(link-reveal:"Burgers.")[=
You place frozen beef patties on a hot pan. You listen to the sizzle, the crack, pop, and feel sparkling oil flicker over skin, bone, you. Your body is alight with the sensation that yes, a hungry you will soon have one delicious burger to eat.
You eat, you feel, you hear, that much is (link-reveal:"certain.")[=
You are human. That much is [[certain.]]To live is to experience, you say, and you experience it (link-reveal:"all.")[=
Listening to the same (link-reveal:"music,")[=
like a crack to a broken (link-reveal:"bone,")[=
stifled by the (link-reveal:"sensation,")[=
breathing with full (link-reveal:"lungs.")[=
It was worth it, wasn't it? Grasping at ghosts and filtering the air, muted, drowned, waking up and remembering it, you see, these places, you see these places and times that are not your own.
Come to school, come to where the city means the sea, come to fields of dangerous green and listen to the words the grass will spell like trees older than time, your time. Stay and wait until this ends, [[too.]]
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(after:5s)[English was not a foreign language to you, yet all its words passed through you.
A strange time, it was. A strange place. Deeper than aversion yet fixed, fixed to the romantic way that statements should be true, true, like noises, noises,
Whatever this was, this wasn’t life, or so you thought, because your life was something a little more mundane. Wake up. Eat. Work. Sleep. Rinse and [[repeat.]]]Your life was...
ㅤㅤㅤ(link-reveal:"The Absence of Song")[] /
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ(link-reveal:"This Vacant Mind")[] /
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ(link-reveal:"The Iron Cage of Agency")[] /
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ[[etaoin shrdlu cmfgyp wbvkxj qz]]
116 104 101 032 119 111 114 100 115 032 119 101 114 101 032 115 105 109 112 108 101 044 032 098 117 116 032 073 032 119 111 117 108 100 110 226 128 153 116 032 104 097 118 101 032 104 097 100 032 105 116 032 097 110 121 032 111 116 104 101 114 032 119 097 121 046 032 072 111 119 032 100 111 032 121 111 117 032 115 101 101 032 116 104 105 115 032 101 110 100 105 110 103 063 032 119 104 097 116 032 097 114 101 032 121 111 117 032 097 102 114 097 105 100 032 111 102 044 032 097 114 101 032 121 111 117 032 102 111 114 103 101 116 116 105 110 103 032 115 111 109 101 116 104 105 110 103 063 032 116 104 101 114 101 032 119 097 115 032 110 111 116 104 105 110 103 032 116 111 032 107 110 111 119 046 032 121 101 116 032 115 116 105 108 108 032 099 111 109 105 110 103 032 116 111 032 116 101 114 109 115 032 119 105 116 104 032 109 121 115 101 108 102 044 032 116 104 097 116 032 105 044 032 116 111 111 044 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 115 097 121 032 115 111 109 101 116 104 105 110 103 032 116 104 097 116 032 119 097 115 032 119 111 114 116 104 032 104 101 097 114 105 110 103 046 032 116 111 111 032 109 117 099 104 032 114 111 111 109 032 116 111 032 108 105 118 101 044 032 097 110 100 032 104 101 114 101 032 105 032 099 097 110 116 032 115 116 111 112 032 115 117 102 102 111 099 097 116 105 110 103 046 032 105 102 032 116 105 109 101 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 101 110 100 044 032 105 032 119 111 117 108 100 032 119 097 110 116 032 116 111 032 115 097 109 112 108 101 032 116 111 117 099 104 032 108 105 107 101 032 116 101 114 114 111 114 044 032 098 114 101 097 116 104 101 032 108 105 102 101 032 108 105 107 101 032 114 097 105 110 044 032 105 115 032 116 104 105 115 032 119 104 097 116 032 104 101 032 119 111 117 108 100 226 128 153 118 101 032 119 097 110 116 101 100 063 032 073 116 032 119 097 115 032 110 111 116 032 097 032 115 104 097 108 108 111 119 032 104 105 108 108 046 032 070 114 111 109 032 104 101 114 101 044 032 119 101 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 116 097 107 101 032 111 110 032 111 110 101 032 109 111 114 101 032 106 111 117 114 110 101 121 046 032 087 101 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 119 097 107 101 032 117 112 032 116 111 032 099 104 111 111 115 101 046 032 080 111 105 110 116 032 116 111 032 116 104 101 032 103 114 111 117 110 100 032 097 110 100 032 115 097 121 032 116 104 097 116 032 116 104 105 115 032 105 115 032 119 111 114 116 104 032 108 105 118 105 110 103 032 102 111 114 046 032 087 105 116 104 032 119 104 097 116 101 118 101 114 032 073 032 100 105 100 044 032 105 116 032 098 114 111 117 103 104 116 032 109 101 032 104 101 114 101 044 032 115 111 032 105 116 032 099 111 117 108 100 110 226 128 153 116 032 104 097 118 101 032 098 101 101 110 032 097 108 108 032 098 097 100 046 032 087 104 097 116 032 119 111 117 108 100 032 073 032 100 111 032 119 105 116 104 032 109 121 115 101 108 102 032 105 102 032 073 032 108 105 118 101 100 032 119 105 116 104 032 114 101 103 114 101 116 115 063 032 073 102 032 119 101 032 100 111 110 039 116 032 109 101 101 116 032 097 103 097 105 110 044 032 073 039 100 032 115 116 105 108 108 032 119 097 110 116 032 116 111 032 102 105 110 100 032 105 116 044 032 097 032 100 105 118 105 115 105 118 101 032 109 101 109 111 114 121 044 032 110 101 118 101 114 032 116 111 032 098 114 101 097 107 044 032 110 101 118 101 114 032 116 111 032 103 105 118 101 032 117 112 046 032 073 102 032 073 032 099 097 110 032 102 105 110 100 032 105 116 046 032 089 111 117 032 104 097 100 032 097 032 114 101 097 115 111 110 046 032 065 032 114 101 097 115 111 110 046 032 065 032 114 101 097 115 111 110 046 032 065 032 114 101 097 115 111 110 046 032 073 102 032 073 032 099 097 110 032 102 105 110 100 032 105 116 046 032 073 102 032 073 032 099 097 110 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 097 110 039 116 044 032 073 032 107 110 111 119 032 104 111 119 032 116 104 105 115 032 101 110 100 115 046 032 073 116 039 115 032 110 111 116 032 119 104 097 116 032 097 110 121 032 111 102 032 117 115 032 119 111 117 108 100 226 128 153 118 101 032 119 097 110 116 101 100 046 032 073 032 116 111 111 107 032 102 111 114 032 103 114 097 110 116 101 100 032 116 104 097 116 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 115 119 105 109 032 097 110 100 032 115 111 097 114 032 097 110 100 032 115 099 114 101 097 109 044 032 097 110 100 032 110 111 119 044 032 114 101 116 117 114 110 105 110 103 032 116 111 032 097 110 032 101 109 112 116 121 032 104 111 117 115 101 104 111 108 100 044 032 073 032 109 097 100 101 032 116 104 101 032 109 105 115 116 097 107 101 032 111 102 032 097 032 112 114 111 109 105 115 101 046 032 072 097 100 032 073 032 107 110 111 119 110 032 105 116 032 119 111 117 108 100 032 098 101 032 115 111 032 102 097 115 116 044 032 073 039 100 032 099 104 097 110 103 101 032 109 121 115 101 108 102 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 046 032 073 032 105 109 097 103 105 110 101 032 121 111 117 032 119 111 117 108 100 032 108 097 117 103 104 044 032 116 111 111 046 032 073 116 032 119 097 115 032 097 032 115 116 114 105 110 103 032 111 102 032 098 101 097 117 116 105 102 117 108 032 099 111 105 110 099 105 100 101 110 099 101 115 046 032 084 111 032 107 110 111 119 032 121 111 117 046 032 073 116 032 119 097 115 032 097 032 109 105 114 097 099 108 101 046 032 087 111 114 100 115 032 116 111 114 101 032 109 101 032 097 112 097 114 116 046 032 073 032 119 111 117 108 100 110 039 116 032 104 097 118 101 032 104 097 100 032 105 116 032 097 110 121 032 111 116 104 101 114 032 119 097 121 046 032 084 104 101 114 101 032 119 097 115 032 110 111 105 115 101 046 032 066 101 102 111 114 101 032 110 111 116 104 105 110 103 046 032 068 114 111 119 110 105 110 103 032 105 110 032 105 110 107 046 032 073 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 115 116 097 121 032 104 101 114 101 044 032 097 109 105 100 115 116 032 116 104 105 115 032 119 104 105 116 101 032 110 111 105 115 101 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 115 116 097 121 032 104 101 114 101 032 102 111 114 101 118 101 114 044 032 104 111 108 100 105 110 103 032 111 110 116 111 032 112 105 099 116 117 114 101 115 032 110 111 032 098 101 116 116 101 114 032 116 104 097 110 032 116 104 101 032 114 101 097 108 032 116 104 105 110 103 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 108 111 115 101 032 109 121 032 105 110 104 105 098 105 116 105 111 110 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 100 111 032 105 116 032 097 103 097 105 110 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 100 111 032 105 116 032 097 103 097 105 110 044 032 105 110 032 097 032 119 111 114 108 100 032 119 104 101 114 101 032 110 111 116 104 105 110 103 032 109 097 116 116 101 114 115 044 032 105 110 032 097 032 119 111 114 108 100 032 119 104 101 114 101 032 073 032 104 097 118 101 032 116 104 101 032 112 111 119 101 114 032 116 111 032 099 104 111 111 115 101 044 032 105 110 032 097 032 119 111 114 108 100 032 119 104 101 114 101 032 073 032 099 097 110 032 108 101 097 114 110 032 116 104 101 032 100 105 102 102 101 114 101 110 099 101 032 098 101 116 119 101 101 110 032 102 105 099 116 105 111 110 032 097 110 100 032 109 097 099 104 105 110 101 044 032 105 102 032 073 032 099 111 117 108 100 032 114 101 109 101 109 098 101 114 032 119 104 121 032 073 032 099 097 109 101 032 104 101 114 101 044 032 097 114 101 032 121 111 117 032 102 111 114 103 101 116 116 105 110 103 032 115 111 109 101 116 104 105 110 103 063(text-style:"blur")[Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.
The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.
Come, let us go down and confuse their [[language]] so they will not understand each other.”]You are in a white room with a low ceiling and close walls. There is light, too much light, and when you close your eyes you can still see it.
You're forgetting something.
That much is certain.
But it doesn't matter, right? There's no assignments, no tasks, there is nothing left to do.
It's time to [[move on]].When you look up you see your face. A reflection, you think.
When you look down you see your legs sinking into metallic wastes like a sea of liquid mercury. It's cool to the touch.
* [[Sink down]]
* [[Reach up]]You had a choice, and the choice you took led you down.
Down.
Down to where the liquid met your chin, your mouth, your nose, and after a breath and a shallow plunge, you are away.
A mind of mercury is heavier than not, but it's nothing new. There's nothing left to do.
Take this with you or [[not at all]].Your face is hard to the touch and does not blink. The mirror sees you because it is you, right?
What you see now is yourself, the person you've become, but is this all there is? All your life you fought to get here. To be here. To be you.
It was worth it, you'll say, absolved by what you don't do.
Wake up in the morning, up and out of bed, and you'll make amends before the end, before you take yourself with you, or [[not at all]].Double-click this passage to edit it.