First Contact ~

First Contact

Mark walked slowly, eyes following the wavering glow of the blazing horizon, as it greeted the lake. His feet traced the route they had walked together so many times before, the grass beneath his feet a carpet of sorrow, each blade weeping a glimmering tear, lining his path. This would be their final sunset walk and he intended to remember every detail, the harsh call of falcons flying above, the sibilant beckoning sound of the tide lapping against the break wall, the wind chanting a dirge for his loss.

He paused at the water’s edge, unable to stop the burgeoning tears from overflowing their vessel. He wept, mourning the loss of the one person who loved him absolutely, despite his difference, delighting in his every accomplishment, challenging and encouraging him throughout his life. “Be happy, be well,” he whispered, smiling through his tears in memory of the smiles they also exchanged as they parted each morning, each to a job he had chosen. Mark lifted the lid tenderly and watched the wind carry his father's ashes up to greet the final brilliant blaze of the day’s setting sun. Mark flung the urn, watching it sail through the air to land in the lake that his dad so loved.

His promise kept, Mark allowed himself a moment of anger. “You said that heaven was being able to do what you most loved. You chose the lake, sailing. Why didn’t you choose me instead, to stay with me?” He turned to begin the much longer solitary walk home.

“Because death is a pathway, and one is compelled to choose a path forward.”

Startled by the voice appearing as if from thin air, Mark looked about and found the source seated on a tree stump at the edge of the break wall.

“What are you doing here, this is private property.” he stammered, wiping ineffectively at his eyes.

“We’ve been following your work, especially once we realized you were enlightened. When we stopped receiving signals from your computer several days ago, we were compelled to see if something had happened to stop your work, to stop you.”

Mark stared, not sure if he was more upset by the intrusion in his hour of grief or the overt admission that this hacker had been monitoring him on line. Was he a spy? His accent was unfamiliar, but somehow lyrical and precise.

“Come, walk with me, I would show you something.” The figure stepped forward and drew the cloak tight against the growing wind, and Mark realized he hadn’t been sitting at all, but was as small in stature as he. Now with even more to be curious about, Mark felt compelled to follow the swiftly retreating form into the forest.

The figure led him through a tangle of brush with an opening just barely four feet high, admitting the two of them without bending. Once through, Mark looked up and realized he was standing next to a shuttle. The skin of it shimmered with an alabaster glow. As he watched, a gangplank silently descended from its bowels.

“This is some trick, you’re mocking me, making fun of me because I’m not normal. I’m used to it, but why today, this is cruel.”

Mark jumped at the sound of a giggle, the voice melodious and higher pitched than his guide, sounding from overhead. Looking up the gangplank, his eyes were captured and were held in thrall by the most vivid violet orbs with dancing gold flecks framed by cascading golden curls. The figure laughed once again, then broke his gaze and bounded gracefully down the gangplank, easily running down the steps that were proportioned to her size, and his. She stood next to his guide and offered her hand in greeting, smiling at his reticence. He was simply transfixed by the beautiful doll sized fingers reaching for his.

“You’re very normal,” his guide replied, you’ve evolved to the next level of form and, with a minor adjustment in formula, your mathematical theorems are close to practical application. You will soon be able to seek us out. We thought it was a good time to meet you, to keep you from dwelling on your loss and encourage you in your work.”

“Hi, my name is Mink,” the beautiful blonde jumped in, “This is my ship, and I bid you enter and visit awhile.”

Unsure as to whether he was now succumbing to madness or being captured by aliens, he followed Mink up the gangplank, easily negotiating the 6-inch high risers as he trailed her perfectly proportioned diminutive...

“You see, your concept of using the lattice theory to travel through time is almost right, except that you do not travel forward, but sideways. You can basically leap from one point in time and space to its equivalent in another part of space. It could be dangerous ending up in a volcano, or a sunspot, but precise mathematical calculations are geared to avoid that, and the signals we’ve monitored from your computer indicate you’re well on your way to deducing that.”

“That is why we chose you,” Mink smiled with obvious pleasure, “one reason why we want to see you succeed, finalize the theory and get it started in practical application."

“So you won’t take me captive here?” Mark asked, surveying the perfectly proportioned desks and chairs, realizing it was too real to be a joke.

“No, although I wouldn’t object to a longer visit,” Mink smiled, now obviously flirting.

Mark smiled, standing tall, his joy in life restored, seeing true affection in the eyes of these strangers from another world.

“I only wish my dad had lived to see this.”

“Who knows, perhaps he does see. Perhaps that search will one day be a joint project between you and us.” Mink replied.

“Perhaps it will,” Mark answered, smiling as he took the hand of the beautiful and brilliant stranger from a world far away, feeling normal, not special, for the first time in his life.

*****

© 2006 manga kate

word count = 995 ~ Writer's Cramp & Sandbox

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NOTE in case you’re curious: Lattice Theory is a mathematical theory that, as explained to me in layman’s terms, postulates that all time exists simultaneously and is separated by something akin to a lattice fence, and that it is possible with mathematically precise calculations, to cross through one of the lattices when they are aligned and go forward in time. I imagined it to be sideways in order to put it in this story, and who’s to say it isn’t?