QUOK

HARK.

A man has a birthday. A fine coincidence too, because a much older presence also has its birthday! He celebrates it with a relaxing hobby: fishing. He chooses a Pond of unnerving sereneness. His ancient lizard brain screams at him to flee, but why? It's just a pond. It may be a little quiet, but what's wrong with quiet?

The Pond defines Quiet, evaporating any noise that would dare challenge it. The man regrets every decision leading up to this doomed adventure and begins to turn around.

The man sees a faint light, pulsing in the middle of the pond. What could be down there? Is he moving closer or is the boat? It doesn't matter. He has been Chosen. A faint angelic chorus begins filling the air, growing steadily in tone. Where is the source? Is it real?

A figure begins rising out of the water. Water clings to it like clothing, It holds on to the figure, as if the water was attempting to keep it under desperately, but it gives up, slowly falling off, as if the figure was bursting from a blanket.

It is simply a duck. The man for a split second almost bursts out laughing in relief. But the chorus continues, louder and louder. It's almost unbearable. The man can't look away from its feathery head. The duck slowly opens its beak, revealing a Third Eye. Light pulses from the corona. Purple light? What is in there? Are those...........stars?

The man does not realize that he has left the boat. The boat begins to sink behind him, removing all evidence of this encounter. The man doesn't care though. He doesn't care about family, friends, love, money, or life itself. He just wants whats beyond the Eye. The Eye contains secrets. Secrets we are being protected from. Secrets we should not know, secrets we cannot comprehend. Purple light drapes the man, and with one horrified glance as he realizes the truth, he vanishes. He is made of stars now.