Butterfly wings
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(open the audio file in a new tab to listen to the song while reading)
A time stamp in the foreground marks 8 p.m. on Wednesday 7 September. Badges approach the sensor in sequence, each emitting a 'beep'.
Twilight. The yellow/orange lights of street lamps illuminate grey, crowded streets. Noah is returning home after a day's work. 40 years old, good looking, clean-shaven. White shirt and jeans. He is sitting on the window seat of a bus. His serene gaze observes the various shades of colours in the sky, and the glass reflects the image of a man who has made peace with himself.
There are other passengers in the bus. They are different in age, gender and style, but all with a dull light in their eyes. No feeling leaks from their faces.
The bus stops at a station.
A visibly drunk girl gets on. She climbs the steps of the bus trembling. No one seems to notice her, except Noah, who looks at her suspiciously as she staggers forward. Now she has passed him and sits behind him on the aisle side.
The bus doors open with their unmistakable sound. Noah rises from his seat to get off at his stop. The girl behind him grabs him by the shirt and with wide eyes shouts:
"Can you see me?"
Noah gasps in fright, yanks hard to free himself from her grasp, while she continues to shout:
"CAN YOU SEE ME?"
No one looks away.
He frees himself from the girl's grip and gets off quickly, standing anguished outside the stop for a momen.
The vehicle closes its doors and resumes its journey.
Noah turns, watches the bus drive away and disappear around the corner of the street. His eyes change expression and make it clear that he has sensed something. Then, with a worried look, he runs quickly home.
Twilight. The yellow/orange lights of street lamps illuminate grey, crowded streets. Noah is returning home after a day's work. 40 years old, good looking, clean-shaven. White shirt and jeans. He is sitting on the window seat of a bus. His serene gaze observes the various shades of colours in the sky, and the glass reflects the image of a man who has made peace with himself.
There are other passengers in the bus. They are different in age, gender and style, but all with a dull light in their eyes. No feeling leaks from their faces.
The bus stops at a station.
A visibly drunk girl gets on. She climbs the steps of the bus trembling. No one seems to notice her, except Noah, who looks at her suspiciously as she staggers forward. Now she has passed him and sits behind him on the aisle side.
The bus doors open with their unmistakable sound. Noah rises from his seat to get off at his stop. The girl behind him grabs him by the shirt and with wide eyes shouts:
"Can you see me?"
Noah gasps in fright, yanks hard to free himself from her grasp, while she continues to shout:
"CAN YOU SEE ME?"
No one looks away.
He frees himself from the girl's grip and gets off quickly, standing anguished outside the stop for a momen.
The vehicle closes its doors and resumes its journey.
Noah turns, watches the bus drive away and disappear around the corner of the street. His eyes change expression and make it clear that he has sensed something. Then, with a worried look, he runs quickly home.