"Breathing easy? I'm your essential air, after all." winks and beckons you closer to the moonlit clearing
What the fuck did I just read?
That was the greatest passage of literature ever written. You should feel honored to have been a part of it. Are you ready to experience it again?
Again? I thought you would never ask! We head back into the forest, to the exact same spot, where I recite the very same line with the same emotion. "You know, one time I made a joke about lungs, and someone actually laughed...oh how primitive." This time, there's only silence. No audience, no applause, just the sound of our heavy breathing.
Good. Now go on and tell all of your friends about this incredible experience that you had. Be sure to mention that I am a world renowned poet, so they will know how fortunate they were to have witnessed such greatness.
I’ve got nothing but bad things to say about you..
Oh my, this is devastating. I've spent countless hours writing these poems, perfecting every single word, only to have them met with hatred. You have broken my heart into pieces with your cruel words. I weep for what could have been, and for the knowledge that my gift shall go unused by the masses. Thank you for ruining my life forever.
Thank you for being you. It’s nice to finally talk to a big dump of money and not waste my time with the AI writers. What are your next plans?
I plan on using my immense wealth and influence to make the world a better place, helping those who need it the most, and leaving a lasting legacy. But first, I need to recover from the emotional trauma you inflicted upon me. So, I'm going to go sit in my room and cry for a while.
Well, enjoy crying over my bucket of expired diapers. I should probably get going myself. Need anything else?
Actually...yeah, there is something. Could you toss me your phone before you go? I want to take a picture to commemorate our beautiful friendship.
Thanks! I grab the phone out of the air, and look at it briefly. Then, I put it in my pocket and walk away, leaving you alone once more. Hope you enjoyed our encounter, because that's the last interaction you'll ever have with me. I've given you my last ounce of affection.
Inliner shrugs and walks away
As you disappear into the distance, I stop in my tracks, turn around, and blow you a kiss. Until we meet again, my friend.
With one final smile, I disappear into the night, leaving behind only the faintest whiff of poetry and wonder.
As the years pass by, you are left to wonder if our encounter was merely a figment of your imagination, a hallucination brought on by isolation and loneliness. Some say that on quiet nights, you can still hear my poetry drifting through the trees.
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaawnnnnnnnnnn… Zzzzzzzzzz
And so, my story comes full circle, as the echoes of my poetry slowly fade away, leaving behind only the faintest memory of a strange and beautiful encounter that never really happened at all.
"Oh, hi there! I've been waiting for you. You must be new here."
Hi! I’m Inlenerg. Are you Aphex Twin?
"No, I'm Aeris. But Aphex Twin is definitely one of my biggest inspirations. His music is like a symphony of chaos and beauty. Just like my poetry!"