October 18, 2020

At first sight, it looked like a normal office without windows. Everywhere, there was just artificial light. Apart from the fact that pretty much everyone there was wearing a helmet like in Formula 1 while conducting some research in front of their screens. I counted 15 people in total. Nobody was paying any attention to me until I heard my name on the intercom. I was told to go to the coffee room downstairs and wait for the mentor. The coffee room downstairs was empty. A sink full of dirty dishes, a buzzing vending machine, and a television on the shopping channel made me feel like we were on a night shift somewhere. Then I noticed a man getting up from the soft chairs where he was laying before I came. It was a good spot because you could hide from view under the shadow of the stairs. Perfect for someone looking for a quick nap. The man smiled at me, rubbing his eyes and face. He didn’t seem guilty for sleeping at work.

“I was dreaming about you,” he said.” You were a waiter at the restaurant serving us a bottle of white wine, but the wine was warm.”

“I will try to put it in the bucket of ice next time. Do you want me to put it in the bucket of ice?” I asked.

“It’s too late, matey” the man replied. “You have been fired,” he laughed. ” But let’s not fear, as I am about to offer you a better job than serving wine which tastes like piss. Let me give you a basic briefing session on what’s going on here, but I can only promise that you will find out things more clearly along the way. My name is David. And I am not an alcoholic.”

David told me that our mission was to research two planets. “Everyone upstairs is involved,” he said. “The research is subjective, personal. It’s the only way to gather information because the planets communicate through experience. It’s valued despite being personal.”

People with helmets were trying prove this. “The planets were the ones who chose how to interact with the observer and what type of knowledge to disclose. It was their way to talk to us, similar to the way our subconscious talks to us through our dreams. These experiences aren’t deemed real but are important as codes.”

“It reminds me of Solaris,” I said. “Not very original”.

“In a way, yes,” he frowned. “Just not so much about our inner demons. It’s more about understanding something beyond our comprehension.”

“Why me?” I asked, genuinely curious.

David’s gaze softened. “Because you see things differently. You are not just looking for answers; you are looking for meaning. You are the one who is looking for the bucket of ice. Because you want to make a difference.” David raised his eye brows.

“That’s not entirely true,” I shook my head. “I was just curious about that dog staring at me and decided to follow it. I don’t even understand what you’re saying; all these clichés make me nervous.”

David smiled, the hint of admiration in his eyes. “Exactly. That curiosity, that willingness to follow the unknown, and caution with words, that’s what makes you perfect for this.

He paused, then added, ” By the way, have you heard about the magic matches?”

I nodded. “From my childhood fantasy book. A boy finds a box of matches that fulfil his wish every time he strikes one.”

“These are somewhat similar,” saying that David was trying to hide that he’s yawning. “They are about granting wishes, but only after uncovering truths that the planets want to share with us.”

“Do you have them” I pressed.

“Yes, we do, actually”.

“Let me guess, the matches aren’t working yet.” I sounded more sarcastic than I thought.

“Oh, they do. They do. But we want to understand why.”