Nostalgia corrupts: it's the poison that fools us into thinking the past wasn't like the present.
"It's cold out," Eloro said.
Dasti stepped away from the window.
"It's cold out," Eloro said again.
"Is it?" Dasti asked. He looked to the window. Sun glowed outside. "I hadn't noticed."
Eloro shook her head. "It's cold outside," she repeated. "It's always cold out when someone dies."
Dasti nodded.
They stood in silence.
Eloro hobbled forward. Dasti watched the table with teacups, prepared to rescue one if Eloro should bump into it by accident. She did not. He relaxed.
"You don't know how warm it used to be outside," Eloro said as she approached the window. "It used to be summer all the time - cheerful and warm." Eloro paused. "It's not anymore. Now it's just cold outside."
Dasti waited until Eloro turned away from the window. Her face sagged with exhaustion. Dasti put out a hand to help. Eloro brushed it away.
"The thing is," she continued after catching her breath, "it's not really a matter of how the world is put together. It's more a matter of the detailing over the construction."
Dasti just nodded.
Eloro hobbled back to her chair and sank into it. "Much better... Much better."
Dasti heard a door open somewhere downstairs. He heard it slam. He imagined the house rocking under the force of the closing.
The sound of boots reached his ears. They always checked the attic first.
"They always check the attic first," Eloro said. "No matter. Dasti, open the window, would you? Wouldn't do any good to pretend we've been listening if the windows are closed."
Dasti moved to obey.
The door opened.
A gun went off.
"You're under arrest!"
Another teacup shattered.
If the past was so much better, why does anyone look to the future?
"It's cold out," Eloro said.
Dasti stepped away from the window.
"It's cold out," Eloro said again.
"Is it?" Dasti asked. He looked to the window. Sun glowed outside. "I hadn't noticed."
Eloro shook her head. "It's cold outside," she repeated. "It's always cold out when someone dies."
Dasti nodded.
They stood in silence.
Eloro hobbled forward. Dasti watched the table with teacups, prepared to rescue one if Eloro should bump into it by accident. She did not. He relaxed.
"You don't know how warm it used to be outside," Eloro said as she approached the window. "It used to be summer all the time - cheerful and warm." Eloro paused. "It's not anymore. Now it's just cold outside."
Dasti waited until Eloro turned away from the window. Her face sagged with exhaustion. Dasti put out a hand to help. Eloro brushed it away.
"The thing is," she continued after catching her breath, "it's not really a matter of how the world is put together. It's more a matter of the detailing over the construction."
Dasti just nodded.
Eloro hobbled back to her chair and sank into it. "Much better... Much better."
Dasti heard a door open somewhere downstairs. He heard it slam. He imagined the house rocking under the force of the closing.
The sound of boots reached his ears. They always checked the attic first.
"They always check the attic first," Eloro said. "No matter. Dasti, open the window, would you? Wouldn't do any good to pretend we've been listening if the windows are closed."
Dasti moved to obey.
The door opened.
A gun went off.
"You're under arrest!"
Another teacup shattered.
If the past was so much better, why does anyone look to the future?
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