Nidaari

It seemed to drift, gliding slowly through the air, only a foot above the ground. Its eyes were dark like the night sky, and its mouth curved upwards in some imitation of a human smile. Though it had a mouth, it did not speak a word, no matter how many times I asked what it was. It formed gestures with its arms and hands, trying to communicate something.

It came closer, lowering itself so that its eyes met mine, its lowermost tentacles lifting themselves slightly as though they were repelled by the ground itself. It reached its head out toward my forehead, and I recoiled in a moment of fear. The creature continued to watch me, unblinking. There was a sort of alien innocence in how it watched me.

Going against everything I had been told about trusting creatures of this sort, I slowly walked back over to the floating being. As it raised its hand once again, I nodded in affirmation. It gently placed its cold palm upon my head, and for an instant, I felt as though I could hear the universe itself, like an ethereal chorus of screams.

Then, just as quickly, it faded into silence. I looked back at the face of the creature, whose mouth opened as though to express joy. An excited voice spoke inside my head.

"Finally, you can hear me!"