It was a long time ago, some day in my future. I was in a journey with my friends Me and me, the twins. We were part of a scientific research that tried to solve the mystery about the alleged existence of ancient dog-like, three-headed creatures known as Serbearers. It was our task to find physical evidence of it, with luck, a fossil. Our excavation was located in a dessert land unknown as Time; a remote region that has never appeared in any map yet has always existed. It’s thought that it has been always uninhabited, because of its extremely harsh conditions and the lack of any life signals, and also there were legends that told the land was cursed. However, all evidence indicated that against all odds, if such creatures as the Serbearers ever existed, it had been there. But what we found digging under the heavy and slippery sands of Time was beyond our expectations. First, we found a big surface covered in white threads. To the touch, it felt like hair. We continued digging, and we could see a wall covered in a strange kind of black leather, with 4 strange symbols we couldn’t understand, it seemed to be a word, maybe a name. As our excavation progressed, we could not believe what was being unveiled before our eyes, hidden under the sand. It was the giant effigy of a head, but it looked unbelievably real. It was not just the hair. The «leather» covering the wall (that was nothing but the forehead of the head) was actually human skin. Who could have made something like this? What kind of civilization created this «sculpture», so devotedly at our own image?
Our questions and conjectures were so many, and we needed so badly to know what knowledge and secrets were lying under these sands, that we never stopped until all the head was unveiled. The reason why we stopped digging wasn’t that we were tired. Strangely enough, we were full of energy, more than ever in our lives, in spite of the hard work and haven’t slept or eaten… we didn’t know how long ago we had begun digging, time seemed not to exist in this land of Time. We stopped because there was nothing more than a head. Yes. Only dust, a giant head, Me, me and me. There it stood before us. The giant head of a man, of black skin and white hair, the eyes closed, as it was in the deepest slumber. The features were grotesque. Although young-like, looking at it you feel it was.. decrepit. It lips were thick and red, they looked bloody and that made me think of thousands human holocausts and blood, offered to appease this sort of deity. I was staring at this head, mesmerized, when a yelling of pain woke me up from the spell. It was me, and he suddenly looked amazingly haggard, the mark of a snakebite on his hand. A serpent? In this dead place? We looked around searching for it, but there was no sign of any snake in miles around. Or any other living being for that matter. Just the god head, Me, me and poor me, shrieking and twisting in agonizing pain. But something was different. «Do you notice that?» I asked Me. «you feel it too? like we’re being watched?» Me said back at me. Then we heard a beautiful yet strange sound. It was more like a noise, and to our shock, it came from the head. The head was laughing. I turned around and saw its big white teeth, shining like diamonds. They were mirrors! I could see myself reflected in the giant teeth of the laughing mouth of a giant head. Was this a dream? I didn’t remember falling asleep, and everything looked very real. Even the giant head. Especially the giant head. None of us moved. «Of course you’re being watched» the head said, staring straight at us, with big reptilian red eyes. «I am watching you. I always have. Thanks for unearthing me, the sand of Time is very abrasive. Look what it did to my skin. It’s totally black. It used to be as white as the most white you’ve never seen». «Thanks» it was me talking. I turned to see him. He wasn’t in pain anymore. He looked quite good indeed. «Thank you for healing me. It was you, right? What bit me? We don’t see any living creature here besides us… and you». «I did. I bit you and healed you too. I’m life and death, poison and cure, alpha and omega. I am the one who is». «Wait a minute» it was Me talking «are you saying you’re God?». «No. I’m not saying it. I’m being it» the head answered. «You must have many questions. I can answer them. I will reveal the secrets of the Universe to you. Come inside me and you’ll be fulfilled. But you must get in only one at the time. To know me, you must do it on your own. Alone. Just you and me».
You can be all the skeptical you want, but when you have a giant talking head telling you it’s God and willing to share with you what humanity has been wanting to know since the Mind appeared on earth, wouldn’t you be curious about it?
«I’ll come in first», said me. «The head healed me, In the head I trust. I believe what it says. I know it’s true. We’re before the presence of God. This land isn’t accursed. It’s holy.» The head opened his mouth open and stuck out a wet yellow tongue, like a carpet leading to a black cave. me stepped on it, and it took me inside the head, that swallowed him. He came out through one of the head’s nostril. The expression on his face was one of indescribable terror. «NO! NO!! TEN THOUSAND TIMES NO!!» We were in shock. «What have you done to my brother, you freak?!» Me imprecated to the head. «I only answered his questions» said the head. Me took me in his arms, cupped his face between his hands «Hey brother, it’s me, Me. Everything is fine. Please, me, listen to me. Whatever that thing has told you, don’t believe it. It’s a lie. A big lie. Let’s get out of here, I’ll take care of you as I have always done». «Get your hands off me! you’re disgusting! I saw the truth! You are the only liar here. You hate me, Me. You’ve always hated me. And the worse is I’m just like you. We’re just grotesque copies of each other! I HATE YOU! I HATE MYSELF! I HATE THE TRUTH AND THAT HEAD FOR SHOWING IT TO ME!». «Enough! How can you say that to me? We’ve lived so many things together. We’ve always loved each other, always looked after each other. We know each other as well as we know ourselves. Are you throwing all that to the garbage just because this thing told you it was a lie?! come on, man! what’s wrong with you? Can’t you listen to yourself?» «I didn’t know myself. I do now. You don’t know yourself either. But you’re not the one to blame. Go inside the head. See what I saw, and you’ll understand that I had to do this. Sorry, brother. I love you.» Said this, me took his knife and cut open his throat. The blood gushed covering his and his brother’s bodies. Me took the knife and ran towards the face, stabbing it in a furious attack, totally deranged. Each stab Me aimed into the head, filled the place with thousand of voices coming from the head’s wounds. Voices, not blood, was the only thing that came out of it. «HURT!! HURTS!! STOP!!» I listened, and also «KILL ME!! KILL ME NOW PLEASE!!» then we listened me’s voice «Come inside me, brother. I’m waiting for you». Me stopped in cold, dropped the knife. «I’m not gonna let you die, brother. I’ll go inside this hell and bring you back. Hey freak! You’ll answer my questions, any questions I have?» «I will. Gladly» said the head calmly. «Will you show me the secrets of life and death?» asked Me again. «I will. I’ll show you anything you want me to» said the head, opening its cavernous mouth with mirror teeth again, swallowing Me. He came out through the head’s second nostril.He was cackling like a madman. He rolled there laughing and laughing until he peed his pants. «Me, are you ok?» «ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
What follows are some concept art illustration by wonderful artist Paolo Uberti, as a storyboard for a possible animation feature based on this story.
