Re: CJ 03: Christopher Chosen
The older man eases himself down next to you. His sheepdog gives him a reassuring nuzzle, and heads off to keep an eye on the sheep. The lamb in his arms drifts off toward sleep.
He regards you quietly for several moments, and takes a shaky breath, gathering courage.
"It is a challenge to understand what you understand, and to know how to bring you from where you have been to where you are now."
"It seems that your perceptions, and those of the societies of your previous acquaintance, are rooted in the present."
"Imagine if you can a world where everyone strongly possesses what you might call postcognition. We look upon one another, and perceive not only the here and now, but each other's pasts as well, in every detail."
"At a glance, a parent knows if a child ate their vegetables instead of feeding them to the dog, a wife knows if her husband overslept, a shepherd knows if his neighbor stole a sheep."
"Strangers here are not what you have experienced."
"You look upon me, and know only what your senses tell you now. You know that I am tending sheep, and that I have just met you, and that I have sat down to talk with you. But you have no direct knowledge of what I was doing this morning, or yesterday, or ten years ago."
"Meanwhile, I look upon you, and see everything that you have done, in every detail, all of your life long. That is how I know who you are."
"Imagine if you can such a world. All that we have ever done is known to anyone who looks at us. All the acts of our lives are an open book... with one exception."
"We can perceive only the outside. All of our past external actions are an open book to others, but our inner thoughts and feelings are ours alone. They are the only refuge of privacy that remains."
"It may make you quite uncomfortable to ponder that everyone you meet here can perceive every single thing that you have ever done at a glance. We as a society are used to it, but it may be rather a shock to you."
"Imagine then if you can how profoundly terrifying it is to encounter someone with the ability to directly perceive our very inner thoughts and feelings. For good or ill, every last secret from within can be discovered. Many will be extremely uncomfortable that you are present in this world. Some may be terrified enough to remove such a potential threat, by any means."
"I have shared much. Do you understand thus far?"