ABCs To Becoming Invisible

By Gayatri Joshi

All Carter Sorkins ever wanted to be was ‘invisible’. He loved all those heroes. Stephen Strange in his astral self or Susan Storm, the formidable woman intangible. Oh, what a life it would be! Away from his over-supportive family. His parents were always so curious about his whereabouts. Annoying people, Carter found them to be with their never-ending inquisitiveness and doubts!

Because of his looks, green eyes and caramel skin, Carter had always been popular. Anything he did was brought under scrutiny; it seemed like everyone was viewing him through their judgmental binoculars. If he was arrogant, he would be noticed; if he was polite, people would talk about him too; if he was frustrated or irked, he would still have to explain his behaviour to a few… Why? He cursed God for his looks, and his incompetence made him sigh. He loathed his family for his humble demeanor. Now, all he wanted was peace, the solitude that comes with not being under that constant scanner.

Carter was no monk; he never wanted to be one either! He loved the city and was an urbanite throughout. But the problem was he wanted to blend in, while all he did was stand out! Why the hell was God punishing him with all the charisma and charm? All he wanted was in this chaotic life, a little calm.

“Did you hear about Mr. Martin?” he had heard hushed whispers. “He just vanished. One minute he was there and then he said something, poof, he was gone. ”

“Ever wondered what happened to him?” Carter heard attentively. “Some people say he went a little bonkers before disappearing and spoke about Mugworts, bears, musks and corn…”

“Figured he got powers of ‘invisibility’! How can anyone just disappear like that? ”

“Gossip says he found a cloak… The jury’s still out on whether it’s an eccentric hat…”

Hype! Carter thought at first… Hyperbole was his second perception. But, there is always some truth behind any conspiracy. And what’s the harm in checking either way? What better things did he have to do currently? Curiosity killed the cat, but he was better than that! He inquired about the location of this enigma called ‘Mr. Martin’ and what he found almost blew his mind.

In the abandoned old dilapidated building at the edge of the city, on the top floor, he resides, some said. The path is very confusing, and it’s easy to lose your way. But Carter was not the one to give up so easily. Even if there was the slightest chance of his dream turning into reality.

Jaded visibility he wanted to give up, and for that, anything he was willing to do. After searching the room over and over, the senile, balding man finally appeared before Carter along with other few. Carter was taken aback, since the man seemed to be standing in front of him all along, holding parchments of papers and humming a saying or maybe he was chanting verse of a song.

Kindly, he asked the old man, for being invisible, what he had to do. Anything he was willing to try from jujutsu, magic, or dubious voodoo. The man asked Carter to follow him to his office on the fifth floor; he wanted to talk to the young man alone, who was willing to sacrifice anything to fulfill the dream he adored.

“Listen carefully,” the man with crooked teeth, after reaching the mundane office with beige-colored walls said, as across a small table, where Carter and he were sitting staring at each other’s face. “The tasks you have to complete are just three, but mind you child, all of them possess their fair share of difficulty. To become invisible, you have to blend seamlessly with the very planet and win over the three elements; wind, water, and wild. These factors are of utmost importance to this grand experiment.”

“My child, think carefully once again before we proceed; once you start walking on this path, you will fade into nothing.” Carter nodded with a smile, and there were butterflies in his stomach. He sat listening to the wisdom of the man, the story of how to acquire the cloak that would help him disappear.

“No person can vanish if he possesses affection for worldly pleasures. The first task for acquiring the cloak of invisibility is to become one with Earth. Leave the city behind and live in the woods seeking spiritual treasures.” Seeing Carter's face drop the fragile man said adjusting his glasses “It's about achieving higher vitality and letting go of your vulnerabilities. You don't have to settle there, you will have to sacrifice some ttime though remember life isn't fair.”

Old wrinkly man continued by stating the second task, “From this, you have to drink the purest water from the Mystique River,” he said, handing young Carter a small crystal flask.

“Problem number three is the most cumbersome of all. In the middle of the Amazonian woods stands a tree tall. You must consume the very first fruit that the tree bears; to harness the power of the invisibility cloak, you must eat the heavenly pear.”

Quizzical for a couple of seconds, Carter was more determined than ever before. “Best of luck, my child,” the old man said, “Meet me once you complete all three chores.”

Running the very next day, Carter reached the Amazonian woods. Amidst of nowhere, he set up a small tent, determined to survive on the bare minimum of goods. He dug a couple of trenches nearby with the shovel he carried from home. He planted seeds and grew vegetables so that without worrying about food he could roam. Every morning he would meditate trying to become one with the biota, surviving on vegetables, fruits, and a few types of ascomycota. Months later, when his beard grew longer and his appearance turned ludicrous; he fell in love with the lifestyle—without the cloak—for a stimulus.

Sensing this ecstasy, with a heavy heart and the crystal flask, Carter decided to march towards Mystique River. This new infatuation with Mother Nature was not enough for his determination to waiver. When he reached the river to drink the water in its purest form, all he saw was garbage, dirt, and remnants of some unknown storm. He put up a tent once again by the riverside and thus began the seemingly never-ending cleaning stride. Every single day Carter toiled from day to night and night to day again, just so the water turns blue which was now in the disgusting shade of chocolaty gray.

The seasons changed, and years went by, and finally, after what seemed forever, the river was clear enough to reflect the sky. Carter removed the crystal flask and drank the water cool and divine; what a wonderful day it was to be alive. Triumphantly he completed the second task and now it was time to leave the place at last.

Under the sky, seeking help from the stars and constellations, Carter found his way toward his last destination. After navigating through the greens that seemed no longer unfamiliar or distant, the timberland provided him with all the much needed assistance. When he finally reached the location after completing the journey that lasted several days, he found the said tree to be lifeless and frail. It seemed to be infested by fungi and ugly-looking pests. Seeing the tree wither and cry, put Carter's soul at unrest.

Victory shall be his and he shall become invisible, with his grit and persistence anything is possible. Carter plowed the land and watered the tree on a daily basis, once the parasites were removed with organic compounds and insecticides, this land was nothing short of an oasis. The tree started turning green and lush and then the first flower bloomed; Carter marveled at his accomplishment like an soon-to-be-wed groom.

When the day was right and the sun was shining bright, a mystical delicious pear finally fell on the ground. Carter picked it up and looked at it as if he was viewing his crown. As he savored his first crunchy bite, due to the tears pooled in his eyes, blurry was his sight.

Xylophone started playing, and he could hear his favorite song, whose lyrics he couldn’t remember or often sang wrong. Without wasting a minute, he ran towards the city. For a shabby man; so much had changed in this time span. The buildings still stood tall and people seemed the same yet different. A little more wise, or a little bit ignorant. Was he already invisible because he bumped into people who didn’t seem to notice or care, but he couldn’t let go of those few uncanny stares?

“Years have passed, yet it seems like yesterday. You were standing right here, for the gift of invisibility, any cost you were willing to pay.” Mr. Martin didn’t seem to age much, except for the larger bald spots and a couple of missing teeth as such. Carter informed him how he completed every task with sincerity and dedication. Now all he wanted was his invisibility cloak, his salvation. Mr. Martin scuffled through his top drawer and handed him what looked like a dorky hat and a simple t-shirt. “Wear it.” Mr. Martin asked Carter for his trust. Carter wore the attire with some hesitation, a little bit of doubt, and a lot of anticipation.

“Zillion people try, and gazillion people don’t bother to attempt, but one thing is for sure, this cloak holds unspeakable strength. Truth be told, great power doesn’t always lead to great responsibility… But this kind of mammoth responsibility grants you the boon of invisibility. Wearing this cloak you can stand right in the middle of a busy street and still be concealed. All you have to do is chant the mantra ‘Let our planet heal.’ Yes, my child, the answer to invisibility is indeed mother nature. Start talking about her and you will become a latent creature! Those who are unperceivable are not the alchemists; the ones who remain unseen are, in fact, the environmentalists!”

By Gayatri Joshi