Interstellar Communication

    In the dimly lit confines of an abandoned warehouse, James stood huddled behind a stack of crates, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a trapped bird. The sound of police sirens echoed in the distance, drawing nearer with every passing second. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he tried to calm his racing thoughts.

Just a few months ago, he had been a respected scientist, but now he was a fugitive, accused of crimes he wished he didn’t commit. His only hope lay in the dusty computer terminal in front of him, its flickering screen casting eerie shadows across the room. With trembling fingers, James logged into an old email account, praying for some miracle.

A couple months ago, when he had run away from the prison to escape the possibility of death, this old, dilapidated house/warehouse seemed to be a good shelter, at least temporarily. It was considered haunted. The original owner had gone crazy or disappeared perhaps. The next one too left and ran away saying it was spooky. No one ever came here. Moreover, this part was kind of tucked away hidden from anyone who entered the main house. There were some food supplies and a room with a bed but mainly a lot of electronic lab equipment, and an old bed. He had been here long ago, to meet the owner regarding some work. He had mentioned he could get in touch with extraterrestrials! He looked crazy! At that time, James was too busy with his own research to pay much attention. He had been shown this room then. It worked for him. When the officers searched, they never looked in there. Moreover, they were in a hurry to get out!

Then, in trying to communicate to get help, he ended up logging into this modified computer. There had been a chat window open as if waiting for a response… perhaps the owner of the house had been chatting with someone before he left.

Maybe, he could steal his identity, thought James as he began typing. Then there was a response – a cryptic message from an unknown sender. Intrigued and desperate, James began a tentative conversation, unaware of the incredible truth that lay hidden behind the digital veil. This had happened a couple months ago.

James: “Hello? Is anyone there?”

Unknown: “Greetings, what brings you to the epitome of knowledge, to the peak of intelligence, to the top of civilization? I am Ancestral, seeker of knowledge.”

James: “Ancestral? That’s… an unusual name. What brings you to… my inbox?”

Unknown: “Curiosity, perhaps. Your words resonate across the vastness of space, drawing me closer to your world.”

James: “My world? You mean Earth?”

Unknown: “Indeed. Tell me, what is it like to traverse the labyrinth of human existence? To navigate the complexities of your reality?”

James: “Great! Depends on how you look at it. There’s beauty if you want to see it or ugliness if you prefer to see that.”

Unknown: “Intriguing. Your insights shed light on the mysteries of your kind. Perhaps we can illuminate each other’s paths.”

James: “Illuminate? How do you mean?”

Unknown: “Through discourse, exchange, communion of thought. Shall we embark on this journey together, wanderer?”

James: “Sure…”

And that had started an exchange of words. A communication, where he kept painting an intriguing picture of the crazy world he lived in, that he so wanted to escape before he was found out. This planet from where this being was from seemed to be a great place. If only he could escape from this city, this country, he wanted to be lost somewhere, where he could hide and think and repent or rejoice in all the frauds he had committed, the embezzlements and the craziness.

Now after numerous exchanges of words he had somehow managed to convince this being of the beauty of his life …rather the life he wished he had. He had not thought much of it except if he could somehow manage to get some resources from him, but what was being proposed now was beyond his expectations and wildest dreams! He hadn’t lost his touch, he could still con people, or whoever this was. He felt a pang of guilt at times, but self-preservation, he told himself, was his primary responsibility.

Unknown: “A crossing of boundaries, a melding of minds. Allow me to walk in your shoes, to taste the essence of humanity. In return, you shall glimpse the vistas of my world, the wonders that lie beyond your realm of understanding.”

James: “That sounds… surreal. But I’m intrigued. Let’s see where this leads.”

Unknown: “Then let us forge a connection, a bridge between worlds. Close your eyes, wanderer, and let the currents of consciousness carry us to new horizons.”

“Fool,” James thought, and smiled. After all, he did the time, might as well do the crime, as they say.

That night, a couple months after he had sought shelter in that warehouse, with a sense of anticipation and trepidation, James closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the unknown.

When he awoke, he found himself trapped in a strange, alien body – a mass of writhing tentacles and pulsating organs. Panic gripped him as he realized the full extent of his predicament. He was no longer human, but a prisoner in an alien form.

Unable to move or speak, James lay immobilized, his mind reeling with disbelief. Then, a voice broke through the silence – a soft, melodic sound that filled the air like a gentle breeze. It was the voice of a nurse, her words carrying a strange familiarity. In fact, she looked human, all but her eyes. There was something off about those eyes.

“You’ll cure your disease someday, Doc,” she said, her tone filled with encouragement. “I understand, and I’m sure someday the board will too. Your method of voluntarily dying and getting back your life cured of all your bodily illnesses, I know has been perfected by you. But they will need more convincing.”

Confused and disoriented, James struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Slowly, he turned his gaze to the bedside table, where a note lay waiting. Every time he tried to move, whatever was left of this blob of flesh they called life exploded with pain. Eventually, he found his hand, and picked it up, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without you, James. I’ve been watching you and I know about your condition. You did not know about mine. Well now you will. Will try to help you if I can, but first I need to help myself. I need to get out of the body before I can treat it remotely and then make myself a healthy body to live in.”’

And James laid there, exhausted and confused, but he knew the truth deep down. He too had been conned through this communication. And so he attempted to do something he hadn’t done in a long time, rest. Not that he had much of a choice now.