In the Eye of the Beholder

Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer

My head was throbbing. I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to ease the pain. It didn’t help.

“Try rubbing your temples. That seems to work for me,” suggested a gravelly voice to my right.

Prior to that instant, I didn’t know anyone was with me. In fact, I didn’t even know where I was, or how I got here. Although the room was on the dark side, I couldn’t open my eyes wider than thin slits. I decided to keep them closed. “What’s that?” I was able to say in a raspy voice that was barely louder than a whisper. “Where am I? I demand to know what’s going on.”

“Well, buddy, I don’t know where we are. But I know it ain’t no place good. It seems we’ve been kidnapped by Spacemen. We’re in some kind of flying saucer. They picked you up yesterday. I’ve been here about a week.”

“Spacemen? Flying saucer? What are you talking about?”

“I know it hurts, but think hard. What do you remember?”

He was right, it did hurt. But I fought through the pain. “Let’s see. I remember being in a large room. Something like a hospital room, or maybe a laboratory of some kind. Oh my God. You’re right. I do seem to remember seeing aliens. At least I think I do. I can’t be sure. Maybe it was a dream?”

“More like a nightmare, my friend. Try again. Can you see them?”

“I can’t really see anything. But I do have some vague impressions. Oh God, their smell. I remember their stench was awful. Especially their breath. It was like decomposing flesh. It was horrible.” I tried to concentrate, but everything was still blurry. “I sense something. Yes, they were ugly. Discolored teeth. A big nose, at least that’s what I think it was. Two evil looking eyes. And they had things growing on either side of their heads.” I struggled to focus on the fleeting images at the edges of my consciousness. “I also recall this metal contraption attached to the top of my head. It stung me with burst of electric shocks.” I grabbed my temples, and fought the pain. “I also remember thinking, ‘boy are these guys stupid. They’re a race of idiots. Ugly ass idiots. We should do the universe a favor and kill them all.’ I remember thinking how it made my skin crawl just being in the same room with them.” I shuddered. “How about you? Did you see the same thing?”

I couldn’t see my companion, but I could hear him chuckle. “Yeah. It was exactly like that. Well, on the first day, anyway. But not now. Not after I figured out what they’re doing. That thing they put on our heads, it’s some kind of mind reading device. They put one on you and another on one of them. Then they sit across from you and suck your thoughts right out of your mind. All those things you remember about how disgusting and hideous they were. Well, that’s not what really happened. You see, that mind contraption works both ways. You’re actually remembering what they were thinking about you.”