Hell Hath Frozen Corners

Cold does not move from its place. is the absence of heat, only placated by a source of heat. Cold just is. Cold, and dark.

Chapter 1. The ascent of Æ

Day 1

Æ is Its name, and It was told to story each day that It walks the slope, so Æ is here, speaking at a tablet. "It's all part of the mechanism" they say, fair enough, for Æ knows the benefit of a working mechanism is not to be taken lightly, knowledge of them makes us useful. And sure enough, as Æ was taught by Its father through practice and song, the influence of any mechanism is bestowed upon those who harness it properly. The memories of these experiences is enough for Æ to take the story telling serious, for doing so glitters the future prosperous and bright in Æ's thought.

It is sitting now, obviously, for It had to remove It's gloves and retrieve the canopy from It's pack to protect the tablet for the story-ing. And what Æ sees now is what It has always seen, perpetual ascension through the eternally random fluid of snow. Nothing to see but snow, nothing to hear but the inexorable quieting of infinite snow. But, that's not all that It will story for you this day, there is indeed a sight to be told from this day, oh yes. A sight which glanced high in the eyes of It, betrayed by a phantom of dark behind the twitchy blanket of white, never so disturbed, seemingly vulnerable before by a will to motion. Such a sight has shifted Æ greatly. Stories have been told, yes, of animals that travelled freely through the ascent, carried by pressure variations in the fluid of it, and that their vehicles were of optimal design to achieve such desirable mobility, but Æ is hard to believe in such a sight so close to It's familiar unit, and so soon on It's own ascent. A story takes time, they say, and this one is too virgin for events of such final appeal. It wishes to tell more that Æ saw this day, a telling of thought that Æ saw this day, for it is required on behalf of the mechanism to story them as well.

At mid-day, Æ stopped for Its first rest in 5218 steps through the rising, loose snow, which would be neck high without the foot paddles, and opened Its pack to pitch a temp-rest and to eat. And when Æ carefully directed Its hand to the known location of Its food, a sudden grip of hunger swept over It while looking at the rare wooden box containing a strictly regimented, segmented display of food pill rations, 40 times 7 days worth. At this time, two uncommon ideas sprang up in Æ's thought. The first was hunger, which is uncommon because the unit does not worry for food, as it is plenty. The second was, what are the deep dwellers? It has heard them speaking of deep dwellers, and Æ has dreamed of the hearing of it as well. However, knowing Its place in the unit, dare not interfere in matters not dealt with by the contents of Its pack alone. Perhaps a sense of frustration was felt when It opened the pack, triggering a memory of an unresolved problem of the past which couldn't be solved at that time by the contents of it, namely, a comprehension of the subject of the deep dwellers, combined with the real pain of uncommon hunger, effecting the thought, which upon eating the pill designated for today, passed as quickly as it pushed. Perhaps this is where all that training at remembering the sight of Æ's thought has its use, for that was 8149 steps ago, through a struggle in so much seeming vain that it becomes difficult to critically analyse not but the next step of the right, the next step of the left, the right, the left, right, left, right, left, upwards, forever. Remaining thoughtful, of course, to the special little box containing the secret mechanism stashed tight and safe in a modified crease pouch in Its pack. A package Æ was told not to open until the right time. This means: they don't know the right time, but they know that there is a right time. Such vagueness always means the same thing: that it is a requirement of Æ to know the right time when it comes, as they would see it, and to open the device when the mechanism is realized for its utility, without seeing the device first. Æ knows that it opens like a lever, and that they erred in revealing that, because they did not mean the protective package when they said the word 'open', their eyes were ashamed. Still, such a task only Æ is fit for, so the future seems prosperous and bright.

Now, however, is the end of this day, and It is tired, but used to this weight for the unit tirelessly moves upwards through the endless snow, as a way of existence. Æ is optimally built for this work, and fond of the story-ing of it.

Day 2

Each male and each female of the unit are required by necessity to flourish one of themselves each throughout some point in their early 20th year to late 22nd year of life, the children of which are to be a lasting witness of their deeds, a receptical for their philosophy, and a replacement upon their death. Æ chose Jamatane to be the female vehicle which would perform that role, to flourish one of herself and one of Itself by that union. Every male and female by that union and co-flourishing are also entitled to a period of three years rest from climbing and digging that they would be free to nurture their flourishes in the most attentive way possible. During this time, which is a rare event, those most secure in familiarity to the couple have the duty of shouldering the weight of work not being done by them, and also of catering to their mobility needs. Fortunately for Æ's familiars, the snow for several years now has been piling less than a foot a day. Æ remembers however, when It had this duty for Its sister when It was 9. That year, and for several after, snow in windless cover would pile up 4-8 feet a day. That's when It developed the beginnings of such robust shoulders and thighs as It has this day. Good for climbing. And the future seems so prosperous and bright.

No strange or stranger sights to affirm yet. 28248 steps.

Day 3

End of day 3. At around a quarter day past half day, the slope became about half of what it was steeper. What seemed gradual at first became suddenly, without much warning besides the slight tease of progressiveness, a wall of snow not 5 feet from the eyes at level sight as It walked upwards, and it remains so even now at the same slant as the falling snow. The snow is heavy now, but the occasional flurry is common. Tomorrow It will probably be under several feet of warm cover.

They said that It would meet others along the way, strange others that Æ is not to fear, but that these others would have eyes for It and mechanisms to gift. But Æ is afraid. Æ has never met a stranger before, not even in a dream. What is a stranger? What is strange? Perhaps these strange, stranger others are out there looking for It in such treacherous air, that would make them strange on Æ's account. Æ decides not to be afraid, for the unit mechanism has affirmed success. Walked 5983 steps this day.

Day 4

Dawn. Forbearance to the snow proved a great reward this day, for by allowing it to become a shell all around, not more than a foot away, the cavity remained dry. Otherwise, it would be too warm and humid to use the tablet safely, for Æ just had a dream, and It will write what Æ remembers.

There was a bright orange animal called a cat covered in hard, shiny rocks called diamonds, and the ground was covered in endless diamonds, but Æ does not know cat or diamonds. It wasn't snowing and the cats spiked lips seemed to twitch rhythmically as it walked closer. There was so much light in the dream that the ascent was oppressive light, and there were flying animals called bird, also covered in diamonds, hopping all about the cat. Æ did not know bird either. Æ has never heard the sounds Cat, Diamond, or Bird before, but heard clear in the dream, and saw. It speaks them aloud now, and Æ feels them to sound correct. That animal with the flaming hair is, was, a cat. Those shiny pebbles that can crush bone are, were, diamonds. And those fluttering creatures taking large dives through the ascent, seeming so happy in their nonsense are, were, birds. Or, are they yet still? They were a beauty to see and a pleasure to remember. Æ remembers what It saw on the first day too, when Its eyes caught that dark streak within the quietly tumbling ascent. Was that the vehicle of a bird? Although, the white speckled smudge that It saw then was much larger than these that Æ recalls from the dream just now. It will pack up and carry on with the days walk. But just a moment yet, Æ just now remembered the rhythm to which the cats spiky lips twitched, being that of a heartbeat which was heard throughout the dream. Looks like Æ will do double work this day. Looks like It will do double this day as well.

Chapter 2. The fall of Æ

Day 4

Dusk. It worked triple this day, but walked only 5391 steps to where It rests now. There are now massive stones poking out through the snow. Some are extended flat planes that are easy to walk on, others so wide and extended upwards that they fill the whole view of Its sight once they are realized through the snow, and must be circled. The slope has indeed developed strange features and characteristics which seem to mark the rate that it now increases in steepness.

Where does It rest now? In a stone crack deep in the snowy, now rocky slope, large enough at Its position to hold several hundred others ahead of It. Behind It, the crack seems to become a vast hole at a diagonal that Æ is not prepared to investigate.

They said It would meet strange others. Æ did see and meet strangers this day. They said It would receive mechanical gifts. It did indeed receive, and Æ beheld mechanations this day that It's eyes were not fit to receive, but Æ saw. They said that It would see things that even Æ could not see before, and they were correct. And here We are, Æ and It, at the edge of the fifth day. Here, knowing now why to fear the meeting of strange ones, the hot ones Æ calls them now. The dirty ones, greasy ones, uncooperative ones. The word-bending, thought-bending, wild-eyed ones. The careless ones of little remorse. They said not to harm the strange ones out of mutual utility, and for this reason, for the utility of the mechanism, It did not, however deeply the mind was in revolt of Itself for worry that these deep ones meant to harm Æ.

They called themselves Old Ones and Deep Dwellers. They did not speak much in Its presence, or move much, but where they lacked in speech and motion they made up for in thought and reflection, for the depth of it played scenery and mechanisms in their eyes. Yes, Æ can see these things, can see many things that no other can see. Æ can now see that this trait has led to Its inevitable walk up the slope, and fall from the unit. "The right time", Æ thinks aloud now. "The right time will be known at the right time they said". Yes, and Æ is the most fit to know the right time when it comes, for Æ sees what no other sees. In accordance with Its parents philosophy, Æ was raised to see what no other sees.

A return to the unit is impossible now. And they knew that too, you know it, for Æ knows that you are watching this tablet, not at the moment, but soon. Jamatane will no doubt bind to Bee once she hears of Its disappearance. Bee is strong, like Æ, but doesn't see nearly as much. Different philosophy was given to Bee, one just as necessary as that given to Æ. Indeed, the philosophy of Bee is exactly that which Æ cannot see.

And now, upon meeting the thoughts of the deep ones Æ can see much more than before, many things that they and you would not like to share. That you would not like Æ to know. So It will run for now.

There is time, and time again, and no more time. There is the right time and the wrong time, the never time and the now time.

It's hand is reaching into the pack for the time. There is a good, powered time-clock in the water safe pouch that comes with the pack. It will retrieve it now. Shaking it a little at first helps line up all the numbers proper, and as it turns over right side up it says: NOW.

It is reaching into the pack a second time, where the secret mechanism sits. Now pulling it out. Now unwraping the protective pouch. And there it is. A heart. A metal box shaped like a little girls heart. The box opens, this Æ already knows. It can feel a round profile on what would be the top two curves of the heart, telling Æ that it opens from the opposite edge towards that profile in a semi-circle arc, like a lever. If it's a lever it'll open. Now is the time to open the lever so Æ can see what's inside, while It sits in a hole in a rock, what do they want Æ to see in this mechanism?

Inside is a surface of incredible luster. It seems to grab the world in its gaze and copy it obscure. If it points at It, what will happen. But now is the time to see, so let's see what happens if it grabs....

Chapter 3. Picking up the pieces

To be continued?