by LJ Frank

I was in bed when I heard a empathic knock at the front door that resonated throughout the dwelling. I call it a dwelling as it was not my home or house but a place I was invited to for the night by an acquaintance. It was a refurbished inn. I was the only guest staying there that night. My appointment was scheduled for the following morning.

Another pronounced knock. Damn. I got up, walked down the flight of stairs to the entrance and opened the door. The stranger stood in the rain with a slight smile of acknowledgment crossing her face.

“Are you him?” She asked.

“Him?” 

“The male with the appointment at the university? Anthropology department?” 

“Yeah. May I ask, who…?”

“I’ll explain shortly.”

“I’m confused…?” 

“May I come in? It’s been…a journey.”

I nodded and held the door open.

She entered and removed her trench coat, set down a large brown bag on the floor while casting a provocative glance towards me.

“You traveled far?” I asked.

“A distance. Yet close enough to know where your life is headed.”

“Well, my life doesn’t leave much to ponder. I wasn’t part of anything before my birth and I expect a vast emptiness after my death. I have similar thoughts about Earth. It too shall pass someday and there will be no hint that any civilization ever existed in this part of the galaxy. So, in a sense before and after are one and the same.”

“Have you considered that time is parallel, bends and folds?”

 “And?”

“And you are trying to make the best possible decision for yourself given your stasis?”

“You might say that.” 

“We don’t have to wait for morning since I arrived early. What you are planning to experience doesn’t require much rest on my part or yours and afterwards …well…you’ll have time to rest…unless  you’d prefer the added hours and minutes of waiting?”

“I guess when you put it that way…I mean…will it sting?”

“Sting?  From what? The sting of one’s life or death or physical transformation? Ancient philosophies and religions and even science at times are filtered through a sieve of mistranslations.” 

“Will I dream or…?”

“What’s important is that once you awaken…you will not recognize the image in the mirror…only  the horizon of a memory and a vision of the future.”

“Are you…”

“I’m just a vision portal or…that something from which another originates.”