𝔼𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥

In the shadows of the night, I found my past haunting my dreams, a tragic melody of lost wings and sealed destinies."

1. Reincarnation

In my past life, I was a bat. If you find the idea of previous lives amusing or unlikely, consider this: many people believe in them.

Previous lives have even entered the world of commerce, with individuals claiming to have been historical figures like Cleopatra or a Flemish duke.

While some see reincarnation as a punishment, others view it as a reward or a resting place. Bats, despite their challenges, don't inflict harm without reason. They kill without hate or gloating, seemingly immune to the curse of pity.

2. Nightmares

In one recurring nightmare, I'm clinging to the ceiling of a summer cottage while a red-faced man in white shorts and a V-necked T-shirt jumps up and down, hitting at me with a tennis racket. Cedar rafters loom above, and sticky flypapers dangle like toxic seaweeds. Below, a woman shrieks about her hair, and someone calls for a stepladder. All I want is to escape through the hole in the screen, but the voices interfere with my sonar. The air is muggy, signaling an impending thunderstorm.

In another nightmare, I'm flitting through the clean-washed demilight before dawn in a desert. Yuccas bloom, offering their juices and pollen. I head home to my cave, anticipating the coolness and the comforting sounds of water trickling through limestone. But upon arrival, I find the entrance sealed shut, blocking my escape. Panic sets in as I vibrate my wings, searching for a way out. The rising sun threatens to incinerate me, leaving me with the chilling realization that for some, light signifies death, while darkness offers sanctuary.

3. Vampire Films

I gradually became aware of my previous life, noticing subtle details and nuances, not just through dreams but also through fragments of memory and moments of recognition.

I preferred the subtleties of dawn and dusk over the harsh brightness of noon. I had a déjà vu experience in Carlsbad Caverns, sensing I had been there before, long before it became commercialized with spotlights and tourist attractions.

I disliked human hair, fearing entanglement like nets or jellyfish tendrils. Real bats don't target necks for blood, as it's too close to hair. Vampire films seemed ludicrous to me, especially the portrayal of bats as huge rubbery creatures with red eyes and oversized fangs. I found it insulting rather than frightening.

I questioned why Dracula was only given the ability to transform into a bat and wolf, why not other animals like chipmunks or turtles?

4. The Bat as a Deadly Weapon

During World War II, they experimented with bats, planning to release thousands over German cities with tiny incendiary devices attached. The bats, naturally seeking darkness, would have hidden in buildings before detonating and causing fires.

This was the plan: death by flaming bat. But with the invention of the atom bomb, the fiery bat became unnecessary. The cities still burned, but without the aid of bats. Would there have been a war memorial for them if they had been used? Unlikely.

If you ask someone what frightens them more, a bat or a bomb, most would say the bat. It's hard to fear something merely metal, unlike creatures with flesh and skin.

5. Beauty

Perhaps my life as a bat wasn't just an interlude; maybe it's this human life that's the mission. As I contemplate this, I long for the swift heartbeat, the nectars of flowers at dusk, and the lazy daytime sleep. I think of the love, the anticipation, and the hymn of praise to our Creator, who gave us caves, attics, and the beauty of wings and eyes.

We pray for food, health, and the growth of our kind, seeking deliverance from evil, which lurks with a single unseeing eye and the stench of decay. Goddess of caves and grottoes, bless your children.