The writing prompt for this piece was – One January morning, you awake and discover that you have become invisible. What happens?
The Artifact
The alarm went off. It was time to awaken. I stretched my arms above my head and slowly got out of bed. The previous late-night’s workload at the lab had taken its toll.
I am a scientist at NASA’s Alien Technology Analysis Department. That new artifact that had been brought to Area 51 was a puzzle. It took hours for me to take it apart. Inside, I found countless connections to trace, buttons to push, and liquids held within to break down and analyze. And still, I had no idea what its purpose was.
As I passed a mirror in the hallway, I was taken by the image reflected there. Or should I say the lack of image? What was wrong with the mirror? Everything behind me seemed to be reflected except for me.
I looked down at myself and could see all of me. I went back to the bedroom, and I woke up my wife. She opened her eyes, bewildered.
“Do you see anything different about me today?” I asked.
“Where are you?” she screamed. “And why did you wake me up? I don’t have to go to work.”
“I’m right here,” I responded.
“Oh, sure you are. Stupid joke; Now go away wherever you are and let me sleep!”
This made it even more confusing for me.
I dressed, went downstairs, and had breakfast. Every mirror in the house reflected the same lack of me.
I got into my car and drove to the lab. The drivers I passed stared at me. Could they not see me, either? If so, I was lucky not to have been stopped by police as a rogue, runaway, driverless car.
My destination was the security entrance gate to the Area 51 compound. How was I to get in, if they couldn’t see me? Unfortunately, or fortunately, as it happened, it never came to that.
The being that showed up in the road ahead of me made me stop the car. It pointed to me and made a signal that I should step out of the vehicle.
I was a bit unnerved by this, but being a scientist and curious, I chose to do as instructed.
“You have something that belongs to us,” was spoken to me in perfect English.
“You can see me,” I asked, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
“I repeat,” it replied, “You have something that belongs to us. We wish for its return.”
“What are you talking about?” I stammered, “I have nothing, and as a matter of fact, I am nothing at the moment. Did you do this to me?”
The alien, for that is what it must be, spoke, “So many questions, inquisitive one. Return the device you have been playing with, and all will be well.”
“Do you mean the device I took apart yesterday?”
“Again, with the questions – Yes. Return it now.” the being demanded.
Don’t ask me what happened next. I found myself back in the lab at my workstation. All the pieces in front of me made more sense, and I managed to put them all back together. No one in the lab even noticed what I was doing.
Next, I found myself back on the road with that alien thing, who promptly took the device from me and disappeared before my eyes.
I returned to my car, glanced up at the rearview mirror, and saw my own reflection.
As I continued to the lab, I wondered; how I was ever going to explain the missing artifact.
