first puzzle | voice

[recinerate]

[beyond was dead, and now he's not.

it's a perplexing position for anyone to find themselves in, of course, but even more so when there's something fundamental about that person that's gone missing - something that should be there, but isn't. beyond has found he is missing such a thing, and has decided to take advantage of the technology of this new place in order to work out his thoughts regarding this dilemma.]

"In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity."

[his voice is quiet, raspy, almost unnaturally even in tone. he pauses, then picks up with one of many questions currently on his mind, addressing anyone within earshot.]

What shapes your sense of identity?

Comments

[characterdefect]

I've met a lot of murderers.

[Ho, ho, ho.]

[recinerate]

And yet you've walked away and lived to tell the tale? You must be extremely resourceful.

[congrats, you just met another one.]

[characterdefect]

Well, thank you for the compliment. I like to think I am. But family helps with that, too. They protect me like I protect them.

[recinerate]

Do you have a large family?

[characterdefect]

Large and always growing. If I had a picture, I'd show it to you.

[recinerate]

Perhaps you could tell me about them instead.

[beyond's own family was small, and he's been without them for so long he doesn't remember what it was like, a lot of the time.]

[characterdefect]

[There's nothing he'd like better, honestly. He doesn't get to talk about his family here as often as he'd like. He misses them, and it shows in his voice, a softness emerging that isn't always audible over the Virginia drawl.]

We live in a house in the country, all, god, 60-some odd of us by now. I think I lost count. I remember every name, though. They all came to me when they were lost and afraid, and I kept them safe from the world until they could do it themselves.

[recinerate]

You are speaking not only of blood relatives, I take it.

[characterdefect]

No. The family that matters to me is all adopted.

[recinerate]

How does one decide to adopt someone as family?

[characterdefect]

I don't know how one does it. I just find people I love.

[recinerate]

Is that your sole criterion? Love?

[characterdefect]

Isn't that enough?

[recinerate]

I wouldn't know. I have no family.

[characterdefect]

What happened to them?

[recinerate]

[his voice goes even more flat with this answer:] They died.

[characterdefect]

Mm.

Some of the people in my family, they lost theirs, too.

[recinerate]

Such is the human condition.

[characterdefect]

That people die? Or that they find a way to carry on?

[recinerate]

Death. [he would know, having been surrounded with reminders of death from his very first awareness.] "No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow."

[characterdefect]

True. Death is ubiquitous. We can never escape it.

[He also finds it beautiful. But that's not something most people care to talk about on first acquaintance.]

You feel strongly about this.

[recinerate]

It's a strong subject. I would think most people would feel strongly about it.

[characterdefect]

Not everyone has a quote ready to whip out about it.

[recinerate]

I read quite a bit. [or he used to, at least.]

[characterdefect]

I do, too. More fiction than philosophy, though, if you want the truth.

I'm sorry.