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"They’re calling her Ae God alirl froo out to this unlucky child, plucked from her life to become the last pitiable hope of a crazyfruit inside irl, bathed in the innocence of youth: of course The sye, meant for me To face her, that would be the test I heard the ruirl froinning and who the end?

"Did you love her, Tiht Yes and yes and yes She was the only thing that ever mattered I loved her h to watch her die

"The police came to me, you see They knew the two of you were supposed to be on the same plane You knohat’s funny? I was actually happy for her She deserved someone who could love her the way she needed The way I never could I guess what I’lad it was you"

Was it possible? Had un to shed tears?

"Well" Jonas cleared his throat "I guess that’s what I came to say I’m sorry about all this, Tim I hope you know that You were the best friend I ever had"

--

Now it is dark Stars soar above the vacant city, heaven’s diadem A century since the last person walked here, and still one cannot travel its streets, as I do, without seeing one’s face reflected a thousand-fold Shop s Bodegas and brownstones The lass I look, and what do I see? Man? Monster? Devil? A freak of cold nature or heaven’s cruel utensil? The first is intolerable to think, the second no less so Who is the monster now?

I walk Listen closely, and one still hears the footfalls of a throng, engraved in stone At the center has grown a forest A forest in New York! A great green eruption, alive with animal sounds and srow to fantastic di, or a wild pig, or soeons wheel, the rain falls, the seasons turn without us; in winter, all is dressed with snow

City of memories, city of mirrors Am I alone? Yes and no I am a man of many descendants They lie hidden away Some are here, those who once called this island hoottenfinal use In sluain; in dreams, they relive their human lives Which world is the real one? Only when they’re aroused does the hunger obliterate the into mine, and so I leave them as they are It is the only mercy I can offer

Oh, my brothers, Twelve in sum, you were sorely used by this world! I spoke to you like the god you thought I was, though in the end I could not save you I would not say I failed to see this co Fro what you were, which was the truth of us Consider the species known as man We lie, we cheat, hat others have and take it; we make war upon each other and the earth; we harvest lives in ed the planet and spent the cash on trifles We h We never truly knew ourselves We forgot the world; now it has forgotten us How many years will pass before jealous nature reclaims this place? Before it is as if we never existed at all? Buildings will cruround Trees will sprout and spread their canopies The oceans will rise, rinsing the rest away It is said that one day all will be water again; a vast ocean will blanket the world In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth And the earth ithout form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Hoill God, if there is a God, remember us? Will he even know our nainnings What can we do but reo abroad, into the streets of the e I take my place upon the steps, beneath the inverted heavens I watch the clock; its mournful faces stay the same Time frozen at thethe station

24

Peter Jaxon, age fifty-one, president of the Texas Republic, stood at the Kerrville gate in the pale dawn light, waiting to say goodbye to his son

Sara and Hollis had just arrived; Kate orking at the hospital but had proirls Caleb was loading the last of their gear into the wagon while Pi baby Theo Two strong horses, fit for plowing, idled in their harnesses