Beyond The Universe...

The lone words that phase in and out of my consciousness are the perception bending lyrics of the since disbanded musical masters of the sixties, “Images of fractured light flitter before me like a billion globes…” All this occurred within, the four cornered prison cell of, my being as I observed the motion of the glowing orbs rise and fall as they breathed. The earths, dim lighted infinite expanding, celestial sea whispers the wisdom of the timeworn sages of yore, though the whispering’s meaning are beyond my comprehension; nevertheless, it was made known to me as I voyage across the universe.

The path of illumination appears to have no end, and internally pain is shot from my head to my heart as I wonder if this ascension will guide me to where I am needed. “What if the wizard tricked me?” The worry fades away after that thought, who cares, the world and its former problems are incapable of grasping me now. I am light years apart with no concerns to haunt me. The future is as existent as the past, and I am as existent as them; we reside nowhere except the memory or ambitions of those who refuse to release them. At the last heave of exiled air, the stars, the planets, and this incessant luminance fades into oblivion.

“Rise feeble death-facer.” The blinding brightness has tripled in intensity at the low bellowing of the interminable figure. My arm becomes a sun shield for my gradually adjusting vision, “Who… who are you?” I palpitate on the recognisable material of a cream shaded marble floor. Surrounding the seven illuminating figures were thrones of white and lurid gold; pillars bore the weight of the sophisticatedly decorated ceilings disclosing the origins of the celestial system; inscribed on the outskirts of the magnum opus, was an indeterminable dialect. Between the seven pillars, twined with their thrones, one could glimpse out of a windowless window to engulf the marvels of the galaxy. The chamber wrapped round in a circular shape as my surrounding became apparent at the conclusion of my rotation. “We are the Seven Stars, little one.” The brightest star spoke, “Our presence is not frequently prone to the abrupt entries of humans. Why have you sought us?” Under the load of the stars question I stumbled to explain. If a thousand-year-old slumbering ox statured wizard had me speechless, imagine how conversing with the stars affected my person. The thunking of rapid knocks upon my chest’s door added to the difficulty of concocting an appropriate sentence for the awaiting stars.

“I… I have traversed across the sizable cosmic… whatever label one could attempt to limit it to, to… to… sup… supplicate from your exaltedness. Uh… um… this is unbearably tedious.” I sigh, “Look, I am just a teenage boy ensnared in the decrepit idiosyncrasy of tenderness towards an angel, who, when I now reflect upon her beatific person is immeasurably more distant than… well… the stars.” My eyes have humbled themselves from the direct contact of my onhearers, and unintentionally, I found my knees receiving the sum of my person. “I know this sounds foolish and human, but I am just that. If you would be so merciful as to grant my request well, I don’t know what a human can do for a star but if I can reach the stars for love what can’t I achieve.” I await for their response that will not come. Silence stands where noise once ruled. The six other stars perch themselves on their thrones whilst the brightest one looms over me. They are awaiting for an unknown occurrence to transpire however, this happening’s apparency eludes my anticipation, instead, I am left solely with an awareness of the obliviousness that I detain.

“Our forbearance runs dry. What assistants do you require of us?” The brightest star flared in a display of the multiple countenances of light. How had this escaped my understanding, I failed to inform them of my appeal. My lungs inflate then, “I seek… I do not know if it is even possible but if anyone is capable of helping it would be you. I desire to contain an asterism of stars within the confinement of a jar.” An audible inhalation was noted from each member on their on throne. “Young soul, you know not the severity of your solicitation. The confinement of the unconfinable! The detainment of the eternally free. Our progeny are the galactic wanders for centuries yet to approach!” His candled head passionately flickered in his continuation, “Destined to venture the realms that we are restricted from. Yonder torch is to blaze superiorly radiant to those of this hour. And you, a mere mortal, an earthling, insults our kind by requesting to contain us within your hands grasp. The raging furnace, the guide of the unlighted night to be bottled in a jar? And all for the unworthiest cause of man’s fickle love?” His temper subsided while the other thrones continued their dazzling flares. “What must I do to prove true? How can I win your favour?” My face hit the marbled surface repeatedly as streams followed from my leaky eyes to join my head on the ground. “They shall reside in their prison long after your air has ceased its reasonless rise and fall. Sentenced to an eternity of bondage for a non-existent crime. It is unfathomable and unreasonable and yet I shall consider you’re weeping. For you have journeyed to a land far from your own and endured the countless perplexing whispers of the void.” The other stars hissed and crackled at the glorious stars altruism. “Humour him not, he is but gone within the hour, but we, we burn tirelessly for the continuous realm. Are we not more than the humans torches.” They wailed towards unhearing ears. “Enough, I have decided he shall prove his valour. Little one, the source of our eternal glow is fuelled by the passion within our tempered beings. This passion is magnified profusely in the presence of one who symphonises our collective desire. One who reveals the inner mechanism of our kindred souls. He that can manipulate that births a thousand added stars to the abyss of space.” He spoke of systems too coruscating for my apprehension.

“What is it that I must do to stir up such motion within you?” I wallowed at the enormity of the commission. “You are required to engender a melodious composition.” The glorious star enlightened me. “But I don’t have any instruments.” I exasperated. “Bounded humans, with their limited knowledge of the higher adroitness’s of continuance. The melodies of being extend further than the ears, and wider than the eyes. Not confined to strings or brushes.” One star snootily spoke. “For you human we shall allow an instrument as our customs are exotic to you.” The brightest star parted his clasp hands as a star crafted instrument materialised in the vacating distance of his movements. A seven stringed star plummeted into my minuscule palms; the burden of gold proved difficult against my inadequate arms. Each of the stars six points contained strings that released unheard and unrepeatable vibrations of an elation evoking nature, however, it was the instruments centre strings that released the notes of rapture. I know not the actual complexion of the piece I performed in comparison to other star composers but to my untrained ear, I considered myself a triumphing rival to Saul’s harpist. What I can unbiasedly disclose were the lyrics that accompanied my arbitrary creation,

“From high above or below devil’s sea,

Their resides in heart a lone mystery,

Which stirs those whose nature’s inclined to move,

To venture forth, their worthiness to prove,

In this weary voyage they come across,

Some they deem worthy of their persons loss,

But I dare travel far further then they,

Even to end in mine own disarray,

For one can’t lay siege to God’s orbs above,

If they endeavour not in the name of love.”

Swept within the anthem of my heart, my mind omitted the remembrance of the audience. The essence of my soul was laid naked for their judicious ears, with one query restricting my necks natural flow, ‘Was I good enough?” The end of my piece was the beginning of their choired cheer. “Well done, mortal, well done. The sustenance of your melodious creation fed the birthing of millions of astral ‘orbs’ as you refer.” From his robe appeared a jar and what I envisioned as dandelions parted ways with his unfurled palm descending gracefully to their jar. “These generations of night patrollers shall be nurtured within the realms of your fingers. Acknowledge the magnitude of reality that rests upon your hands.” With those parting words he bestowed a fraction of the universe into my mortal reach.

At the success of my performance the light opened itself before my unprepared eyes as I was thrusted into a sight stealing exhibit of the incomprehensible. The sensation so potent that my mind was not capable of retaining its memory. I awake upon a bed of grass, near the forgotten dock of mere hours ago. The sun still fresh in its touch on the earths face. What felt like a millennium to me occurred in passing moments to the earth. My body rises from its short-lived slumber to seek out my love, for in my hands rests the jar with its content of constellations. A fleeting seconds glance is spent marvelling at the spectacle taking place within my grasp, a fraction of the infinite universe lays within the realms of my palms. Is this the feeling of God? My chest expands to untested capacities before releasing the magnitude of that speculation. I arrive at the border between the nowhere bridge, at the dock, guiding my eyes to its end but my beginning. She’s no longer sprawled gracefully across her wooden berth instead delights the ocean with her gentle flitters of her feet against its malleable face. One of those bizarre throat coughs hinder me before I cross the line that divides me with destiny. “Hey!” I yell as I venture over to unknown prospects. Her eyes meet mine with a sombre gaze, expanding me with opposing measurements of awe and distress. While her smile holds my heart, her voice distances from what remains left of me. “I got the stars! I did it! I did the impossible.” I exclaim, her eyes focus back on the shimmering orange sea. The dualled natured scene of yesterday lodges in my mind again, though where beauty exceeded itself then, despair progresses now. “I did it all for you.” I swallow hard choking on the last words. Her smile fades and I know she’s gone. The stars closer to my grasp then she’ll ever be. “I am so sorry.” She stutters, “I…” Her eyes return to mine opening a realm more perplexing than the one that brought me down to earth. “I didn’t believe one could achieve such a challenge, but now I know your love knows no limits… however angels are forbidden from marrying mortals.” I never understood if her last words were figurative or not, but what I do know is the kiss she bestowed me, after those final utterances, was truly out of this world.

With my heart in two and gravity restored in its oppressive reign over my person, I begin the arduous expedition back to the hotel, which I anticipate shall sap away the hours of the day. Sometimes the sensations we experience in life are dreadfully fleeting however, the memories we make in those occurrences last long after the sensations come to cease.