In a dimly lit laboratory, Dr. Adrian Kellerman peered into the translucent chamber holding the alien specimen. Its otherworldly form seemed to writhe with a subtle sadness, as if it carried the weight of forgotten galaxies.
As the experiments progressed, the alien's eyes, deep pools of cosmic sorrow, reflected a profound longing for the home it might never return to. Driven by scientific curiosity, Kellerman's relentless probing delved into the creature's essence, unraveling the mysteries of extraterrestrial biology.
Yet, with each experimentation, an echo of despair resonated within the sterile walls. The alien's estrangement deepened. Kellerman, consumed by scientific zeal, failed to grasp the emotional turmoil he inflicted. The alien bore the weight of interstellar solitude, its cosmic essence tinged with an ineffable sadness, a silent lament for the distant realms it could never reclaim.
One day, as the experiments reached a critical juncture, the alien emitted a haunting, ethereal lament—a plea for release from the cold grip of human inquisition. Kellerman, momentarily shaken, pressed on, oblivious to the profound consequences of his relentless pursuit.
In the final moments, as the alien's essence dissipated into the cold void of the laboratory, a single tear shimmered in its eye—a tear that held the collective sorrow of uncharted galaxies, lost in the unfathomable depths of scientific ambition. And with that tear, the extraterrestrial visitor perished, leaving behind a lingering melancholy in the heart of an oblivious scientist.
Would love feedback and critique.
(The original idea and most of the writing was oc, I then used chat gpt to clean up the writing and structure rhe story better.)
Funnily enough the idea to write this came from reading a story about book banning which led to me wondering how we alienate children and use them for political clout more than actually caring about them.
The theme of the story revolves around the consequences of scientific curiosity, the alienation induced by relentless experimentation and the general exploration of existential loneliness within the context of extraterrestrial existence.
Yet that was just a way to make the more general idea of how we use other beings for our benefit no matter how inconsequential. I deliberately didn't specidy any details about the alien while naming the scientist to create a gap in personhood where one has privelege and power over the other.
What knowledge is worth the loss of our empathy?