the dire condition of a transitory epoch

A coming vehicle projected a warning sound. Sevjo looked at it, then at Tane who happened to glance at him from some distance away.

He knows I’m following him? Sevjo thought, then stopped walking, and toned his meter which looked like a PDA. On it Tane’s location was fixed. Something on Tane was locked up on the meter.

Sevjo did not want to sit down, fearing he would fall asleep and never wake up again. He stood again. Tane was coming towards him. Sevjo sat down.

‘Hi.’ Tane said to Sevjo.

Sevjo looked up. When he saw the eyes again, he was speechless. He was reminiscent of the desperation that long plagued this continent, some generations and now himself. Something that remained him of the protest against the dire condition of a transitory epoch.

He closed his eyes and looked down, not daring to look into hope.

‘Do you know where I can get to...’ Tane half knelt to show him a map.

Sevjo looked at the part of map. Once I was there. He wanted to show the direction, but his finger and mouth were hung and freezed.

‘Okay, I’ll find my way. Sorry to have disturbed you.’ Tane stood up and walked on.

in the vast mediocracy of everyday life, Sevjo noticed Tane

Tane met many people. Some he still remembered, some forgot. There was one person who fell in the forget realm. His name is Sevjo. He saw Tane as people coming from another continent. In the vast mediocracy of everyday life, he noticed him.

Sevjo took out something square, browsed the Web and found the meaning of ‘Tane’. It is not a brand name. He thought. Who would wear one’s name on the clothing?

Then they caught sight of each other. Just by that glimpse Sevjo was moved. He thought he had found something uncommon. Not a city dweller. Not a flesh dweller. In a while he stood up, following the pace of Tane, in fear of losing the trace of a would-be angel.

Sevjo recorded his own move, his direction and Tane’s, starting a unique journey. Then he knew Tane was wandering. He thought: how long have I not wandered any more? I lose myself in this city junkle. I hate it but I am hopeless, not even walking, just sit there and watch the summon of lethal accident that thrown upon me or nearby, so that the decision to suicide is not up to me. But why am I attracted to this... wandering entity? I fall in love with him? No, it can’t possibly be. I am not in love with anyone, anything, at anytime anymore. What is my hope? To kill him, to help him? Am I still thinking myself an angel, like him, who would help?

writing about the future Tane

Well, you can tell me about those future things and I can write...for you.

‘I can’t tell you everything.’

Do you know where is Tane?

‘I know. I would write it out. Then you’ll know.’

Can’t you tell me now?

‘I’m not your private prophet.’

How can I know you’re are creating something out?

‘You can check it out. But then it costs you efforts and lots of time. Do you really need to know where a person is? As long as you know he/she is alive and well, there’s no need to ask more or know more.’

I grew speechless.

X X X X X

‘This is the future me, the future version of Gt, writing.’

Tane met his father in England, only to know his mother died earlier. He felt sad and could not bear to stay in her house. He left for home. Then he recalled Gt telling him Cancer is at times a wanderer, so he started to do so. Just one try and he believed in it.

He wandered in the old Western legacy as a foreigner. Tane did not mind his father or others blaming him for wandering around, from his mother’s homeland to elsewhere. He did not mind losing contact with his friends or Gt or CoDa.

There have been so many souls wandering and drifting on this piece of continent ever since human history, what am I to resist if I am already here? He thought. Gt would know.

Dual identity saying: I know, but 21st century Gt doesn’t, not in the beginning. Until now.

the future Gt is writing about the present Gt

X X X X X

How can I switch to the future me to write?

It is a result of a conversation between me and the future me, alias ex- /internal
mono- /dialogue. I requested the talking be recorded as physical evidence of I wasn’t talking to myself, and the future me agreed. But then it was me who finally decided not to record and show it to others. If people define this as monologue, so be it. Maybe it would be easier for them.

I ask: how can you replace me as the present me in writing ?

‘If I can talk to you in this way, why not? The important thing is whether you believe I’m the future you, or, whether I believe you’re the historical me.’

Seemed puzzled. If you’re real, what you write about is real, does it pose any threat to anyone in this world?

‘Shouldn’t be. As I know something about the past, I try to avoid bad consequences. But then it may change something.’

Like what?

‘Your consciousness, in the first place. I am seeking to synchronize with you across time and space. You would know something about the near future, but you’re not allowed to change it, otherwise it may cause damage to others and yourself. And I’ll try my best to stop you and constrain your efforts.’

Why should I let you write for me?

‘Because you decide it.’

What if I don’t approve.

‘I won’t do it. But since you’re me, I know something about you, and I believe you would decide to let me write for you.’

CoDa, Tane, and me

I turned round and saw Tane outside the window glass. He came in, holding three cups, smiling to meet us.

‘Long time no see.’ I smiled, ‘You look grown up a bit.’

He handed us each a cup of coffee. ‘Yeah... My father went to Europe. I joined him later, then back in a month’s time.’

‘Good.’ I said, taking a sip. The coffee smelt good.

Tane looked around, caught sight of a larger drawing up high on the wall.

‘That’s a new one.’ CoDa said in a coffee-warmed tone.

‘Do you need another disc?’ He asked.

‘Cool. Why not. Maybe it works again.’

‘How’s your school?’ I asked Tane.

‘I finish all the course works earlier. In the coming school year I’ll jump up two levels.’

‘Bravo.’ CoDa seemed to say it for me.

Tane asked, ‘I read your book. The part on the future you, is it true?’

‘Don’t believe what a fiction writer says.’

‘A writer like him, even so.’ CoDa said.

We both smiled at her. She looked at us, with a strange look on her face.

I asked, ‘What?’

‘...Hard to say. You two looked alike, in the line.’

We talked for a short while at that time. I thought I can leave something to talk with Tane afterwards, so I had not talked much. But after Tane left for Europe, he seemed disappeared. Only a few emails in the beginning, then lost. I guessed he was in Europe, somewhere. I thought we could talk again, but no. I had lost his contact.

Gt met Tane again

Soon the robot was gone, but the harm was done. CoDa had less customers. She resorted to drawing at shop to spend the time. Called me on occasion.

‘Want to meet Tane?’ She said in the cell phone.

‘He’s at your shop now?’

‘Believe or not.’

‘Er, I guess I’d better not see him.’ I hesitated.

‘He said his father was not here. His work at the company is over. That’s a go. Come.’ She hanged up.

I went to her shop. But Tane was not there. I felt disappointed. ‘Gone?’

‘Yeah,’ She looked at me, ‘for a drink.’ Then eyed at outside.

x-world-deform art into 3D robot

It was odd, still is, that someone used CoDa’s x-world-deform art to form the most disgusting robot ever made. It did not resemble human, just a big metallic box. Its front abdomen was transparent, where organs could be seen. It was like one of CoDa’s drawing framed inside the robot, only that it was 3D. First it was only on posters, than a real object standing in the other shop’s car park, sometimes walking around.

Strangely, just by moving around, looking stupid, with CoDa’s drawing into 3D realia, what was originally graphic art tolerable, now becoming sick. People were aware of it. They visited less and gradually disappeared. Yes, a short-lasting vogue only. After the heat was over, people abandoned it and sought for new obsession.

Later, news reported that there was a suspect of commercial spy, leaking information of intelligence design of a high-tech research agent nearby. Tane’s father worked there. Investigation said the suspect was under stress and used some original design from his workplace to make a robot, and mixed with CoDa’s art. He was so excited that when someone let him play the robot, he forgot everything and moved it in the open, near CoDa’s shop.