Cosmic Mirror
In this short story, a traveler in the Amazon reflects on the overwhelming experience of encountering an extraterrestrial being she had the night before and on the consequences this will have for her future.
Image generated by Bing Image Creator
Sitting on a deck along the banks of the Rio Negro, I hear the song of the urumutum, announcing that the night is finally fading and the sun is about to rise. A riverside dweller emerges from the dense fog that rests gently on the river’s waters. He glides along in his dugout canoe, his oar barely breaking the surface of the bluish-pink water that reflects the dawn. I close my eyes and can feel the cool air caressing his skin and the rhythmic movements of his arms, which follow an ancestral rhythm. A state of absolute peace surrounds that man, who crosses the rivers of the Amazon under the spell of the deep, solemn song of the urumutum.
Among the sounds emanating from the forest, I make out the struggles of a pirarucu thrashing at the bottom of that canoe, rebelling against the burning sensation caused by the passage of dry air through its gills. Awoken from his trance by the fish’s agitation, the canoeist tucks his legs under the canoe’s bench. At that very moment, I feel within myself the roughness caused by the friction of the soles of his feet as they slide over the sand and dry leaves accumulated at the bottom of the canoe.
Perched on the buriti palm that rises majestically along the riverbank, the urumutum stirs and tilts its head to the side, following the boat’s movement with its eyes, without uttering a single peep. Upon seeing that the splashes of water thrown into the air by the fish’s tail reflect the first rays of the sun, it welcomes the new day by ruffling its reddish-brown plumage.
I don’t know what’s happening to me. What drove me until yesterday has now lost its meaning, turned into cosmic dust, and drifted off to the far reaches of the universe. Ever since my soul was captivated by that pair of enormous, gentle eyes, the boundaries of my being have dissolved, and I’ve been overwhelmed by a profound sense of oneness with all that is alive.
I don’t remember how it all began. I only know that when I opened my eyes, I could barely move; my whole body was vibrating, and my room seemed to dissolve into an intense blue light—a vestige of another dimension. That’s when I noticed his presence, motionless there in the corner of the room. His bright eyes, fixed on me, reflected my image like a mirror, devoid of passion or desire.
It was at that very moment that a ringing began—one that has not left my ears since—along with a sensation of vertigo, as if my body were about to float away. I can barely close my eyes, for I feel as though I cease to be one. I can be two, or three, or a thousand, as my attention shifts its focus to other beings and my mind is invaded by their thoughts and sensations. I have to learn to control myself!
I, who have never been a mystic nor believed in aliens, experienced in that instant the most thrilling moment of my entire life. I say “instant,” but it felt like days. I saw the deep void of outer space that dwelled within those giant eyes transform into my most intimate thoughts and emotions, into my repressed traumas and fears. I’ve never felt as vulnerable as when I saw my soul laid bare before that attentive gaze. But there was no shame, no modesty—only intimacy. My ancestral experiences were gradually replaced on the screen of their eyes by visions of star maps and life on other worlds. It was then that, almost without realizing it, everything began to change around me.
Surrounded by intense lights, I realized that, instead of still being in my bedroom, I now found myself in an empty room with curved, very smooth walls. Little by little, I began to make out a silent audience of beings of different shapes and sizes surrounding me. When I covered my mouth to stifle a scream, the tallest among them raised his hand in a gesture and telepathically conveyed a message to me: “Don’t be afraid.” And all my anxiety vanished as if by magic...
The moment their leader touched my temples with his long fingers, my mind was flooded with a massive flood of images that told the story of their planet, details about the organization that governs interplanetary relations, and the future of planet Earth should humanity remain on its current self-destructive course. I was overcome by a profound emotion—a complex mixture of love, shame, and regret—that filled my eyes with tears. I noticed that, in a single continuous, orchestrated movement, they tilted their faces and gazed at me from the side—the same gesture displayed by the urumutum perched on its tree branch. They were marveling at the mysteries of the human soul! A new wave of peace flooded my soul, and suddenly I found myself back in my room, from which I seemed to have left so many centuries ago.
And now, what will become of me, of all of us? Why me? Why show me these apocalyptic visions if I have no power to save humanity? How will I be able to continue my little life, one day after another, filled with mediocrity and selfishness? Will anyone believe my story? Do you believe it?