The Encyclopedias

The twenty one volume encyclopedia collection sat on a shelf at the foot of his bed.

They hummed with the energy of a thousand life times.

Long extinct oceans of pangea, howler monkeys swinging from palms in the amazon, deaths of kings, and births of galaxies- all occurring within the thick leather bindings.

On nights when he couldn’t sleep, he would climb out of bed and choose a volume. Delving into penicillium fungus and the streptococci infections it cured, or the Nile river and the kingdoms that rose and fell along its banks.

He was captivated by the stories the pages contained; but more than anything, the sheer complexity that could exist in the universe.

Not only are there people alive now living intricate lives , but so had billions before them, each living rich lives- loving, singing, suffering, praying, building.