{"id":47937,"date":"2014-08-25T07:58:22","date_gmt":"2014-08-25T12:28:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/?p=47937"},"modified":"2014-08-25T07:59:30","modified_gmt":"2014-08-25T12:29:30","slug":"close-encounters-pird-kind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/2014\/08\/25\/close-encounters-pird-kind\/","title":{"rendered":"Close encounters of the Pird Kind"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a long time ago, some day in my future. I was in a journey with my friends Me and me, the twins. We were part of a scientific research that tried to solve the mystery about the alleged existence of ancient dog-like, three-headed creatures known as Serbearers. It was our task to find physical evidence of it, with luck, a fossil. Our excavation was located in a dessert land unknown as Time; a remote region that has never appeared in any map yet has always existed. It’s thought that it has been always uninhabited, because of its extremely harsh conditions and the lack of any life signals, and also there were legends that told the land was cursed. However, all evidence indicated that against all odds, if such creatures as the Serbearers ever existed, it had been there. But what we found digging under the heavy and slippery sands of Time was beyond our expectations. First, we found a big surface covered in white threads. To the touch, it felt like hair. We continued digging, and we could see a wall covered in a strange kind of black leather, with 4 strange symbols we couldn’t understand, it seemed to be a word, maybe a name. As our excavation progressed, we could not believe what was being unveiled before our eyes, hidden under the sand. It was the giant effigy of a head, but it looked unbelievably real<\/span>. It was not just the hair. The \u00ableather\u00bb covering the wall (that was nothing but the forehead of the head) was actually human skin. Who could have made something like this? What kind of civilization created this \u00absculpture\u00bb, so devotedly at our own image?<\/p>\n

Our questions and conjectures were so many, and we needed so badly to know what knowledge and secrets were lying under these sands, that we never stopped until all the head was unveiled. The reason why we stopped digging wasn’t that we were tired. Strangely enough, we were full of energy, more than ever in our lives, in spite of the hard work and haven’t slept or eaten… we didn’t know how long ago we had begun digging, time seemed not to exist in this land of Time. We stopped because there was nothing more than a head. Yes. Only dust, a giant head, Me, me and me. There it stood before us. The giant head of a man, of black skin and white hair, the eyes closed, as it was in the deepest slumber. The features were grotesque. Although young-like, looking at it you feel it was.. decrepit. It lips were thick and red, they looked bloody and that made me think of thousands human holocausts and blood, offered to appease this sort of deity. I was staring at this head, mesmerized, when a yelling of pain woke me up from the spell. It was me, and he suddenly looked amazingly haggard, the mark of a snakebite on his hand. A serpent? In this dead place? We looked around searching for it, but there was no sign of any snake in miles around. Or any other living being for that matter. Just the god head, Me, me and poor me, shrieking and twisting in agonizing pain. But something was different. \u00abDo you notice that?\u00bb I asked Me. \u00abyou feel it too? like we’re being watched?\u00bb Me said back at me. Then we heard a beautiful yet strange sound. It was more like a noise, and to our shock, it came from the head. The head was laughing<\/span>. I turned around and saw its big white teeth, shining like diamonds. They were mirrors! I could see myself reflected in the giant teeth of the laughing mouth of a giant head. Was this a dream? I didn’t remember falling asleep, and everything looked very real. Even the giant head. Especially<\/span> the giant head. None of us moved. \u00abOf course you’re being watched\u00bb the head said, staring straight at us, with big reptilian red eyes. \u00abI am watching you. I always have. Thanks for unearthing me, the sand of Time is very abrasive. Look what it did to my skin. It’s totally black. It used to be as white as the most white you’ve never seen\u00bb. \u00abThanks\u00bb it was me talking. I turned to see him. He wasn’t in pain anymore. He looked quite good indeed. \u00abThank you for healing me. It was you, right? What bit me? We don’t see any living creature here besides us… and you\u00bb. \u00abI did. I bit you and healed you too. I’m life and death, poison and cure, alpha and omega. I am the one who is\u00bb. \u00abWait a minute\u00bb it was Me talking \u00abare you saying you’re God?\u00bb. \u00abNo. I’m not saying it. I’m being it\u00bb the head answered. \u00abYou must have many questions. I can answer them. I will reveal the secrets of the Universe to you. Come inside me and you’ll be fulfilled. But you must get in only one at the time. To know me, you must do it on your own. Alone. Just you and me\u00bb.<\/p>\n

You can be all the skeptical you want, but when you have a giant talking head telling you it’s God and willing to share with you what humanity has been wanting to know since the Mind appeared on earth, wouldn’t you be curious about it?<\/p>\n

\u00abI’ll come in first\u00bb, said me. \u00abThe head healed me, In the head I trust. I believe what it says. I know it’s true. We’re before the presence of God. This land isn’t accursed. It’s holy.\u00bb The head opened his mouth open and stuck out a wet yellow tongue, like a carpet leading to a black cave. me stepped on it, and it took me inside the head, that swallowed him. He came out through one of the head’s nostril. The expression on his face was one of indescribable terror. \u00abNO! NO!! TEN THOUSAND TIMES NO!!\u00bb We were in shock. \u00abWhat have you done to my brother, you freak?!\u00bb Me imprecated to the head. \u00abI only answered his questions\u00bb said the head. Me took me in his arms, cupped his face between his hands \u00abHey brother, it’s me, Me. Everything is fine. Please, me, listen to me. Whatever that thing has told you, don’t believe it. It’s a lie. A big lie. Let’s get out of here, I’ll take care of you as I have always done\u00bb. \u00abGet your hands off me! you’re disgusting! I saw the truth! You are the only liar here. You hate me, Me. You’ve always hated me. And the worse is I’m just like you. We’re just grotesque copies of each other! I HATE YOU! I HATE MYSELF! I HATE THE TRUTH AND THAT HEAD FOR SHOWING IT TO ME!\u00bb. \u00abEnough! How can you say that to me? We’ve lived so many things together. We’ve always loved each other, always looked after each other. We know each other as well as we know ourselves. Are you throwing all that to the garbage just because this thing told you it was a lie?! come on, man! what’s wrong with you? Can’t you listen to yourself?\u00bb \u00abI didn’t know myself. I do now. You don’t know yourself either. But you’re not the one to blame. Go inside the head. See what I saw, and you’ll understand that I had to do this. Sorry, brother. I love you.\u00bb Said this, me took his knife and cut open his throat. The blood gushed covering his and his brother’s bodies. Me took the knife and ran towards the face, stabbing it in a furious attack, totally deranged. Each stab Me aimed into the head, filled the place with thousand of voices coming from the head’s wounds. Voices, not blood, was the only thing that came out of it. \u00abHURT!! HURTS!! STOP!!\u00bb I listened, and also \u00abKILL ME!! KILL ME NOW PLEASE!!\u00bb then we listened me’s voice \u00abCome inside me, brother. I’m waiting for you\u00bb. Me stopped in cold, dropped the knife. \u00abI’m not gonna let you die, brother. I’ll go inside this hell and bring you back. Hey freak! You’ll answer my questions, any questions I have?\u00bb \u00abI will. Gladly\u00bb said the head calmly. \u00abWill you show me the secrets of life and death?\u00bb asked Me again. \u00abI will. I’ll show you anything you want me to\u00bb said the head, opening its cavernous mouth with mirror teeth again, swallowing Me. He came out through the head’s second nostril.He was cackling like a madman. He rolled there laughing and laughing until he peed his pants. \u00abMe, are you ok?\u00bb \u00abahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah<\/p>\n

ahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhhhh ahhhh ahh ahahahahahahahahaha ah ahahahaaaahhah\u00bb I tried to break him out of his laughter, to no avail. Finally he laughed so hard that he couldn’t breath anymore and collapsed asphixiated besides his brother, with a silly grin on his face.The head stood there before me, unaffected. Me and me dead bodies lying there, one at my left, the other at my right. I looked at the head and it looked back at me in silence. \u00abYour turn\u00bb it finally said. \u00abWill you come inside me like your friends did?\u00bb. \u00abThey were not my friends, and you should know that. They were just grotesque copies of me. But I will come inside you too. I only want to ask you a favor before I do. Would you please smile for me? I want to see my reflection on your teeth one last time before I die\u00bb. The head laughed back at me. \u00abOh my, of course I will smile for you\u00bb and with this, the head smiled at me showing its teeth. But its smile seemed more the menacing grin of a beast showing its fangs. Then I ran and threw myself against the teeth. Instead of breaking them, I stepped into the other side of the mirror, inside the head. \u00abGood try, but you’re inside me anyway\u00bb said the head inside my head. \u00abYes. Show me the secrets of the Universe\u00bb I replied. \u00abOk. Look through my eyes\u00bb. I walked towards what looked like 2 round, red windows, and saw the world through God’s eyes. \u00abNice view\u00bb I said. \u00abIndeed\u00bb said the head. Then I said \u00abBut I don’t see yet anything that I haven’t seen before. Please, unveil to me the mysteries of your Creation\u00bb. \u00abWhat? What are you talking about? I’m showing you. Look! Behold my greatness! Behold the wonders of my Universe!\u00bb the head seemed desperate, confused, alarmed. For the first time since we found it, it showed some emotion. It was pathetic though. \u00abWell, I’ve seen. But I still have one question. Can you look through my eyes, please. I need to show you what I see before asking you the question I want to ask you.\u00bb. \u00abSure I can. But there’s nothing you can show me that I haven’t seen\u00bb. \u00abPlease, I insist\u00bb. \u00abOk\u00bb the head obliged \u00abLet’s see \u00abthe wonders through your eyes\u00bb\u00bb. \u00abPlease, look at my smile, do you see your reflection on my teeth?\u00bb \u00abYes, I do\u00bb \u00abI want to know, where is the rest of your body? You don’t have one\u00bb \u00abThe rest … of my body?\u00bb \u00abYeah, where is it? Do you have a body?\u00bb Everything went dark then, because the head closed its eyes. \u00abI can’t answer your question. I don’t know… I’ll let you go, but I’d like to ask you for a favor\u00bb \u00abWhat’s that?\u00bb \u00abI want you to keep searching, and come back to me if you ever find my body.\u00bb. \u00abI will. Gladly\u00bb I said, then blood filled the head, and dragged me down as it was expelled through its third nostril. I stood up and looked at its face again. There was something different now, I could read the symbols on its forehead. It was my name. \u00abThose symbols you see in my forehead -said the head- That’s my name. Call it when you want to come to me\u00bb. While it talked, I caught a glimpse of my own face on its teeth. It was black, with red eyes and bloody lips and white hair. I turned around and walked away calmly, leaving behind me the head, whose calm has been replaced for a bitter expression of horror and terrible anguish. And its face… I could see now that it was my face. All the time.—<\/p>\n

What follows are some concept art illustration by wonderful artist Paolo Uberti<\/a>, as a storyboard for a possible animation feature based on this story.<\/p>\n

\"Concept<\/a>
Concept art for the scientists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Concept<\/a>
Concept art for the twin scientists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Concept<\/a>
Concept art for the scientists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Concept<\/a>
Concept art for the scientists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The scientists in the desert of Time and a mirage of the legendary Serbearers in the clouds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"What's<\/a>
What’s this?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"That<\/a>
That shouldn’t be there<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The scientists in Time<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"exploring\"<\/a>
exploring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"mysterious<\/a>
mysterious threads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"threads\"<\/a>
threads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The excavation begins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Symbols<\/a>
Symbols on a wall?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking at the symbols<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"looks<\/a>
looks like an eye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"digging\"<\/a>
digging<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"that's<\/a>
that’s no wall…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"it's<\/a>
it’s a head!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"keep<\/a>
keep your third nostril open<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"lips\"<\/a>
lips<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"uncovered<\/a>
uncovered head<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"God\"<\/a>
God<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"God<\/a>
God (color)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"bite!\"<\/a>
bite!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"something<\/a>
something bit Me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\""I<\/a>
\u00abI did\u00bb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The head awakens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"God<\/a>
God watches you<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking at your reflection in the smile of God<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was a long time ago, some day in my future. I was in a journey with my friends Me and me, the twins. We were part of a scientific research that tried to solve the mystery about the alleged existence of ancient dog-like, three-headed creatures known as Serbearers. It was our task to find […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3212,"featured_media":48374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2439],"tags":[3394,3392,3393],"class_list":{"0":"post-47937","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arte","8":"tag-science-fiction","9":"tag-short-story","10":"tag-surrealism"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/gfg.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfpCD-ctb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3212"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.panfletonegro.com\/v\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}