"..."
"Do you know how to speak?" asked the nameless girl.
"..."
The glass boy stood there, sitting on the carpet, his legs crossed. Although he was mute and faceless, he was definitely alive, because he moved his head, confused.
"I imagine not..." she commented, bringing her hand to her chin. With a smile, she extended her hand to him. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is ___."
The boy hesitated for a while, then took her hand. She helped him to his feet.
"So... we can communicate through sign language...?" She extended her palm in front of his face and waved in greeting. He slowly brought his hand up in front of hers and waved back.
"When you stop to think about it, you're like a mirror, mimicking my movements and all..." The boy tilted his head again.
"W-Wait, I didn't mean to offend you or anything! I'm not saying you don't have free will and... it's because you're made of glass, haha..." She scratched the back of her own head, embarassed. The boy did the same.
"Y-You don't have to... you know... imitate everything I do. Wait, I've got an idea! How about we explore this place together?" She took his hand and they left the green room.
She let go of his hand and stopped a few steps ahead of him, by the railing that faced the glass wall and the diagonal ceiling. She clasped her hands behind her back and nodded at the view. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
The boy gazed at the eco-friendly city for several seconds, mesmerized.
The model woke up inside a bubble in the middle of an endless sky. It was late, the sun setting on the horizon. The sky was completely orange and yellow, casting a powerful shadow over half of her body.
What would Mom do...?
"Mom, who's Dad?" she asked innocently.
"Dad is..." the mother trailed off, searching for the right words to say to such an innocent being. "Well, let's just say it's just you and me, Marilyn."
"But why, Mom? Aren't families supposed to have a father and a mother?"
"We're special, my daughter."
Special? Special doesn't always mean good...
"Of course it does! Otherwise, the world would be boring if everyone were the same, right?"
No, it wouldn't... The world would be much more peaceful if...
"So let's cherish our differences and do what we can!"
...everyone were the same. There would be no hatred, nor inequality...
"Marilyn, I have something very important to tell you. I've found you a partner!"
A partner...?
"Yes! He promised to save us if we live with him! We're finally going to get out of this place!"
But Mom... what's a partner?
The nameless girl ran out of the building onto the sidewalk, pulling the glass boy by the hand. "Come on, you're too slow, haha!" she said mockingly.
Then, she stopped a few steps ahead of him. "Oops, my bad! I should be more careful. After all, you're made of glass."
"..."
"Glass boy, may I ask you something?"
"..."
"Would you rather... have control over everything, or... not have to worry about anything at all?
"..." She gave him a moment to think about her question. He brought his hand to his chin, thoughtful.
She invaded his personal space, her smile hovering just centimeters from his face, which startled him. "Most people would answer... neither! Do you know why?"
She walked closer to the street and signaled to the approaching bus. It was empty, of course. The door opened for them; she gestured for him to get on.
He sat near a window, so she chose a seat on the opposite side of the bus, also facing the window. "Why do you think people generally don't stand in the bus aisle unless the seats are taken?"
"..."
"Because it's dangerous, of course! But also because it's more comfortable to sit on one of the sides than to stand in the middle."
"..."
"Do you get what I mean? When you chose that seat... you made a choice. Life is full of choices. If you don't pick a side, you'll end up alone. Because people always agree on something, so they can group up to make up for their weaknesses."
The glass boy was visibly confused.
"Did I go too far? What I mean is that being stuck between two options creates a sense of discomfort for people—the discomfort of not being included—but also the comfort of not having to make a choice. That is why they say they do not want to be gods, yet they do not want to be powerless either. They do not want to think; they do not want to choose..."
"..."
"I don't usually talk this much. Thanks for listening to me, glass boy."
The bus stopped. They got off and walked over to a parapet facing the river and the other side of the city. A light breeze stirred her long hair.
"People always prefer to reduce every problem to just two options, because it makes deciding easier and rallies more people to both sides. If there are always two options, and nothing else, then..."
Resting her own elbow on the railing, she turned to look at her new friend beside her.
"...I'd rather choose the least bad option."
They stared at each other for several seconds, enjoying the breeze. She pointed to the other side of the city, beyond the river. "You see that? It's very far away, don't you think? It seems almost... unreachable."
Tick-tock...
"Would you rather swim across the river, stay here, or... simply drown? But time is always ticking, so we can't just stay here, leaving only two options again..."
"..." The boy cast a glance at the bridge connecting the two sides.
"The bridge isn't for us. It's for them; it's always 'them.' We have to do it the traditional way. And if there is a wooden bridge available to us... there's always something suspicious about it. It might break when we step on it, someone might cut the rope..."
But Mom... a partner? What do I have to do?
"Just stay quiet and... do whatever he says," the mother replied. "That's the only way we can live in peace."
But I don't want peace...
"It's our only choice..."
There is always one more option...
"Otherwise... I don't know how much longer I'll stay here..."
"Mom, they... did things to me..."
"It's all right, my dear." She hugged her daughter tightly, trying to comfort her. "This will all be over soon."
It will never be over!
"So, glass boy? Which would you choose? Fight, flee, or... surrender?" said the nameless girl as she climbed onto the railing.
It's unfair! Mom said things were going to get better for us, but there was never a good option! They destroyed every opportunity just to stay on top! They always do!
She began to fall, with her back to the sun.
There was never any hope, to begin with... It has always been this way, and it always will be... But if I could change that...
The nameless girl's smile was unsettling, yet serene. The wind picked up, stirring her hair. The sun was sinking behind her, casting a shadow over the glass boy. It was almost as if she were saying goodbye to that world.
"I've spent my whole life running away... I'm too weak to fight. It's time to pick a side, to make a decision..."
The blonde woman woke up on the floor, very dizzy. She was looking up at the ceiling.
Tick-tock...
A grandfather clock ticked rhytmically.
Tick-tock...
Each tick seemed louder. She slowly rose, clutching her head against the pain and trying to see without fainting. It was an old, rusty office. The furniture was made of very high-end wood. She looked around, searching for any clue.
She sat in the boss's chair. It was very comfortable. The pain in her head began to subside. Finally, she felt like she was in control of something. Even without knowing what it was all about, it felt good to be in that position.
There was a book on the table. It had no title, but the cover featured one of the photos from her modeling work. She felt tempted to open it, but then she realized something.
The nameless girl spread her arms, standing on the ledge. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid, but... there are only two options, right? I'm choosing the one that brings the least suffering..."
Although hesitant, she slowly backed away until she began to fall.
Marilyn rose from her chair, stepping out of her comfort zone. She walked over to the fireplace, the atlas in one hand. She gazed at the fire as if it were her only way to be truly happy.
"If I get comfortable here... the cycle will continue. I can't let anyone suffer the same fate as me... there is only one way of avoid doing evil, to avoid spreading corruption..."
Hesitant, she held the book suspended over the fire, letting it toast in the sparks. Then, she closed her eyes, gradually finding peace. She let go of the atlas.
The office began to catch fire, revealing a black void that slowly consumed everything, including Marilyn. But she did not open her eyes. She embraced it with open arms. Everything returned to the beginning, with her transforming into a fish, swimming against a current that was being devoured by the darkness. At the end of the tunnel, there was a light.
At the end, there was hope.
The glass boy held the nameless girl's hand, pulling her back up. His arm began to shatter. "Huh?" she murmured, surprised by his determination. She gripped the edge and climbed back up, feeling her body grow light.
"Why did you do that?"
"..."
"There was no reason...?"
She looked at the sun behind her, her heart racing.
"There is always another choice, huh...?"
Her serene smile widened, her eyes gleaming with hope.
"Maybe... I could enjoy it here some more..."