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mindless puppets of society... though even here, few enough of them truely understand her... Yet, it isn't important to her that she be understood, only that she be heard... understanding would come later, with time and thought. And there she sits, watching the faceless people sometimes, responding automatically to voices directed her way, occasionally interjecting comments drawn from her thoughts, an island of stillness in an everchanging crowd, waiting... Suddenly, one such as she appears, materializing out of the crowd... "Hello..." he says as he draws near... "Hello..." she responds, knowing, without knowing that here is one who truely understands. Slowly, she raises her gaze from the cracked patterns of the cold marble floor, to behold another figure, radiating the same otherworldly stillness as she, and he too, is cloaked in blackest shadow, the style of dress different, yet the feel is the same... "Hello..." she says again, voicing his name in greeting... It is then that her thoughtsare loosed to be spoken, and for a time all too brief, they converse, and are heard by all, yet understood fully only each to the other...almosta melding of minds over the raucous clammor of the room... And suddenly, he is gone, as quickly and completely as he'd arrived, leaving her once again to answer automatically, the voices in the room, as she traces patterns in the cracked marble flooring and chases her thoughts in endless circles until they make sense... After a time, she tires of the endless murmur of the faceless voices, meaningless sound, and quits the chamber as unnoticed as when she arrived... Outside - the air has cooled, and the moon has set... a carpet of glistening dew on every surface...
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