He inspects me from top to bottom.
“Be ready on Monday,” he says. “You will pack a bag. Bring enough clothes for three months. We will pick you up at your house. Prepare for extreme cold but also for milder weather. Do not speak with a single soul about this or the consequences will be severe. And I mean nobody, not even family or best friends. Use this as an excuse: You booked a trip. You are going to a retreat center in Hawaii for three months and phones are not allowed. Practice the story; it has to sound credible."
I don’t fully understand what is going on. “You… are picking me up? Why? As a punishment?” I’m very confused.
“We are inviting you. You will stay with us for three months.”
I fall silent. I am invited? To stay with the Didelians? Three months?“
Any questions?” He asks while he squints his eyes.
“Eh… I have a job. It starts in February.”
“We will make sure you get back in time.”
“And my dog?”
“Bring her. I’m sure your dog and my Monstry will get along fine.”
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The white cat meows while it stares at me. We are all standing completely still. A few newspaper headlines flash through my head:
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Chapter 4
Flambeau River State Forest, Wisconsin
October 24th 2014
An Unexpected Conversation
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Reports like this are common. Governments worldwide are helping the Didelians to protect their privacy, and jail sentences are therefore not unusual. The Didelian mystery will not be unraveled, ever, but people keep trying.
The severity of my situation slowly dawns on me and dark pessimism holds me in its grasp. My fear increases every second. I did something very irrational and very dangerous. Perhaps the next newspaper headline will be about me…
The eyes of the main performer of the show are on me and he doesn’t blink. It feels as if he’s gazing straight through me. I get the feeling that he knows my fears and insecurities, and this makes me feel naked and uncomfortable. The white cat drapes itself around the man’s feet and he picks it up. Neither of them lets go of my eyes for even a second. He massages the cat and the animal purrs softly with satisfaction.
I give the cat a dirty glare as if to say: Traitor! You lured me into this! In response, the animal hisses. Other than this staring contest, nothing happens. Hesitantly I look at the man. He shows no sign of interaction. There are no smiles, no frowns, no words and not even hand gestures. What is going on?
We silently face each other for what feels like forever. I turn from an awkward smile to an insecure grin and end with a question mark. My mind is overshadowed with continuous internal turmoil. Perhaps I should run, I might be able to still get away with this… Slowly, I turn, but before I can move away, the man speaks again.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he says. His voice is deep and his tone is neither inviting nor hostile.
“I know…” I say timidly. “I have no idea why I followed your cat.”
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Reporter for ‘Times Magazine’ fired after approaching Didelian
Texas citizen 3 months jail for walking into Didelian camp
Emigrant deported from the USA after trespassing Didelian premises
The man now sounds mildly entertained and I imagine seeing a faint hint of amusement in his cat’s eyes. Are they playing a game with me?
“Monday morning, at six o’clock, stand in front of your house. Be ready, Didelians don’t wait.”
With these words the main performer turns around and disappears between the shadows of the cabins. For a moment I stand in utter confusion. Is this really happening? Am I intoxicated? Brainwashed? Hallucinating?
Then I realize I’m standing in the Didelian camp, a place where I do not want to be seen by anyone else. Quickly I turn around and sprint as fast as I can toward the line of people. When I arrive, I jump right in the middle and pretend nothing has happened. I see a few intrigued faces around me.
I never stepped out of this line. I did not speak to the leading performer of the show. He definitely did not invite me. While repeating this mantra in my head, I make my way toward the car.