In the depths of a mundane public library, amidst the whispered tales of forgotten books and the solemn duty of the book return, there emerged a vision of startling allure. She, a mere seventeen summers into existence, possessed an aura of sensuality and grace that defied the chronological bounds of her age. From the very moment our eyes, though obscured by the ubiquitous Covid mask, engaged in an intimate rendezvous, I was ensnared within the silken web of infatuation.
A premonition, as elusive as the fluttering wings of a butterfly, danced before the stage of my mind. I beheld a sequence of events scripted in the ink of destiny—an intriguing DVD, a return to the desk, and a conversation with this enigmatic siren. Typically, I, a man of introverted disposition, would never dare venture into such a dialogue, particularly given the vast chasm that separated us in years. But on this fateful occasion, the universe conspired to weave a different narrative.
As I ventured toward the front desk, clutching my cinematic discovery, her smile, radiant and bewitching, threatened to topple the very foundations of my resolve. Composure, ever so fragile, was miraculously restored, and with steady hands, I presented her with the coveted DVD. Words flowed forth, like a river breaking free from its icy prison, as I inquired if she had experienced the cinematic masterpiece before her.
In her hesitant pause, I glimpsed the luminous intelligence concealed beneath her youthful exterior. She confessed to harboring a desire to partake in its cinematic delights, only to be thwarted by the relentless constraints of her current existence. A nervous chuckle escaped my lips as I attempted to navigate the currents of conversation, yet I remained ensnared, trapped in the ethereal web she had woven.
Time, that elusive phantom, stood still as I stood there, transfixed by her ineffable beauty, the mellifluous cadence of her voice, and the essence of her being. Utterly spellbound, I found myself incapable of advancing our discourse, like a moth drawn inexorably toward the radiant flame.
Summoning courage from the depths of my longing, I voiced my observation—she was different. Decades had passed since my first visits to the library, but in her, I encountered a uniqueness hitherto unseen. A blush adorned her porcelain cheeks, and with a demure "thank you," she acknowledged my compliment.
I professed my hope to see her again, and in a whimsical moment, she bent behind the desk, her laughter filling the air like a joyous crescendo. It was then, in that ephemeral instant of transcendent absurdity, that the ordinary world gave way to an otherworldly nightmare.
Her visage, once an embodiment of allure, fragmented into a grotesque triad of heads, akin to a mythic hydra. Necklaces of terror extended from the desk, entwining around me with a merciless grip, rending flesh and shattering bones. Agony unfurled, transcending the boundaries of mortal comprehension.
Yet, just as swiftly as the torment had seized me, it released its grip. I found myself adrift in a realm of boundless light and ineffable love, liberated from the confines of corporeal suffering.
From the distant horizon, a spectral figure materialized, disjointed and disjunctive, as if the tapestry of time frames had been slashed and stitched together with reckless abandon. In the blink of an eye, she stood before me, this figure of ethereal beauty, her form wavering in and out of the enchanting radiance I had first encountered behind that library desk. Her arms, an embrace forged in the crucible of eternity, enfolded me, bestowing upon me a warmth and acceptance that transcended the boundaries of earthly experience. It was a sensation I hadn't known since the distant epochs before my own birth.
"It's alright," her voice, a sonorous murmur akin to a secret shared between souls, reassured me. "You have passed the test."
From that moment onward, I was liberated from the confines of corporeal existence, an un-moored essence unfettered by the constraints of time or form. I was no longer confined to a singular place, for I had become the very essence of existence itself, a fluid entity capable of embodying all things or none at all.
No longer was I ensconced in the familiarity of a physical dwelling; instead, I became the very concept of home, and she, the ineffable muse of my existence, served as my electric charge, igniting my being with an eternal spark. In the realm beyond the ordinary, where the surreal and the sublime danced together in harmonious disarray, I found my ultimate sanctuary, an abode unburdened by the constraints of reality, where unconditional love and transcendence intertwined in a timeless ballet.
credits
from Artificial Tales Of Gleep And Whimsy (Vol. 2),
released November 6, 2023
JT: FX, Recordist
Brewster McFawnster : Voice
Recorded and Mixed at Suburban Hermit Studios III, Ronkonkoma, NY
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