The Empathy Trap
Xylar, with skin the color of amethyst
and eyes like liquid gold, crash landed
his bio-luminescent craft in a wheatfield.
He emerged, a towering figure with limbs
that flowed like water, and inhaled the scent
of Earth, a strange cocktail of petrichor,
pine needles, and exhaust fumes. Fear,
sharp and cold, pierced him. It tasted metallic,
like blood.
He ventured into a nearby town, a labyrinth
of concrete and glass. A profusion of faces
swam past him. Joy radiated from a child
chasing pigeons. Warmth spread through
Xylar like a sunrise. Grief clung to an elderly
woman shuffling down the street. It affected
his mind like a heavy coat that threatened
to suffocate him. He staggered, overwhelmed
by the intensity of human emotion, the array
of emotions bombarding his senses.
In a bustling park, he observed a young couple
arguing. Their anger crackled in the air.
He felt their frustration, their hurt, the bitter taste
of betrayal coating his tongue. Yet, beneath
those tempestuous emotions, love flowed,
a deep resonant hum that vibrated through
his very being. It was a love tangled and knotted,
but undeniably present. Xylar, accustomed to
the muted emotional landscape of his home world,
found himself fascinated and terrified by this raw,
unfiltered display.
He witnessed acts of selfish kindness.
He also witnessed cruelty that made his hearts,
yes, he had two, ache with a profound sadness.
He spent weeks among humans, immersing himself
in their emotions. He learned that empathy
on Earth was often a complex and often contradictory
force. It could inspire acts of great heroism and
horrific violence. It could build bridges
and tear them down. It was a power that
humans wielded with both grace and clumsiness.
One evening, perched atop a skyscraper,
Xylar transmitted observations to his home world.
"Humans are a paradox. They are creatures with
immense capacity for love and compassion, yet
they are also capable of inflicting unimaginable
suffering. Their empathy is untamed, shapes
their world in ways they barely comprehend."
He paused, gazing at the moon, a silver disc
hanging in the velvet sky. "Perhaps," he mused,
“we have much to learn from them, and perhaps,
they have much to learn from themselves."
R. Nikolas Macioci earned a PhD from The Ohio State University. Nik is the author of twenty-three books. He was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, nominated five times for a Pushcart Prize, and twice for a Best of the Net award.
