“320 Hz” by Sukhbir Cheema

“The 320 Hz frequency, Hindus call it Om and some Pranava, majority call it God, few refer to it as the Source, the ancients call it the Great Spirit. It is the default frequency inherent in every form, shape, colour, size, and energy in the Cosmos, surpassing, transcending time and space.

Poetically, the emotions invoked by this particular frequency, may best be described as a calm still lake, reflecting clear image of the world outside. A drop of leaf sends ripples across it and the lake becomes still again.

It is a frequency which is fluid, spontaneous, eternal, inherent and at One with everything.

It is the calm, silent back noise one hears when a light breeze blows on a calm evening as the leaves in the park rustles, while the sunlit warm bench settles one’s body into it, the sound invoking a sense of peace, security, love, understanding and joy once one lets go to that moment.

The challenge is to understand that we’re free flowing energies vibrating at a dense level to create matter with the true Source of it all being the 320 Hz frequency,” the priest read from the monitor as the audience heard raptly.

“This is today’s reflection,” the priest said as he closed the programme and switched to another.

“All Hail 320 Hz!” One yelled, leading to cries of the same to be resounding in the huge marble hall, decked with diamonds and gold with a large sculpted and carved out “320Hz” on a dark blue meteorite at the front.

“Hertz! Hertz! Hertz!” The priest yelled, leading the crowd to yell the same.

And then there was silence again as everyone sat back on their metal made benches, as tablets were passed about with everyone’s screen displaying the 320 Hz symbol.

“Let’s start with Chapter 67 Verse 29 to begin today’s discussion,” The priest said as he coughed slightly while adjusting the large and loosened golden satellite dish crowned atop his head with the words “Hertzling” inscribed on it in black.

“The 320Hz, can only be tapped when an energy has relinquished itself as the “Doer”, ultimately defining itself as the moment and experience of the free flowing present occurrence itself,” the priest read from the translucent monitor screen in front of him, and then stopped and looked at the crowd.

“Now, what is Omny the First trying to tell us?” he asked.

There was silence in the hall. Taking this as an opportunity to show off his intellectual knowledge, the priest decided to provide a short commentary about the particular verse, and explained, “Omny is indirectly telling us that 320 is the creator of everything! It is our creator and this is where I would want to briefly state that as followers of our Lord and God 320Hz, we should be wary of quarters and parties who are trying to sway our path, to lead us astray. These groups are dangerous to the planet and should not be entertained.”

Across the back, two youths sat. The left one, a girl, whispered to the right, a boy, “I think this is bullshit.”

The boy whispered back, clearly annoyed, “Quiet! I’m trying to hear!”

The priest continued, “The key here is to understand the word, ‘tapped’”, he said as he tapped his crown on his head, drawing laughter from the audience.

He is a well-known priest in that particular sector. A man who can be seen driving his old lady atop a hover-bike for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“As stated by Omny in the Holy 320Hz Tablet, we need to tap into 320 Hz’s frequency by constantly downloading his loving messages by allowing ourselves to be barcoded. That way, the recently built 1,000 diameter dish atop this Holy place – thanks to our esteemed and honorable followers – ” the priest quickly acknowledged a group of five men in black, with rubber like emotionless faces, sitting at the front reserved spots and continued, “That way, the dish can transmute 320Hz’s loving energies to you and to your family continuously. Omny has shown us the way! We shall follow it!”

The crowd cheered on.

“This is the Salvation which was depicted in all religions and this is why our Conduit, our loving 320Hz Tuned One, Omny, destroyed all religions and has brought this knowledge up at a global scale and made it a part of our life!”

The crowd sent praises resounding off the metal walls of the building.

The two youths at the back listened intently. The girl whispered, “Something is not right,”

The boy with the barcode on his left hand rolled his eyes and replied, “For crying out loud! Hear the priest, he means well. Look at his sincerity!”

The priest ended his speech and gave way to a group of old women and young kids belting out a horrible a cappella rendition which was composed in that supposed frequency.

“320…. Oooooohhhh”

“320… ooouuuu!” the old ladies sang.

The kids belted out, “Hertzzzzzzzzzzzz” continuously following a rapid low pitched rhythm.

This went on for about three minutes before the rendition ended with a clash and bang by a little kid playing a drum at the back.

The audience clapped as the girl said to the boy, “I am also starting to wonder if 320Hz – the frequency, I mean – would actually sound like what we had just heard,”

“Would you shut up! I was raised in a 320Hz environment and look at me! I’m okay. Why are you so fearful?” the boy lost his temper.

“I’m not! I’m just very suspicious. Look, I was brought up in a 320Hz environment too but many of the things, although sounding noble, does not add up. I think everyone is misinterpreting what 320Hz truly is,”

The boy rolled his eyes and turned to face the girl. He chanced upon the barcode on her left arm and something dawned upon him.

Eyeing her suspiciously, he asked, “Lucy-Fern, when was the last time you downloaded our Lord, 320Hz’s, messages?”

Lucy kept silent, her eyes darted about. The priest’s voice can be heard in the background as the boy probed again.

“When, was the last time you tuned into our One Lord, One God, One Creator’s Divine Frequency?”

His penetrating glare eyed Lucy accusingly. And yet, for some reason, there was a sense of familiarity in the manner in which he looked at her.

The girl remained silent.

“Lucy?” He tried his luck again. Lucy took a deep breath as the priest continued on in the background. She closed her eyes, trying to shut away the need to answer his question and at the same time trying to find a way to answer it as well.

There was an odd sense of familiarity about this situation which Lucy could not put her thumb on. It was as though she had been in his shoes in a now seemingly distant memory.

“Lucy answer me!” the boy hissed.

“I did not tune in for a week, Isa Jesudas!” Lucy snapped.

There was a look of shock on Isa’s face. “What about the Holy Water? Did you drink it every morning as per our requirement?”

Lucy shook her head. The priest started belting out another song.

“Lord 320Hz,” Isa held his face, his body shivering. “What are you doing?”

Lucy snapped, “Don’t you find it odd? I’m finding it weirdly odd. Something is just not right and I know it!”

Isa stared at her in disbelief. “You’re hay-wiring!”

“No, I’m not! I’m waking up!” She whispered loudly.

The priest ended his song and proceeded to end the ceremony with his last sermon as Isa shook his head in disbelief.

“You’re going mad,” He said as Lucy stood up and walked out of the door.

“I just want to remind you, that 320Hz is always protecting you, guiding you. Just remember to continuously, diligently, do a Hertzling’s duty by tuning into our Lord’s frequency every morning and before bed through the devices installed in your homes. Start the day with the Holy Water and end the day with The Holy Water. This is the way to be one with 320Hz,” the priest droned, his eyes fixated on Lucy as she slammed the door behind.

*
Outside, Lucy removed the hair-band and let out her hair, her legs carrying her past Mamak joints, as hoover vehicles zoomed over her head.

Ahead, the vast Kuala Lumpur metropolis loomed as dusty blackened skyscrapers stood silently, like doomed watchful guardians as droids in police uniforms can be seen hovering slowly, beeping, and patrolling.

She walked pass a group of young men sat at a pub nearby as a droid offered them drinks. The words, “320″ inscribed on the bottles. They cheered, “Happy New Year!” and gulped down the fizzy bluish liquids.

Over her head, a large semi translucent screen played an advertisement of the drink. 320! The drink of the God!” The caption read as a youthful man chugged down a large bottle.

“Drink 320, vote for 320!” The man gives a thumbs up after wiping his lips as a symbol of the number 3 replaces his image.

The advertisement gave way to a public service announcement, “It’s 2115! All praise 320 for making it this far!” as Lucy crossed the street filled with hooverbikes and hovering vehicles, some beeping loudly.

A drone hovered slightly overhead, beeping as a yellow light blinked and zoomed close to Lucy. It descended to her face and flashed white light.

“Owww!” She covered her face.

The drone whirred slightly, comprehending Lucy’s image in its system and then hovered away casually as its light turned blue.

“Fucking drones..” Lucy said as she darted a street and past several fast food restaurants with large queues of people looking to order their food.

“I can’t wait to try the new Double Processed Cheese Appam Balek 320!” A kid can be heard exclaiming excitedly as his mother looked down and smiled.

“Innocence…” Lucy thought as she started jogging.

Several minutes later, she arrived at her location, a quiet looking cafe tucked in an alleyway, hidden from the noise and dark colours of the metropolis. It had potted plants placed at its hundred-year old building with a tiny pond filled with Koi fishes with lotus floating on its still waters. The gates clanked as she walked in, greenery greeting her as she removed her shoes and walked into the lawn and sat on a white table.

An old man in a white robe greeted her.

“Welcome! And what brings a pretty woman such as yourself into this promiscuous-looking cafe?” The old man smirked as his white mustache and beard danced gently.

“I’m here to see the 21st Century Buddha,”

The old man looked around and nodded.

He walked into the cafe and moments later a young man in a white robe with a black hat, a cigarette in his mouth walked out and sat before Lucy.

“Very few come looking for me. And yet, here you are,” he said as he observed Lucy.

“I’ve been told that the whole 320Hz thing is a conspiracy. And when I asked people around, there is growing voice out there on the ground that everything is a fluke. Everything is a …” She searched for the word.

“That everything is a hologram,” the 21st Century Buddha ended her sentence.

“Yes. We’ve all been misled,”

“How did you come to hear of me?”

Lucy looked at the green grass.

“I heard you telling me to come meet you here today, at this time,” she said softly.

The 21st Century Buddha smiled. “Which proves that humans have telepathic abilities,” he said as he held his hand out.

“Let me see your barcode,” as Lucy held her left hand, his fingers ran on the barcode tattooed to her arm.

“You’ve not been downloading any messages from those silly devices?”

“No.”

“For how long?”

“A week.”

“A week and you were able to penetrate my frequency,” the 21st Century Buddha said in awe as he continued to observe the barcode curiously.

There was silence as the Buddha studied Lucy’s arm. Lucy observed the Buddha. He seemed to be in his late twenties and yet there was an air of wisdom about him. A sense of familiarity.

The birds chirped in the distant as the silent but calming humming of the metropolis purred gently. A gentle breeze blew as the trinkets and dreamcatchers clinked and danced, giving the impression of invisible fingers running through them.

“How does 320Hz truly sound like?” Lucy asked.

The Buddha looked around, his palm wide open, revealing the space the both were in.

“Like this,” he smiled. “The 320Hz frequency is not malevolent, it is however has been abused by those who misinterpret it,”

Lucy chanced upon the Buddha’s hands. There were no barcodes.

“How come you don’t have any?”

The Buddha said casually, “I removed them.”

“How come?” Lucy asked.

The Buddha looked up and replied, “Because I was Omny in my previous descent.”

*
“You have to understand, that this Universe is a projected hologram of you,” the Buddha began as he lit a cigarette.

“Meaning, all those 320Hz freaks are me too?”

“Even them and you are not just Lucy but more than that,” the Buddha inhaled the cigarette.

Lucy bit her lip. The warm glass of tea sat at the table as the distant chirping of birds can be heard in the lawn.

“If I am not who I think am, how do I know what I am?”

The Buddha smiled. “You already know. You just have to unlearn everything that had been told to you. Unlearn the fact that you are not just Lucy. You are everything and can be anything,”

A warm breeze blew leading the bamboo wind chimes to gently sway and spontaneously create heavenly tinkles which stilled Lucy’s mind for a few seconds.

And in that few seconds, as Lucy stared at her palm and then glanced at her feet and the table and then at the Buddha, she understood what he meant. She felt a deep sense of connection to everything. The sense of separation, the need to label and hold prejudice was temporarily lifted as she realised that there was no entity called Lucy, just a conjuration.

An odd sense of peace and calm embraced her.

“Just like the sky and cloud are separate, they are also one. So within, so without,” the Buddha said as he took a drag.

“How did you know that you were Omny?” Lucy asked.

“I can’t prove it to you as I was guided by intuition. But I can confidently say that whatever that is being interpreted and disseminated by the Hertzling is misconstrued through force and fear to control the masses.”

The 18-year-old scratched her head, “Who exactly is behind the Hertzling?”

The Buddha sipped his tea and corrected Lucy.

“The question is not who, but what?”

*
Lucy bid the Buddha well and walked out of the lonely alley and out into the dark city. A taxi hovered close by.

“Taxi?” The Indian man asked.

“Yes, is it metered?”

“We charge to your barcode.”

Lucy shook her head. “Nevermind,” she said.

The taxi man grumbled as Lucy proceeded to walk, ignoring the man. She walked moved slowly this time, observing everything taking place before her. A droid at the 24/7 Mamak she walked past beeped alarmingly as it whizzed past Lucy, carrying trays of food and drinks to the restaurant’s patrons as a large screen played a documentary. It had old footages of a youthful looking man in a t-shirt and jeans, his face calmly serene and yet filled with mystical expressions, speaking on what appeared to be an interview. His voice inaudible as the narrator continued on.

“One of the reasons that makes Malhertzia the best sector in this region is because of its firm pride and belief in its prophet, who was born in this region a hundred years ago,”

“Omny the First, our beloved Prophet of 320Hz, was born on July 7th, 1987 and died after succumbing to Ebola in 2020. His spirit now lives on through the unification of all religions under the 320Hz banner.”

“With all religions destroyed, leading to an economic crisis and all round turbulent period, 320Hz has become the only true path in seeking peace, love and compassion. With such ideals in mind, Omny’s People’s Party (OPP) won a major landslide victory in the parties selection process and became the sector’s Ruling Authoritative Government (RAG) and operates under Global Hertzling (GH)- the governing body for the planet. GH plays representative to our honorable saviours, the reptilian Annunaki who arrived in 2020 to assist human beings to ward off a large alien invasion. It was through 320Hz, the very same frequency that every Hertzling taps into in the morning and night, was used by Omny to call the reptilians for help.”

Visuals of the reptilian representatives played. The visuals depicted them of different sizes, some large, some thin, some short, some stout, some lean. But each one had the light yellow, greenish scaly skin.

“This year’s election sees OPP marching on towards its 95th year of ruling Malhertzia. Vote for OPP to constantly remain at peace and in the present.” The documentary ended.

Lucy shut her ears. She knew the documentary was a sham. Everything taught to her in school was a lie. Everything relayed to her by the sector’s leaders were total bullshit.

A fluke. A total fluke.

The conversation with the Buddha replayed in her head.

“It started off innocently a hundred years ago. But first, an introduction, our planet was known as Earth and this land was referred to as Malaysia,” the Buddha inhaled the cigarette smoke.

“The Hologram was a tried and tested method which was included in gaming in 2020 to give the perception that the gamer was in a real environment. Five-years later, after much controversy and debating, the then government passed a controversial law allowing “Pain and Emotions” to be included into the Hologram, giving the sense that we’re in a true living environment. And we’ve been stuck here ever since then.”

Lucy gaped. “You’re telling me we’re in a holographic game now?”

“As you’re speaking, as you’re hearing, as you’re seeing, as you’re feeling and comprehending, yes,” the Buddha smiled.

“But why?”

The Buddha takes a puff of his cigarette, “This is where I have to reveal to you. It is the Elitists, or the 1% who work for the reptilians.”

“Omny was a young lad at that time and he had understood that everything concerning 2115, intentions held utmost importance hundred of years ago. He understood it and Awakened and started propagating his views through Facebook to mitigate the negative intentions.”

“What is Facebook?” Lucy asked.

“They omitted this part in your history lessons,” the Buddha shook his head dejectedly.

“I don’t get you..” Lucy said, observing the Buddha.

“Facebook was a medium of sorts on this platform called the Internet – which is now heavily controlled and used by the Hertzling to allow us to download 320Hz’s supposed faux loving messages through those silly devices. The devices installed in every home are actually mind controlling methods designed by the reptilians to control masses, keep them in check through a hoax 320Hz frequency and the Holy Waters you drink. Those have been spiked as well.”

“That explains why I felt different after not drinking it and not tuning into the frequency. I started understanding many things which were taught to me as taboo when I was a child,”

“One of the stages of waking up from this silly dream,” the Buddha smiled.

Lucy smiled back slowly.

“Now, Omny,” he said as he sipped his tea and continued, “He grew quite a following leading the Elitists to grow fearful of him silently. His ideologies and the manner in which he perceived the world was of so much wisdom, truth and love that many started to question the ruling governments. He crossed the line when he started speaking about the reptilians and the 320Hz openly.”

There was silence as Lucy observed the Buddha staring blankly in space at the lawn.

“Then in 2020, the darkest year in the planet, taking the alien invasion as a faux pas, they assassinated Omny – who was already hailed as a highly intellectual philosophical figure of his time. They took advantage of his fame by holding a massive funeral service which was reported heavily by the media to obscure the purchasing of the rights to his free for all work. Using Omny’s work as a shield, they called on all religions to be destroyed and united under a banner, 320Hz. Omny, now heralded as a prophet and saviour, his messages and propagation were twisted and turned, edited and added and made as a forefront, a facade of the dark dealings between men and reptilians that take place behind the posters and carvings of the holy number representing the supposed auspicious frequency.”

There was silence as the Buddha stubbed his cigarette. “A couple of decades later I was born and managed to download memories of my previous descent which reminded me, ultimately leading me to quit practicing these unnecessary rituals when I was 20. I managed to tune in to the true 320Hz frequency through my own ways which included meditation, ample amount of solitude and contemplation.”

There was calming silence. The both looked into each other’s eyes.

“Lucy,” he turned to face her, “You have to know, that since it is a hologram, you can break the rules and decode yourself. Starting here. If Omni can do it, so can you and everyone,” He placed his warm palms on Lucy’s heart, bringing that odd sense of peace and calm again.

*
A train hovered above as the rain started to fall, pounding Lucy’s head and wetting Kuala Lumpur as several denizens holding placards stood demonstrating. Rallies and protests are a norm. Clashes between security droids and protestors no longer dominated the headlines as it had become a part of life. Similar to the way terrorist attacks had become some hundred years ago.

Lucy walked past the group who stood screaming angrily and towards a group of drunk citizens who crowded around a large screen with the numbers “320″ being screened to usher in the New Year.

“5!” The crowd yelled excitedly.

Lucy stopped to observe them. The Buddha’s image kept replaying in her head. His voice echoing, thundering in his mind.

“4!”

She didn’t realize that a group of men in black were stalking her.

“3!”

She sensed something odd and turned to face them, causing the men to start running towards her. Their rubbery faces slid away, revealing reptilian faces with malicious intent in their red eyes.

“2!”

Lucy braced herself by closing her eyes. The words of the Buddha rang out loud, “It is all a hologram, Lucy! Trust yourself!”

Her heart pounding, Lucy focused on her breath. And in the chaos, that odd sense of peace and calm embraced her.

“1!”

There was a foul stench in the air as Lucy felt herself yanked upwards. The sound of footsteps grew distant as everything darkened.

“Wake up!” The voice of the Buddha is heard.

*
Isa Jesudas removes the virtual reality headset and breathes a sigh of relief.

“How was it?” A voice can be heard crackling from the speakers in the dark room.

“It felt so fucking real! I actually thought I was Lucy in the game! Totally forgot who I was!” Isa screamed in excitement as the room comes to light.

“Yeah, 320Hz is still in its prototype stage as of now. We hope to release it next year after making several minor but very important adjustments,” the voice says.

Isa stood and rubbed his eyes, an excited smile played on his lips as he repeated to himself, “ The hologram felt so real. Like I was dreaming I was someone else.”

He stared at his palm and feet. A thought arose in his head.

What if this too is a hologram? What if I am not just Isa?

His heart raced as a continuous stream of thoughts flowed into his mind only to be stopped by the crackling voice from the speaker.

“Anyways, it’s New Year’s eve today. How do you plan on ushering 2020 lah?”

THE END


 

Sukhbir Cheema is a writer, artist, an avid shutter-bug, a lover of The Beatles and a bookworm. Now, does that make him an insect?

 

Illustration by Akira Lee. Akira is a Universiti Malaya student by day, geek and manga enthusiast by night. Drawing and writing by the moonlight. Accepting commissions at motesandshadows AT gmail.com

 

Truancy 2, March 2016