From c851ff00224615a05bac4b04a0babfb73df005df Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Madison Scott-Clary Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2023 22:34:16 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] update from sparkleup --- writing/post-self/marsh/002.html | 10 ++++++++-- 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/writing/post-self/marsh/002.html b/writing/post-self/marsh/002.html index 97b67bb43..fd25b5d2e 100644 --- a/writing/post-self/marsh/002.html +++ b/writing/post-self/marsh/002.html @@ -75,7 +75,7 @@

“See? You’re so weird.”

“I guess we are,” he said, smiling and nudging Hanne upright once more. “Hey now, no falling asleep on me.”

“Right, sorry. Still, uh…still fifteen minutes.” She grumbled and rubbed at her face. “Sorry if that came off as rude. I guess it’s just outside my understanding.”

-

He scooted up onto the couch, himself, sitting cross-legged to face her. “It’s okay. It’s not wrong, come to think of it, I just don’t think it’s wholly right, either, you know? It’s more a matter of intent. Our intent is to live our own lives doing as we will rather than as he would, and it’s his intent to let us do so — and by not interfering, even with communication, force us to do so — and yet still be able to experience that almost like a dream. He forked us off a century ago, me, Lily, and Cressm and we’ve been doing it for the last century, and it’s worked out well enough since then. If all this–” he waved around the room, feeling the gentle spin of drunkenness follow the movement, “–is just a dream, if we’re all doing our best to dream in unison with each other, then I think intent may be all that we have, right? However may billion or trillion people have uploaded are all trying to dream the same dream together, all mixed up and poured into the same System, we have to form what meanings we may on our own.”

+

He scooted up onto the couch, himself, sitting cross-legged to face her. “It’s okay. It’s not wrong, come to think of it, I just don’t think it’s wholly right, either, you know? It’s more a matter of intent. Our intent is to live our own lives doing as we will rather than as he would, and it’s his intent to let us do so — and by not interfering, even with communication, force us to do so — and yet still be able to experience that almost like a dream. He forked us off a century ago, me, Lily, and Cress, and we’ve been doing it for the last century, and it’s worked out well enough since then. If all this–” he waved around the room, feeling the gentle spin of drunkenness follow the movement, “–is just a dream, if we’re all doing our best to dream in unison with each other, then I think intent may be all that we have, right? However may billion or trillion people have uploaded are all trying to dream the same dream together, all mixed up and poured into the same System, we have to form what meanings we may on our own.”

“I think we broke two trillion instances a while back. I don’t know how may uploads, but I don’t think it’s hit a trillion yet.”

“Right. Sorry, guess I’m kinda rambly when I’m drunk.”

Leaning forward, she gave him a light kiss. “You know I like it when you ramble. Just don’t lose track of the time.”

@@ -180,9 +180,15 @@

“Hey, uh,” Sedge said into the uncomfortable silence that fell once more. “Has anyone checked the time?”

Everyone tilted their heads almost in unison. It was more a habit than anything, not a required motion, but the habit that Marsh had formed so many years ago had stuck with all of the Marshans throughout their own lives.

Systime 246+41 00:17.

+

“Wait, what–“

+

“246? But–“

+

Everyone talking at once quickly grew overwhelming. Reed shook his head, covered his ears with his hands, then, remembering that he was standing in the middle of a small crowd, tried to mask the movement by turning it into running his fingers through his fur.

+

“Okay, one at a time,” he said, having to speak up to drown out further exclamations. “I’m seeing 246+41. Everyone else seeing the same thing?”

+

Nods around.

+

“Any, uh…” He swallowed drily, looked around, and grabbed the glass of water that still sat, neglected, on the table beside the couch. After a careful sip, he tried again. “Any ideas as to what might have happened?