INTERFERENCE (A Short Novel)

IX. The Warning

IX. The Warning

 

            “Hello Alizé.”

“Why do you keep on calling, earthling Jeremy? We shouldn’t be speaking to each other, you know?”

“Uh, why is that, Alizé?”

“I told you: it’s dangerous.”

“How come?” Jeremy asked.

“Because, earthling Jeremy, by doing this, we are breaking an ancient pact,” Alizé cheerfully proclaimed.

Jeremy fell silent for a moment. “A pact. Hmmm. Tell me, is that the reason why you’re not answering my calls?”

Alizé giggled. “You sound like a scolding boyfriend. Does it mean I’m your girlfriend now?” the voice asked innocently.

Jeremy was flustered. “No! It’s not like that… I mean… you’re a… you’re just a kid… why are you even talking about these things?”

“I’m not a kid. I’m an angel.”

“Then why on earth do you have a cellphone?”

 A high-pitched cackle emanated from the phone’s loudspeaker. “Do you – earthlings – think that you are smarter than The Creator himself? Of course we have cellphones. We have everything. The Creator provides everything,” Alizé said in a voice that resonates nothing more than carefree bliss.

Jeremy bit his lip. “Okay seraphim Alizé. Another question: why does this phone keep on connecting to your phone?”

“Because of the signal?” Alizé replied with a chortle.

“Alizé, please…”

“Have you tried taking your phone out for a repair?” the voice suggested. Jeremy heard a giggle.

“Listen. If we’re not supposed to be talking to each other, then why am I talking with you now?” Jeremy asked.

He heard an eerie silence on the other end of the line.  

“Alizé?”

“Let me tell you a story, human,” the voice finally answered. “There used to be a time when celestial technology was unparalleled in all of the universes. But everything changed when one by one, the intelligent races from all corners of the cosmos started to become more and more intelligent. They started building great machines and devices; they started sending signals to the ether; and they started exploring space. This includes you: Homo sapiens sapiens of earth – the intelligent beings of the whole solar system. In a short span, you, earthlings, have developed technological devices so powerful that their signals interfered with that of ours, causing cosmic anomalies from time to time. You, humans, are already crossing the borders of your intellectual gift. You are now stepping over the threshold of Universal Wisdom – abusing your power and inadvertently trying to surpass that of God’s. That, humans, shall be your downfall.”

The airconditioning inside the room has been set to 78 degrees but Jeremy can still feel the sweating of his armpits. For some reason that he couldn’t fathom, he felt nervous. And scared. Alizé has stopped talking already, but Jeremy could still feel her sweet, cheerful tone reverberating in his ears. There’s something about the voice that made him think that he hasn’t been talking to a child after all.

He couldn’t already process the information posed to him, but the gravity of the words is slowly starting to sink in.

Jeremy shot a glance at Clifford. The bigger guy was staring blankly into space, with eyes that spelled dread.