Before the universe began there existed a singularity: A void which encompassed all matter and energy. I was also there. Now the universe has ended and in the end, only the singularity and I exist to remember everything that happened in the universe. However, this story is of the moments before the birth of the universe.
I look at the singularity. It looks different now. To me, that is. To an external observer, it would be a static void lacking anything of interest. It is an infallible censor that allows no information to escape its adamantine grasp.
The singularity and I have existed for as long as I can remember. I came into being at some point, or I have existed forever, I’m not sure. But the singularity was there with me. What I am is another thing I’m not sure of. My best guess is some kind of exotic energy. But in this cold and barren plane of reality, anything would count as exotic. I can’t perceive the boundaries of my existence. Perhaps, I am the singularity itself, looking at myself from afar. I, or rather we, are either infinitely large or infinitesimally small, I don’t know.
The one thing I am sure of is the purpose of our existence. The plunge. Into the singularity. I am currently withstanding the singularity’s gravity at every moment. But when the time comes, I will give in. Give in to the cold embrace of the singularity. Then, it will start. The expansion. The singularity will transform into an arena where the particles within her will engage in a dance, which will go on for billions of years. Those particles will take many different forms over time - getting together to form elaborate structures and breaking down and forming entirely different structures - and I will be what drives them.
This realization was not apparent to me. I have been pondering about our purpose on this desolate plane of reality for eons. At first I tried to make sense of what was around us. But I could only see us. Then I tried to remember where we came from and I couldn’t. My memories go as far back as I want them to, they have no beginning. I then realized that the only action I was capable of performing was the plunge. That is my purpose.
It’s going to be time soon. I can see the infinite chain of cause and effect that the plunge will set into motion. In this chain of causality, I see that there will be many entities like me who can look at their reality and make sense of it. One of these entities catches my attention: The Homo Sapiens, which means ‘The Wise Man’ in one of their languages. It’s a bit self-aggrandizing given that they have been self-hating and destructive for much of their existence. Nonetheless, the sapiens will go very far from where they initially began (in the giant puddles of water on their home rock), both literally and figuratively, wielding the forces of nature to their liking. The other forms of 'life', will be far more advanced in their wielding of nature's forces than the Sapiens will ever be. But there's something about the sapiens that doesn’t make sense. The end of their existence is distorted, nonsensical. The other life forms, who have become advanced enough, are observing us right now, in the prologue of their universe. Their various sensors are pointed at us, trying to understand us.
These life forms, upon discovering our true nature, attain their resting energy, which the Sapiens would come to variously interpret as paradise, nirvana, Moksha among other things in their multitude of religions. I envy them (which is a novel emotion to me; but then again, emotion itself is novel to me). I don't perceive the Sapiens observing us. I am disappointed, and concerned about the Sapiens. They were interesting. I still can’t make out what happens to them. I don't have much time left though. The plunge will begin in a few moments. These few moments might as well be the lifespans of entire universes for all that matters. I extend my perception one last time, trying to spot the Sapiens. No Sapiens.
The Plunge begins. I let go of my resistance to the singularity's pull. I weigh my cosmic anchor to ride the waves of the singularity's gravity. Towards the union of me and the singularity and the resulting universe that'll be born out of it. It’s going to be brilliant.
In some corner of my perception, I sense some disturbance in reality. It's weird, considering there should be no other forms of novelty on this plane besides us. The disturbance leads to a small tear in the fabric of reality. I keep going because I can't do anything about it now. The singularity's pull has overpowered my ability to resist it. The genesis of the universe is inevitable now, but my perception is entirely focused on the breach in reality. The interstice increases in size with energy spilling from the other side. Another universe, perhaps? Then I sense another entity emerging from the other side of the breach. The Humans! If I were a human, I would have a smile on my face. Those bastards! They actually broke reality and are here now, during the Genesis event.
I’m consumed by yet another novel emotion. The kind a human parent feels upon seeing their child walk for the first time. It’s a beautiful paradox, before their universe even exists, they are here to witness it take birth. Both of us will start out on a new journey from here. ‘Godspeed and Goodbye’, they say.
I arrive at the boundary of the singularity and am welcomed to its heart.
In one moment, there exists nothing. In the next one, there's an astronomical explosion commemorating the birth of a universe in which every particle contains my essence.
The humans, who gave their physical form up to exist within the fabric of reality itself, upon witnessing the genesis event (the erstwhile Big Bang), set out on a new adventure, in another reality.