Short story - Superman or why do we sleep?

The year was unknown and the place was made up. Metropolis had never been so quite like tonight. People got used to the Daily Planet building replaced by the new International News Hourly which was the center of 500 world famous newspaper. So many things had changed and people did not seem to be surprised by those new splendid high tech panels and midsky railroads. They all now walked in their expensive leather suites and looked down on the street where they could easily found the news about alsmot everything in the world. Today power was no more arms, bullets, or even lazer beam that could shoot through your head. All countries were finally agreed on something, one thing, no arm. America dumped over trillions of their weapons into middle of the Pacific Ocean while Russia and China spend more than 1 million trillions Intervultra in recycling all their weapons including 3 millions nuclear heads. No more arms. People now could only kill each other by a punch or strangling someone with clothes. But those things also might seemed to be impossible because of all the micro technologies. Today was the day of news. Power transformed into another form, a very new, clean and artistic form news. The more information you had the more powerful you would be. Human's brains had been improved so much with bacteria and yeasts in order to be able to accumulate enormous load of information. Everybody now was looking down on the street to get more news, more information, except one, the only.

He was considered to be an alien since he was not from here. The earth was not his home planet but somehow he got the human shape. Everybody knew him, or at least had known him for a while. His stories became legends or myths or you could consider them as bed time stuffs that mother liked to read to their kids from the 3D holographic e-reader. That was why they forgot him so quickly and swiftly just like a storm passed through an island, strong, castatrophical but fast; millions deads behinds, but quick. He could not remember exactly when he was forgotten. It must have been started with the day that they dumped all the stupid arms into the ocean or may be it was the day that Dr Richard Hitler invented his new psychological method in controlling the humanity part of human. A chip was inserted into our brians to help us control our feelings. There was no more euphoria and neither was pain and suffering. People lived just like they should live. Now Clark was on the top of the International News Hourly building looking up to the sky, that was odd or may be that how we knew he was an alien. The feelling of being free from all his works was kind of strange somehow. He wanted, prayed for it, but when he got it...

The condition was not as he expected or may be it was too late. Lois, the love of his live, died two years before his best friend Bruce Wayne, the millionaire of Gotham city, passed his legacy to Robin and his breath to the broad peaceful sky of the number one 0% crime rate city. He missed her since then.

There were pretty much no more major criminals in Metropolis, Gotham, Star City or other big huge cities in the world. They all just vanished, swept out of the earth like bubles busted into the air. Hope, the fancy words they used for the expectation about something better was kicked out of the dictionary simply because nobody really needed to used it any more. Clark fought the bad guys, helped the good guys and trained the neutral guys. But now he's unemployed. No more crime to fight, and so no more super heroes friends to hang out. Flash passed away with lung cancer, guess he got too much pollutants during his super speed trips, Hawkman rested in peaced after a heart attack, Green Latern return to his planet after he did not seem to see any more crime fighting potential on earth. Robin left the bat cage vacant and became the owner of one of the best newspaper and passed away with lot of pleasure after a cold night on December on bed with his wife Batgirl. Green Arrow involved into a car accident after celebrating the no more crime party of Star City with 6 bottom up Jack Daniel. What did Clark have left? Himself. An undestructable man with nothing wants to destroy him. That sounds funny, almost hillarious, but it's true.

Clark looked up in the sky. He wanted to fly up there with stars, sun and moon. But it would be the same as down here, the only difference would be it would be black instead of multicolor like this down here, a highway rainbow. But that highway would not lead him to anywhere better than this. Both sides of the rainbow were now the same. Blue birds can fly and so does clark, a man in blue with a red cape. A lot of thinkings were going on, nothing really was clear, and that was where he began his new journey.

Clark decided to do some trips before he started his keep flying journey into the universe until reaching a planet that have stuffs want to destroy him. First stop, Arkham Asylum. Pretty much all his enemies were death. All the machines were destroyed, all the alien were killed, even Lex Luthor died with a relief smile on his face after a nice sleep. The only criminal he knew that were still existed on earth and had a whole Asylum with no one to guard him was not even his enemy. The Joker was the one that seemed to be immortal and the great Batman's foe. He now locked himself inside the asylum with his cards, gases and never wanted to walk out. Nobody actualy guarded him. They delivered food to him with a laser stransfer tray. He ate less and less everyday, barely enough to keep him alive to play with his cards and the three action figures of Batman, Robin and Batgirl. Sometimes people heard him laugh to hard and cold. Nobody knew why. To them, he was unharmful and untreatable. Stories had passed. The Joker now became kind of commercial figure. The asylum and him became a place of interest for all the tourists who wanted to know about the glorious past of Gotham. But the visitors were just like the food he took; may be that was why he ate less.

It was middle of the night and Clark could hear the laughing of the Joker. He opened the unlocked door to the cell and look at the Joker. He was skinner than the last time Clark met him. It must have been almost 60 years ago. Last time he was attemped to blow up the whole city with his new neutron blast gun. It gave the 65 years old Batman a hard time and also Clark since the gun was made of nothing else but Kryptonite. But now he was here, harmless, lonely. That looks familiar, Clark told him self. At last he got someone who he though he could share some thoughts. A friend, may be, after a long long time.

The Joker stop laughing. He turned over to Clark and look. His eyes were full of pain. So they did not install the chip into him. The green eyes oviouly appear on the white face were gone. Instead there were the eyes red. Not blood shot red, but the kind of red when you cry too much. He was laughing, may be it was why. They had been said that you could cry when you were happy and laugh to hard. But you do not have to be happy when you laugh. May be the Joker was in the second case.

So you finally come. The Joker say. I know why you are here. May be we should take the trip together.

Clark did not reply. He looked at the Joker and sigh. WOW, the sigh of a Supperman. Now I know why they called you supper. You sigh even when nothing is worth to sigh about. hahaha. He laughed once again. And once again Clark silience.

You know what? The Joker kept going. Sometimes I think that the Batman and I was the same. And so were you. We were all trapped into some kind of trap. We did not know why we do things we did, but we must. It was hard to explain right wasnt it? I dont know why I want to kill people, to rob the bank even I have enough money to live for the rest of my life. And you, you really do not know why you have to save those people. Some kinds of righteousness just urge you to do that. And so the un-rightousness did me. Hahaha, may be it was all a joke. A joke that we are all the jokers. What is life? What is it really? I kill, you save. Everything ends? No everything should never end. Those people, they destroyed us, and also destroyed themself. Look at them, now. Not so much attachment. Fucking Buddha was right. They are in Nirvana, but not a life. He was really the good one. He told the best joke ever. Hahahaha.

And so Clark agreed to take the Joker with him to the trip. They flew over the city. And Clark made one last stop on earth. Jonnathan was unknown to a lot of people because he was not famous. He now joined the team of normal people. But before that, he was Clark very old trainee. Clark showed him all the stuffs that he needs to be a great reporter. So may be he was the only one who could recall his trainer. Jonnathan looked at Clark and the Joker. He wanted to say something but he did not know where to start.

I know it's a hard time for you man. You never get old like me. I know how you feel.

The Joker laugh. He looks at the 5''5 old men with a moustach coverd his mouth. I don't remember you mate.

You did not have the chance. I could not recall you either, mister...

Hahhaa. The Joker laugh. His eyes once again turn red. You are funny. Very funny.

I am sorry sir. I joined them. Normal people. Everybody was equal now. Mark was right. This is really a peaceful world. No more underdog since nobody wants to be one. This is a much better world than the one we had.

Clark sighed. The Joker laughed.

You see? I was right. He was really supper. Hahahaha. Dude, btw, I need some water, I am getting dehydrated with this fucking eye balls. Hahaha. By the way. Do you know why you go to sleep mate?

And so they left. The laugh faded into the sky. Clark grapped the oxygen generator before he lift up into the sky. And so he goes.

The Joker hold tight on Clark back and closed his eyes since the speed was fast. When he had chance to open it, he saw a blue planet with a white smoke floating around its orbit. Clark landed next to a tree, and the Joker saw many funny creatures. A man on a meditation form with a black hair curly around. He also saw a punches of funny creature like a man with an eagle face, or a lady with a hand always in front of her. They called her a funny name which start with an S and the Joker could not pronounce it. They all looked really old.

A glowing figure came to Clark and the Joker. It turned into a human shape, neither male or female. Just a human shape.

So you finnally come over before your trip. The figure said.

Yeah. Clark answer.

I sent them you know. It was boring down there. I want to spice it up.

But you cant. Clark yell. There will be millions deads.

So it have been Clark. Tell me Clark, when was the last time you and this little geeky friend sleep? Clark sigh. May be that was the last thing Clark was really good at. The Joker laugh. Finally I had some friends up here. hahaha. I lost all my contacts down there mate.

I have to remind them Clark. The figure says. Remind them about us, about religion. And most of all about their sleeps. They sleep less just like you and your friend here Clark.

But... Clark stopped before he could think of anything else to say. You guys never sleep dont u?

We are different Clark. The figure says. We are boring.

I do not know about your plan mate. The Joker looked at the figure and laugh. But it gonna be good I know that from the way you talk. Hahahaha. Just let me know when we should come back there Clark. You and me.

May be another time man. Clark said. I have a long trip to take. I did something wrong and I could not face it. Are u with me?

It sounds like a fun trip mate. Hahaha. May be we can get some sleeps during that. Lets go.

And so they left; left all the good things behind including the fierceful angels flying down toward the earth with their deadly weapons. The Joker kept laughing. I did not know he sends them when the world is so perfect. Isnt it funny mate?

Yeah. And for the first time after more than 50 years, Clark felt a sleep. And so the Joker. They slept for the new day cause now they knew that tomorrow, the would be some places that need them. They slept to save energy for a new day when they can wake up and start to do something, to look up on something. They slept and left all the burning, screaming behind.

*The story was written under the inspiration of an idea from my good friend David.*

Expectation

It's 1AM. The night was dark and the silence was thick. The soft cracking noise of the old mechanic fan was the only thing left with him and the night. Shadow was everywhere and loneliness grew inside his heart as fast as a body falling out of the cliff.

Ok, I will stop bullshitting right here cause you are might now yawning and say sth like :"Ok, it's midnight, and it's Hieu's gay time. GG man." May be the fantom from The Fantom of the Opera had picked the right time to compose his music since after midnight is a good time for us to rest and think about something. The silience and the solf darkness can raise many great ideas from you. I have a lot of friends who love the night cause simply they are some kind of olw. But tonight I have to thank the night, cause it gives me something great, the passion to compose this blog.

As you may know, many people have been searching for the question why people are suffering, and how to avoid those suffer. In many philsophers and religions, Buddism and especially Buddha have found, to me, the best explaination for the suffering of human being and how to resolve those pains. Today, I will try to present another path which to me quite similar to what Buddha said about suffering and a way to try avoid that. I hope u will all enjoy the blog.

Buddha propose a theory that people are suffering from life because they have so much attachment. However, the explaination he used for attachment was quite vast and therefore most of his solution seems to be impossible. I once had a conversation with a friend and he said that if human had no attachment, there would be no development. We human might be susceptible to the invasion of some kind of alien and be slaved. His argument was not correct because if we have no attachment, we would not really care if we would be enslaved or not. So if there is an attack from some kind of alien, we would not even care, and since we do not care, our life and death will be so light and solf. However the question makes me think that it would be impossible for a person with a brain to escape all the attachment. If Buddha breached to stop the attachment, why would BUddism (or at least modern Buddhism) keeps saying about defeatingthe demons and saves people. Therefore, get rid of all the attachment would be very impossible and not really practical.

The word "attachment" made me think a lot about the subject and thank to the night, I have a quite good idea. I do not disagree with Buddha about the attachment because it is true. But in order to narrow it down for people to easily understand it, I would say that all of our suffering comes from expectation. Let's make a little review about expectation. Expectation is the feeling or the thought that you have about certain things in life. You imagine a result that would come along with a consequence, in another word effect and result.

We always have in our mind the effect and result reaction such as work hard with getting a lot of money. A lof of money is coming with happiness. A higher degree will guarantee a good job and a better place in the society. Those are all our expectation about certain thing. That is how our brain works and that is how suffering was born. As a ying and yan, suffering comes along with happiness. When you expect something, there would be two outcomes. One is wat you expected comes true, and the other way is not. So from here you get into the cross road of feeling the pain. We do not have to talk about when what you expected comes true because you will get a euphoria felling about yourself. If you get that all the time, we would not even need to write this blog. But the story begins when we dont. The feeling of what you are expected do not come true just like, if we have to analyze to the core of the feeling, the feeling of being betrayed by your own friend or for yourself which in fact another kind of expectation.

Lets take some brief examples that I have seen in my life. A guy who love a girl with all his heart. He expected her to feel the same way about him and stay with him forever. But then there was something that the girl could no accepted from the boy, and so she left. The boy felt frustrated because all that he had done for her, he expected that she appreciated. Another example is a son who loves his mother so much. The mother who had always raised and taken care of him expected him to be her baby forever. But time passed by and the boy left for a wife. He could not spent as much time for his mom like he used to do. The mother's expectation got disrupted and she felt so sad.

From those two examples we can see that expectation can be the root of all our suffering. As humans, we mostly always think about certain thing in life is just one way. What I mean when I say one way is that we only have the cause and effect system in our mind. Even for people who work in the research field, they mostly think about all cause and effect which creates their expectation about certain results. So because we only think about one out come of a circumstance, if the out come is not as we expected our feeling gets hurt and we turn into the dark side of our emotion. It totally depends on the degree of the circumstance to make our disappointment great or tiny. Some people can either accept and get over it, some could not and hold grude in your mind. From there we could see that expectation is the main reason for all our hard feeling about certain thing. We can now sit down and look through over our life and also compare our expectation with the attatchment of Buddha. One example can be clearly shows that is buying a new car. Most people get a car not only for its motility but also to prove their ranks and class in the society. The car to them is not a vehicle but a ornament which can be use to decorate their trees. So they expect getting a car will make people respect them. Therefore they want to buy a good expensive car. In order to get that, they expect a job that pay enough to buy that car. And so on so far from there we can trace back. Those are all the attachment that we have in life. All the lust, hate, happiness... that Buddha talked about. Our expectation on certain thing creates a domino effect which goes backward and gives us a lot of attachment. Along with those backward dominoes, we could have more other expectation domino branches which take us to another kind of attachments.

We can see now expectation is the root of our suffering, agony and pain. But how do we get rid of that? and the big question is can we get rid of that? In my perspective, there would be two way to solve the problem. Both of them are very hard, but possible. Since our expectation is the root, we can get rid of that simply by not expecting anything at all. If we do not expect to get to work fast, we will not need a car. If we do not care out our status, we will not need a 1 milliion ranch house. The second proposition is that we can expect all the outcomes. Since the pain comes from the impair between the results and what we expected, if we can somehow expected everything, I mean that we truly expect it will happen like that, we will never disappoint with whatver the outcomes are. Therefore we will always live in happiness.

The blog getting long and boring, and I am falling asleep. So I left you guys all right here and hope you will all have your own idea about what I said.