“Even I don't like us much, and I am us,” said Simony. He looked up at the god.
“Will you help?”
V. You Don't Even Believe In Me!
“Yes, but I'm a practical man.”
VI. And Brave, Too, To Declare Atheism Before Your God.
“This doesn't change anything, you know!” said Simony. “Don't think you can get round me by existing! ”
“No help,” said Brutha, firmly.
“What?” said Simony. “We'll need a mighty army against that lot!”
“Yes. And we haven't got one. So we'll do it another way.”
“You're crazy!”
Brutha's calmness was like a desert.
“This may be the case.”
“We have to fight!”
“Not yet.”
Simony clenched his fists in anger.
“Look . . . listen . . . We died for lies, for centuries we died for lies.” He waved a hand towards the god. “Now we've got a truth to die for!”
“No. Men should die for lies. But the truth is too precious to die for.”
Simony's mouth opened and shut soundlessly as he sought for words. Finally, he found some from the dawn of his education.
“I was told it was the finest thing to die for a god,” he mumbled.
"Vorbis said that. And he was . . . stupid. You can die for your country or your people or your family,
but for a god you should live fully and busily, every day of along life."
“And how long is that going to be?”
“We shall see.”
Brutha looked up at Om.
“You will not show yourself like this again?”
Chap. III v. I. No. Once Is Enough.
“Remember the desert.”
II. I Will Remember.
“Walk with me.”
Brutha went over to the body of Vorbis and picked it up.