二十三 ; èr shí sān

[getsome_sleep]

[Several drops of ink appear on the paper before Huo finally gets to writing - he's hesitating a great deal. His script, too, is slow and cautious.]

While I do not wish to associate myself with anonymous writers of dubious origins, [another long pause, another ink drop] if searchers are currently creating some effect that they are unaware of

[His

Comments

[unevoked]

I dunno, there wouldn't be walls 'round you anymore, would there?

[getsome_sleep]

To know this, you must define 'walls'.

[unevoked]

Something keeping you in place. Guess for it to be an option, though, you can't really be attached to the idea've living.

[getsome_sleep]

You must also be reasonably certain that death does not also keep you in place.

[unevoked]

Doesn't matter so much if you're dead, I figure. That's sort've the end've it.

People ain't supposed to keep going after they die.

[getsome_sleep]

Then is death not its own sort of captivity?

[unevoked]

Like I said, depends on how attached you are to the idea've living.

Not being able to die's a more obvious prison.

[getsome_sleep]

Death suggests finality; life suggests hope. If it is true freedom that you desire, then only while alive can you work to achieve it.

[unevoked]

Depends on the life. With death, you generally know what you're getting into. There ain't any questions. It's just over.

[getsome_sleep]

That is not dissimilar to imprisonment.

[unevoked]

Nah, with imprisonment you got that stupid, optimistic hope you were going on 'bout. Every time you get kicked you can tell yourself the next day'll be different.

And you can tell yourself whatever you damn well please, but that don't mean it'll change a damn thing.

[getsome_sleep]

Oblivion is not an entirely closed road, even here.

[unevoked]

You don't find that cruel? Even if someone dies, you keep that stupid hope that they'll tumble out've a cocoon next week. There ain't any finality.

People need that.

[getsome_sleep]

Others will more readily say that people need hope.

[unevoked]

They keep that and they can't move on.

People die. They don't come back. That's how it should be. Here someone gets killed and they roll out've bed the next day like nothing happened.

It's a damn hamster wheel.

[getsome_sleep]

A thousand pardons, bu I must ask that you try a different metaphor.