Most Beautiful Creation

This short story was part of an Intermedia installation exhibited in October 2022. Through this piece and the physical installation I conducted a personal exploration of our perceptions of innate beauty (as opposed to societal beauty) and an experiment of the audiences' interpretation of my work.

I have awoken in my campsite in the mouth of the cave. Today I should be able to find this elusive creature I have been tracking for months. The whirling, corkscrew-like grooves that score the walls indicate that it must be here. I must say I am quite excited for this discovery. A megafauna such as this hasn’t been discovered in decades, so to have the honour of being the first to see one, on this soaring mountain overlooking the grey fields… It is truly a privilege.

The signs throughout this tunnel match all my research. The air is cool from the damp rock created by the creature’s emissions. I arc my hand over my head as I trace the ribbed channels that make the space both large and airy, but also close and snug. Shadows stretch out from my lantern light like an abstract painting. I think I saw one like this in a museum, actually. My shaky, eager breath echoes in the dark spiral ahead, reverberating back to me like rolling waves. I feel giddy as a fruity durian perfume grows and the cave widens to a natural spring. The wine-coloured water gently carries a parade of what seems to be remains of the creature’s hearty feast. I manage my way up stream, following the scent to a… dead end.

Low purrs echo behind me and a warm breeze flushes across the back of my neck. Slowly, I turn around to face eight eyes glowing with the most brilliant ruby tint. It’s my creature. I sputter in shock and stumble back, trying to get a better view at this magnificent specimen. I press my back to the cave wall and take in the sight of it, as it stands poised by its five rose stem-like limbs. Through glimpses in my dancing lantern’s light, I can see its skin is like miniscule honeycombs filled with a rich honey-like liquid to match. Breaking up this texture are larger divots for the creature’s curved digging implements, which add to the rose appearance.

The creature’s body is like a well-crafted art piece in the way it draws your eye to its centre. Its limbs swirl in kaleidoscopic patterns to its ivory face. Its chiselled features give it a permanent smile that shows off its elegant curved teeth. I am also fascinated by the dynamism of its features; most of its eyes are to one side, and its cute upturned nose has a cheeky twist to it! Again, I am reminded of the great artists displayed in museums, rejecting the past rules of form and proportions and beginning movements in their craft.

I am so captivated by the creature’s appearance that I am startled when it moves suddenly with nimbleness thought impossible from such a large animal. It darts forward, pulls its head back, and gives me an even wider smile. I suspect it may want to embrace me, but I prefer not to be touched. So after politely declining, I duck under its approaching arm and step back. The creature lets out a sound I assume is one of understanding, but I continue moving back. I don’t want to overstay my welcome, especially since I have invited myself into the creature’s home with no notice beforehand. My mother would be disappointed in my manners were she still with us, but then again, she forgot hers when seeing my previous discovery. She would understand if she were still here how one would forget such things during such an exhilarating meeting.

The creature moves around me, showing the exit as any host would. I must admit I am stunned by this. Such chivalry I was not expecting when I first entered their cave. I reflect back on my journey to this moment, on my whole life really. All the marvellous discoveries I have made before pale in comparison to this, but were stepping stones to where I am now. Even the mutual agreement the Scientific Academia Association and I made to revoke my doctorate allowed me the freedom to pursue more theoretical creations of nature. Everything has led to this creature. It is the most beautiful creation.