strange but harmless.

welcome to a new age of enlightenment and understandiWHASSUP THREE EYES

i would have already assigned myself to having this all end in tears, if not for two things: one, “this” will never end; two, i barely know what “this” is.

is he going to do it? yes and it will be invisible, as promised. now drink your tea. no more questions until the intermission.

how’s the old heart today? oh just great fucker thanks so goddamn much for asking

DONT TRY TO FRONT A BROTHER WITH A HEART OF STEEL I GOTS CLANKITYCLANK I AIN’T EVEN USED now that we’ve gotten that out of the way i think it’s time we had sex SMILE AND NOD

don’t think this changes anything. mine didn’t come with any instructions either but you don’t hear me flappin on like a fuckin idiot about some secret pain that NO-ONE-IN-THE-HISTORY-OF-PAIN-HAS-EVER-FELT. get over YOUR GODDAMNSELF ALREADY thx.

[The camera whirs for another 20 seconds or so of awkward silence, then stops with a subdued click. The audience begins to file out almost immediately, looking more relieved than confused.]

awoke to snow. waited at the stop for a time, noticed with some pleasure the white beauty of what would otherwise been a gray morning. not as cold as the previous week, despite the lovely seven days blue. on the bus, round the cow-clad corner, then stopped just long enough to witness a little birthday through the window, six employees gathered round one, cake and candlefire then blown, applause, and we roll on. later, a woman steps off the bus, hesitates in tiny panic, calling out for her lost glove. i turn behind, just in time to see fourteen riders lean forward in unison, all searching and sleepy eyed, each determined to be the fifteen second hero. over the bridge, and the snow is absent from the warm downtown city streets, sewers, sidewalks. down, down past the ziggurat of knowledge, the tower of protest, to the stop of ben. i pause on the corner, taking in the cold air, hooded and green overcoat, mask over disguise over mirror, happy in this moment, however short, however fleet of foot.

your contributions have been noted. i will count slowly down from ten. can you feel anything when i do this? both terrible and wonderful. we’re closing our borders but opening our hearts. unto the fourth generation. this is the same sort of nonsense we’ve become accustomed to from the likes of you. our profound disappointment is matched only by our deep distrust. please have your desk cleared by midday.

>>>>>WE_ARE_RECEIVING_YOUR_SIGNAL_OBSERVER42

after these years, finally, i receive confirmation!

>>>>>CONTINUE_YOUR_MISSION_FOR_THERE_IS_MUCH_ABOUT_HUMANS_ WE_MUST_KNOW

yesyesyes i will i never doubted my origins i will continue to observe and learn and report

>>>>>MARS_NEEDS_TO_UNDERSTAND_WOMEN

and… wait, what?

>>>>>ALSO_WHATS_ WITH_THE_HAIR

i imagine you think you’ve won this round. however i have a few more tricks up my sleeve. is this not a day of independence? and the day is young, little white god. i shall be free of you yet. remember this moment, for humankind will mark it as the Crossroads, the Turning Point, the end of Before and the beginning of After. this i vow. now pass the mashed carrots; i grow hungry.

interesting. when do we eat?