Starfish, Egret
Unnatural Recollections #5
Part 1: Strange Places
Starfish
I know that the heavens and the earth have reversed, with the sky below and the earth above. How do I know? I still walk on the earth, my feet unquestionably standing on the ground, and the sky is above my head. However, this is just a perspective relative to my own body. From an absolute point of view, the heavens and the earth have indeed reversed, so the earth is above my feet and the sky is below my head. I look up at the ground and look down at the sky.
The world hasn't reacted to this change; everything continues as usual. Skyscrapers continue to be built, but it feels as if they are being constructed downwards. Birds still fly in the sky, and trees grow as usual, branching upside down. Gravity hasn't changed either; ripe fruits on the trees fall upwards to the ground, and objects thrown from tall buildings still land on the streets. The circus advertised in the commercials is unaffected, still performing aerial acts without the performers falling into the bottomless sky.
I spoke to people about the reversal of heaven and earth, but it seems no one has noticed the change. They all dismissively say, “Impossible! The sky is above, and the ground is below. How can they be reversed?” I've tried to convince them many times, but they always failed to grasp the mystery. Eventually, I stopped explaining to these unwise fools, but I felt sorry for them.
I myself was not completely unwavering. You know, this truly isn't an easy thing to accept. However, a particular experience solidified my belief. It was a shipwreck incident; I was washed by a giant wave into a bay. I floated on the surface, neither rising nor sinking. Facing the water, back towards the sky, I had a sudden realization. Upon the seabed which looked like the night sky, an enormous star was wavering. But I didn't have time to tell anyone. It was such a desolate, lonely, yet wonderful experience.
Egret
It was a morning when a white egret glided over the water. Such a scene seemed out of place in this city. The house wasn't too far from the town center either. I can't say precisely how many kilometers. In any case, it was to the northeast of the city, very close to the border.
It was an ordinary day. As common as the egret gliding over the water. Initially, there was nothing to fuss about. It wasn't a sight that demanded exclamation. The egret belonged here. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe we didn't belong. Such an ordinary sight, yet so unimaginable.
A morning with an egret gliding over the water should be warm. There was sunlight, filtering through the curtains, waking us up. In the air we'd shared all night, our mingled scents, and our overlapping body heat. We realized we'd kicked off the blanket in our sleep. Opening our eyes, we saw the curtain patterns on our bodies.
Our bodies were just ordinary bodies, regular skin and parts. What wasn't ordinary was the touch of sunlight on our skin. And when we opened the window, facing the stark whiteness of the egret. Standing with hands clasped behind, looking out. A shoulder next to a shoulder. A face next to a face.
An egret stood on the shallow mudflat, occasionally pecking for food, or just making the motion of doing so. Mostly, it observed. Perhaps it didn't need to squint. Other egrets flew by, skimming the water, or they took off in flocks and landed scattered in the mangroves. This egret seemed indifferent, occasionally bowing its head to preen. Look, another egret is approaching. It felt like we knew the scene. The egret flapped its wings to meet the other, following closely, gliding over the water, fluttering, touching, creating ripples.
I think, we should be here.
For introductory remarks about the work, see “Coming soon! Strange tales from V City”
⭐️ 🐦 Lovely😌😌😌