The Tortoise

After Hours by We Are Scientists

This night is winding down but
Time means nothing,
As always at this hour
Time means nothing

Ach! They think he does not move.

They think he does not lift a foot. They think that he does not even breathe. A perfect quiet, with no difference between him and the rocks in his surroundings. Blink after blink, breath after breath, no changes. So many repeated glances at the ticking watch and nothign to report. After days and nights, suns racing across the sky, they leave. After all, what can change at this rate?

Time passes.

They come back. The tortoise has moved. It has only moved inches but it's different, without a doubt. They laugh - all that time spent watching, waiting for what? Just this? The rocks are in the same exact place! The leaves on the trees are still green! What was the point of stressing over all of this for so long? Analyzing every blade of grass and nothing worth recording.

Time passes.

They come back again. Has it moved? They debate. What did this look like before? Didn't a tree cast shade? Wasn't the last step just inches back? It's strange. Objects can be in motion and they can cease, of course. But a frozen object should leave a trace behind! Cycles upon cycles without change, it should be clear where it stood and where it's headed.

The sky, the sky, surely the sky doesn't change. When your hesistance surges and nausea overwhelms you, focus on the horizon. I don't remember that shade of blue. Maybe it was a little darker. No, brighter, definitely. A point, a line, a cloud, a color, a map of us. Frantically grasping on any reference points. Can you even look at the sky without looking right through it?

It takes a couple days. Turning over every leaf and rock for hints, but there's no mystery to solve. Any attempt to lay anchor is lost. It doesn't take a strong tide to lose your grip, all it takes is a steady one. They don't believe it, and neither do you. In every single trial, it slips loose. The tortoise has won.

The craziest thing about reminiscing is that people who were never together can do it at the same time. I thought all our experiences were shared and didn't’ realize how far off that was until it was literally shoved in my face. In the end you always believe it when you see it. I recommend putting that off for a bit but not forever. The shock hurts and stings, but it heals.

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