late night conversation

[xx_gothaggot_xx]

. tell me

. tell you...

. tell me...

. tell you...?

. tell me why you came all this way.
|
| your home-section is one of the farthest from here, is it not?

. that doesn't concern you.

. if I am concerned about it, then it must.

. are you concerned or are you just curious?

. ...

. ...

. come on! you have read me like the simplest of pamphlets all this time. the least you can do is give me a chance to interpret this part of you!

. i'm no text.

. neither am i.

. and that's supposed to make me want to tell you anything?

. ...
|
| maybe...

. ...
|
| y'know what? fine, but it's no novella.

. i don't expect it to be.

. hah, damn brat.

. no going back now!

. kay, shut up. i'm thinking of where to start.

. ...

. well, you have heard the stories, no? of section 32's glowing white concrete and smooth walls.

. yes. brutalism so clean, it's no brutalism at all.

. are all section 619 poets this pretentious or is that just a you problem?

. don't mind me. keep going.

. fine, yes...
|
| thing is... i've heard the stories too, the elders even say they were once true. not the case anymore, though.
|
| the place is not so different from here, actually. the black stains, the rusty cracks. it's rather nostalgic.

. what? how?

. the gods, that's how. they cursed our land years before i was born. no one remembers why. some say it was a test, some say it was due to our arrogance.
|
| babel, is what they call us.

. you don't look like you agree with them.

. that's because i don't. there is no arrogance inside that section. there could never be. our elders are humble, patient. they taught us all their secrets, all their mistakes, so we wouldn't repeat them. they are flawed people with even more flawed pasts, but none of them are arrogant.

. so why were you cursed, then?

. ...

. ... if i may ask.

. hell if i know. for fun maybe.

. the gods wouldn't do such a thing.

. yes they would. that's their role, kid... having fun.

. ...
|
| so you came here to escape from the curse?

. pretty much.

. but why come so far?

. it's been following me. all of us from 32, actually. if we stick around anywhere for too long the place rots.

. rots?

. the first sign tends to be mildew on the walls. not much at first, but whatever places i frequent too much get covered in it eventually. then mold, till the walls turn in on themselves. their insides are black. black and pulsating. eventually they start to cry, as if they are struggling to hold up the ceiling. i'm pretty sure they don't fall just because the gods want us to stay alive and suffering. the bastards.

. do the other sections know?

. the 0s to 5s all do. the rest will find out eventually. information about us travels slow but it does always travel.

. ...
|
| it wouldn't make for a bad novella.

. i wouldn't read it.