don't say that, - said Nothing meekly. - I really don't know what you are talking about.
- Oh, stop pretending. Let's just decide what we have to do now.
At this point, Something thought that it was time to speak up.
- Please stop quarreling. You are not to blame for what happened. You were very close until I appeared, so I will leave both of you so that everything will be as before.
The faces of Nothing and Everything changed immediately. They both now looked lost and frustrated.
- Sorry, forgive me, it's all my fault.
I can't stay any longer - said Something with eyes full of regret. - You both are so good, but we are all so different from each other that we can't stay together. Farewell, my friends.
Nothing and Everything tried to stop Something, who disappeared like a ghost, and soon they were alone once again.
- Now look what you have done - said Everything bitterly to Nothing. -You've destroyed everything. We all could have been good together. But you just ruined everything. I was trying to teach you something, and it seemed that you were learning, but in reality you have learned nothing, Nothing.
Nothing put his head down and tears started to roll down his cheeks. At that moment he felt more ashamed than he ever had before.
- Even if you are nothing, Nothing, you have a chance to at least become something, not necessarily everything. But even that appeared to be too tough for you. So, I am leaving too. Good-bye and I hope that someday you change and that maybe we can all meet each other again - said Everything, and then she disappeared as Something had.
Nothing did not move, he was sitting near the fire with his eyes wide open, not blinking, not weeping, but with big salty tears rolling down his cheeks. The sun was already up and a new day was breaking. The planet Earth was revolving on its axis, and time was marching on as usual. At first glance it seemed that nothing had changed in the world, but that's not what Nothing felt. He understood that certain things had changed for him, and what scared him the most was that it might be for good. He was afraid, however, to think like that, and the more his mind replayed the whole unpleasant situation that morning, the more he realized that everything would be different for him from now on.
But he decided that he would stay near the fire forever, waiting for his friends to come back. It did not matter how long it would take for Something and Everything to return. He just wanted them to come back and for everything to be as it used to be...
Nothing is still sitting near that fire, where his tears are falling, but the fire still burns. And nothing has changed so far since that unpleasant morning. How long will he sit there. Who knows? Not even Nothing. He just continues to think about Something and Everything. Where are they? What are they doing? But he doesn't get an answer. It's very quiet all around.
The only sound heard is coming from Nothing's tears dropping down into the fire that never dies...
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