The hall was full.

Too full.

The air smelled of roasting goose and wet wool.

Candles flickered.

Shadows danced on the stone walls.

Marek stood by the hearth.

He held a cup of wine.

His hand did not shake.

He watched the crowd.

He was a seeker.

A finder of truth.

He wore a coat of grey wool.

It was old.

It fit well.

He looked for a face.

A specific face.

He had seen it before.

In a dream.

In a fever.

The face was pale.

The eyes were dark.

The mouth was thin.

Marek knew this face.

He felt it in his chest.

A tight knot.

A cold stone.

He waited.

The guests laughed.

They drank.

They forgot.

Marek remembered.

He moved to the center of the room.

He needed to speak.

He needed to say the name.

The name was in his throat.

It tasted like iron.

He opened his mouth.

No sound came out.

He tried again.

His voice was a whisper.

A dry leaf rustling.

He looked at the door.

It was heavy.

Oak wood.

Iron hinges.

He pushed it open.

The wind howled.

Snow fell.

He stepped outside.

The cold hit him.

It was sharp.

It was clean.

It was a blade.

He walked into the yard.

The stones were black.

The sky was white.

He walked toward the barn.

The barn was empty.

The tools were gone.

The hay was gone.

Only dust remained.

He sat on a bench.

His legs gave way.

He looked at his hands.

They were his hands.

They were not the hands he expected.

They were rough.

Calloused.

Old.

He looked at his reflection in the window.

The face stared back.

The pale face.

The dark eyes.

The thin mouth.

It was him.

It had always been him.

The knot in his chest loosened.

It turned to ash.

He breathed.

The air was sweet.

The air was free.

He stood up.

He walked back to the house.

The door was closed.

He did not open it.

He turned around.

He walked away.

The snow covered his footprints.

The wind erased them.

He was gone.

The machine was silent.

The wheel had stopped.

The cycle was broken.

He had found the truth.

The truth was simple.

He was the prisoner.

He was the warden.

He was the key.

He had been searching for himself.

He had been running from himself.

He had been fighting the current.

Now he let it go.

The water carried him.

The water took him.

The water was kind.

The water was cruel.

The water was life.

He did not care.

He was still.

He was quiet.

He was one.

The fire burned in the hearth.

The guests ate.

They did not notice the empty chair.

They did not notice the open door.

They did not notice the snow.

They continued.

They forgot.

They lived.

Marek was gone.

He was not gone.

He was everywhere.

He was in the wind.

He was in the stone.

He was in the blood.

He was in the bone.

He was in the eye.

He was in the mind.

He was the seeker.

He was the found.

He was the end.

He was the start.

The wheel turned.

The wheel stopped.

The wheel turned.

The wheel stopped.

There was no difference.

There was no time.

There was no space.

There was only the breath.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

The candle burned.

The wax dripped.

The flame wavered.

The flame died.

The dark came.

The dark was full.

The dark was warm.

The dark was home.

Marek smiled.

The smile was small.

The smile was true.

The smile was the end.

The smile was the beginning.

The smile was the truth.

The truth was heavy.

The truth was light.

The truth was weightless.

The truth was the air.

The air was the blood.

The blood was the stone.

The stone was the bone.

The bone was the ash.

The ash was the dust.

The dust was the nothing.

The nothing was the everything.

The everything was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit was the ghost.

The ghost was the memory.

The memory was the dream.

The dream was the waking.

The waking was the sleeping.

The sleeping was the dying.

The dying was the living.

The living was the being.

The being was the nothing.

The nothing was the all.

The all was the end.

The end was the start.

The start was the now.

The now was the here.

The here was the there.

The there was the anywhere.

The anywhere was the nowhere.

The nowhere was the everywhere.

The everywhere was the one.

The one was the many.

The many was the none.

The none was the all.

The all was the silence.

The silence was the sound.

The sound was the word.

The word was the name.

The name was the face.

The face was the eye.

The eye was the light.

The light was the dark.

The dark was the night.

The night was the day.

The day was the sun.

The sun was the fire.

The fire was the heat.

The heat was the cold.

The cold was the ice.

The ice was the water.

The water was the rain.

The rain was the tears.

The tears were the joy.

The joy was the sorrow.

The sorrow was the love.

The love was the blood.

The blood was the kin.

The kin was the self.

The self was the other.

The other was the self.

The self was the truth.

The truth was the machine.

The machine was the body.

The body was the soul.

The soul was the spirit.

The spirit