TYX

TYX 1

¹Tee walks. ²The footsteps ring loudly across the leaves, as Tee drags Yex, who is fast asleep, through the dark forest where the two find themselves. ³A gentle mist fills the air, and the first rays of the morning sun peek through the trees, which loom large overhead. ⁴The two come to a stop, as Tee observes a rough trench, the ghost of a river that once ran strong, perhaps, its crevices filled with rocks and sticks and moss. ⁵Above the trench there is an old bridge, its tattered beams and rusted bolts still holding firm. ⁶Tee crosses the bridge, cautiously, and looks back at Yex, who is still peacefully asleep. ⁷Tee smiles, briefly, perhaps finding comfort in the fact that somebody else had been here before, even if it was long ago. ⁸Tee’s gaze drifts back to the forest ahead. ⁹But in the next instant, a beast emerges from the woods, its shiny black fur glinting in the early morning sun. ¹⁰Frozen with fear, Tee has no choice but to gaze into the eyes of the beast, who stares back, its green eyes full of life, but full of hunger. ¹¹There is a moment of silence, but the beast quickly vanishes into the mystery of the forest, by some stroke of luck, driven away by a sudden stampede of small creatures that scatter into the area. ¹²Tee stands for a moment, dazed, as it all happened so fast, and turns around one more time to look at Yex, before continuing to move forward.

TYX 2

¹“Where are we?” ²Yex speaks, as the two stand in an elevated clearing. ³A vast and mountainous landscape is visible, and the sun shines brightly above their heads, but the air is brisk and the day is windy. ⁴After a short moment, Tee speaks. ⁵“We’ll rest here. ⁶It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” ⁷Yex stares at the open terrain ahead, and responds. ⁸“I’m cold.” ⁹Tee does not respond, taking a moment to sit down, and there is silence between the two. ¹⁰Eventually, Yex speaks again. ¹¹“I’m cold. ¹²Also, I don’t understand where we are. ¹³How is it possible? ¹⁴I could have sworn, we were just.” ¹⁵Yex trails off, as the wind picks up and roars through the trees, causing a few leaves to flutter to the ground, while others are sent flying over the cliffs and into the valley below. ¹⁶Tee does not say anything for some time, and is instead focused on assembling sticks and leaves from the ground into a small pile. ¹⁷Yex appears intrigued, observing carefully. ¹⁸Finally, Tee speaks. ¹⁹“It’s not so important where we are. ²⁰It matters more that we can rest here. ²¹Even if it’s only for a little while. ²²I will make you a fire, and it will keep you warm.” ²³Yex continues to watch, and appears confused, almost, and speaks. ²⁴“But where did you learn to make a fire?” ²⁵Tee pauses, looking at Yex, and responds. ²⁶“It’s really not too difficult. ²⁷But that’s a good question. ²⁸I don’t quite remember, if I’m being honest. ²⁹I must have learned a long time ago.” ³⁰A dark cloud passes in front of the sun, casting shade on the two, and Yex speaks, shivering. ³¹“Can you teach me?” ³²“Of course. ³³I already am, as you have watched me, all this time. ³⁴But observe carefully, now, because this is the hardest part.” ³⁵Tee is now attempting to create a spark, as Yex watches. ³⁶And after some time, and many attempts, a glowing spark makes contact with a fragile leaf in the pile. ³⁷And suddenly, the fire bursts into life, its flames flickering and dancing in the wind. ³⁸Yex flinches slightly, perhaps taken aback by the suddenness of the flames, but Tee smiles, and speaks. ³⁹“Here. ⁴⁰This will keep you warm.” ⁴¹The two huddle around the fire.

TYX 3

¹“I just don’t get it.” ²Yex speaks, walking in front of Tee. ³The terrain is rocky and barren, and the sun shines relentlessly overhead, as the two move across the uneven ground, the heat almost visible in the air. ⁴Yex continues to speak. ⁵“I’m bored. ⁶And my feet hurt.” ⁷Yex looks down, observing small drops of blood that are left behind as the two walk. ⁸Tee responds. ⁹“I know it’s not pleasant, but boredom is good for you. ¹⁰Don’t complain, be grateful.” ¹¹Yex suddenly stops walking, and turns around to face Tee. ¹²“Why? ¹³Why should I be grateful? ¹⁴Don’t you see that I’m in pain?” ¹⁵Yex falls to the ground, sighing. ¹⁶Tee is silent for some time, and moves towards Yex until the two are side by side. ¹⁷“There are plenty of things to be grateful for. ¹⁸Your shoes, for example. ¹⁹They’re old, I know, but that’s better than walking without them, right? ²⁰And we could lie here all day and complain, but that doesn’t sound fun to me, either.” ²¹Salty tears begin to form around Yex’s eyes, who still lies on the ground, but they dry quickly in the heat. ²²“But you don’t get it. ²³What if I don’t want to walk anymore? ²⁴Where are we going anyway? ²⁵And why is it so hot out here?” ²⁶Drops of sweat fall from Tee’s forehead, who speaks. ²⁷“I know that it’s brutal out here, so if you don’t want to walk, then run, run like the wind, and don’t look back, and I will follow close behind, but we can’t rest here, I’m sorry.” ²⁸Yex does not respond, but stands up, slowly.

TYX 4

¹“I’m hungry.” ²Yex speaks, walking beside Tee. ³The terrain is flat and full of life, but the evening air is cool, and huge trees cast long shadows onto the mossy forest floor. ⁴Tee responds, looking ahead. ⁵“We’ll eat soon. ⁶I’m hungry, too.” ⁷Yex does not respond, and only mimics Tee’s quick footsteps, moving swiftly through the forest. ⁸As the sunlight fades and darkness sweeps over them, fireflies fill the air, thousands, it seems, flashing hypnotically, and the two listen, for they can hear things in the woods, the snarling and rustling of creatures and beasts. ⁹Yex looks around, anxiously, perhaps concerned by the sounds of the forest, but Tee stays focused on the path ahead. ¹⁰The silence between the two is long, possibly the longest they’ve ever had. ¹¹Finally, Yex speaks. ¹²“If we keep moving, and we always find something to eat, will we live forever?” ¹³Tee responds after a few moments. ¹⁴“I’m not sure, but yes, I think so, although it will not be easy. ¹⁵Because we are only here today, and I know we are fragile, so we can die, I’m certain of that. ¹⁶But if we fight and work and sweat, day after day, then we can live not just today but tomorrow, too, so we can live forever.” ¹⁷Again, there is a long silence, and Yex appears to be lost in thought, but keeps up with Tee’s hurried pace. ¹⁸Yex speaks. ¹⁹“If you were granted one wish, what would it be? ²⁰I don’t know if I would wish to live forever.” ²¹Tee responds, but does not slow down. ²²“That’s a good question. ²³I’ve thought about it before, actually. ²⁴I think I’d wish to know who was here before us. ²⁵I know there was someone, I’m sure of it. ²⁶But you and me, are we special? ²⁷It’s hard to know, for time keeps secrets, it seems. ²⁸At the very least, I hope they were able to enjoy the grace of the forest.” ²⁹Yex listens, but yet again, there is silence, and the two continue to walk.

TYX 5

¹“Thanks for walking with me.” ²Yex speaks, as the two walk along an open shore, a vast blue sea extending into the horizon. ³The sun has set, but its glow is still visible, and the light of the stars begins to pierce the night sky. ⁴But despite the nightfall, the air is warm. ⁵There is some distance between the two, but they walk in stride. ⁶Yex moves through the sand, but Tee walks closer to the sea, occasionally stepping in the waves that crash onto the shore. ⁷Tee speaks. ⁸“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” ⁹Yex slows down, and takes a moment to gaze at the water, before responding. ¹⁰“It’s truly beautiful, indeed.” ¹¹Tee smiles, and slows down, too, the soft sound of footsteps lost against the roar of the waves. ¹²Yex speaks after a moment. ¹³“I don’t know where I would be without you. ¹⁴You have given me so much. ¹⁵You taught me how to make a fire, so very long ago. ¹⁶You taught me to be grateful, to accept the things that I can’t change, and to change the things I can. ¹⁷Thank you.” ¹⁸Tee stops walking, and looks at Yex. ¹⁹“No, I should thank you. ²⁰For I know that you learned these things from me, and they are important in life, yes. ²¹But you have given me something far greater. ²²You have given me a friend.” ²³Yex has stopped walking, by now, and they stand together, holding each other in a gentle embrace. ²⁴Eventually, Tee speaks again. ²⁵“But I worry about you, because I think I was wrong. ²⁶I think that we do not live forever, for although life is great, I fear death is greater.” ²⁷Yex responds. ²⁸“You don’t need me, in fact, I need you, because even if I won’t be here, you will. ²⁹And they will be here, too, and you will tell them about me, day after day, year after year. ³⁰You will tell them about my glory and my mistakes and everything in between. ³¹And they will laugh and cry and scream, and tell you that you’re right and tell you that you’re wrong, but you will not stop, you will continue to tell them my story. ³²And eventually there will be a day when they beg and beg and beg you to leave, yet their clothes are sewn with my name, and that’s when you can finally rest.”

TYX 6

¹The terrain is hilly, and barren, except for a few shrubs scattered across the ground. ²The night sky is out in all its glory, the bright stars and the full moon illuminating the landscape. ³Yex walks slowly, behind Tee. ⁴The two do not speak, but they hear the roar of a river. ⁵Eventually, the two arrive upon its bank, and Tee finally speaks. ⁶“Here, let’s rest.” ⁷“I think I get it now, my friend. ⁸To ask why is to worry about causes and reasons. ⁹But just as there is death in this life, there is life in death, too. ¹⁰This instant does not create the next, but rather, the moments flow and splash in time, like this river, powerful, indeed, but forever fleeting. ¹¹And I can’t see where the water comes from or where the water goes in the end, but I am here, now, and I can feel its current across my fingers, cold and fast.” ¹²Tee smiles, but does not respond to Yex’s words. ¹³Yex takes a small drink from the river and continues to speak. ¹⁴“And we are here simply because we are. ¹⁵It is easy to wonder why, but not everything needs a cause, I don’t think. ¹⁶This is the truth that I was searching for, and I was staring it in its eyes all along.” ¹⁷Tee, too, takes a drink from the river, and responds. ¹⁸“You are far smarter than me, my friend, smarter than I can ever be. ¹⁹And for that, I am proud of you.” ²⁰Yex remains entranced with the river, and eventually speaks after some time. ²¹“But although we are strong, we must remember that time keeps secrets, too. ²²For one day this river might carve a canyon and dry up, leaving its legacy on these hills. ²³And someday, somebody might come across the canyon, and they will appreciate its elegance. ²⁴And if they try hard enough, they can maybe even see the river that once ran strong, cutting through the rocks. ²⁵But they will never feel its current across their fingers.” ²⁶There is silence as the two sit. ²⁷“I enjoy hearing you speak, my friend. ²⁸And yes, I agree, I think I’d want to know how, rather than why. ²⁹But will they be like us, whoever comes across the canyon? ³⁰Will they be like you and me?” ³¹Yex looks at Tee, and appears almost confused, but again there is silence.

TYX 7

¹Rain falls from the sky as Tee walks, the sound drowning out the labored footsteps. ²The night is coming to an end, but heavy clouds keep the sky dark. ³Tee drags Yex, almost in the same way that the two traveled long ago, when Yex was healthy and sleeping. ⁴Now, Yex is sick and can hardly move. ⁵A flash of lightning illuminates the sky, briefly, revealing the vast and mountainous terrain. ⁶Tears begin to form around Tee’s eyes, perhaps out of fear of losing Yex. ⁷Thunder roars, and Yex mumbles something, but the words are unintelligible. ⁸Suddenly, in a brief moment, Tee trips on a small stick, and falls, sending the two tumbling down the face of the mountain. ⁹But they slide to a stop, by some stroke of luck, despite the slippery leaves and mud. ¹⁰Tee sits for a moment, dazed, as it all happened so fast. ¹¹Tee holds Yex tight, and looks up at the clouds above, before eventually standing back up, cautiously. ¹²Tee looks to the right, at the trees that stand strong on the slope. ¹³Then to the left, at the great valley below, beautiful, and full of life, but scary, for Tee knows that the two could never climb out if they ever found themselves there. ¹⁴Then in front, longingly, almost as if the city lights were visible, but only the terrain lies ahead, dark and static and wet. ¹⁵The tears stream down Tee’s face, but they are lost in the rain, which pours, strong and steady. ¹⁶Finally, Tee looks behind, taking one more moment to appreciate Yex’s gentle face, before continuing to move forward.