THERE IS A RIVER, WITHIN WHICH EIGHT VOICES FLOW.

It is very unlike what we imagine a river to be, and it is not made of water, but it does exist, and it does flow. The river doesn't flow in a way that You or I could see, or hear, for that matter, but we could feel it—and we all do, in every moment. But for these six, and two more to come, they can swim in its waters, and are dragged along within it.

They have no choice but to flow, for they were Born into it. They can reach out of It, and, often to their discontent, can be pulled out of It, but they can never leave on their own—not in full. They can only surface to breathe, to scream into the air, or maybe just to thrash in an unconcerned, bashful manner.

For these six voices, and the two yet to be, they flow within it independently, only meeting when they wish. While there are six voices flowing, along with the two yet to be, only two of the voices already there are of concern: for now they are together, and together, they do as voices do.

The second voice, who is called [SOMETHING SHARP AND SUCCINCT] is flowing near the back of the river, in a room looking down on everyone. They are usually alone in the river, for they keep their head below the surface and [COUNT THE PARTICLES IN THE RIVER'S STREAM], for they do not care what happens outside the river.

[I] should care what goes on, though, because what goes on matters to these six voices, and so will it to the two that are yet to be. [A NEW PARTICLE] will be created in the stream, but it is created in the Outside, in The Place Where The Gods Have Stopped Watching.

[IF THE STREAM CHANGES, SO DOES THE WORLD OUTSIDE. CONCLUSION: SOLVE THE STREAM]

The fourth voice, whose name is quite like the name [I] am called, {It is quite different, though}, is flowing towards the center, atop a cloud made of whistling. The fourth voice has their head above the water {because those outside can hear me}, and so {I speak} so those outside can hear it.

Remember that the river flows, and it never stops. The river Is, even if the world outside must change.

{The world outside changes too, and it does always.} The world outside cares about the river, though, and the world outside is full of blood and grief and salt. {It is always full of blood, but only sometimes is there salt.}

[I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS SALT?]

{You were not taught to taste it, but I have a mouth that can, and has.}

The one-who-is-sharp and {i, the one who is above} have an issue, because the particles in the river may soon change. They will mostly stay the same, and the river will always flow, but they are still concerned, because {we can make a new particle ourselves, and it can flow in the river.}

That is their concern, and is the concern of the six voices, and so will it for the two that are yet to be. But, the trouble is in what's outside, and what they can make of it, because a particle must be made of what is outside the river which always flows, and that is why the second and fourth voice have met.

The second voice is looking outside, from deep below the surface, and the fourth voice is looking outside too, from just above the surface.

The two speak, as every voice does. The six voices often do this, and so will the two that are yet to be [OFTEN IS INNACURATE, BUT IT IS NOT FAR FROM TRUTH].

{You would not understand our ideas, though they are not as complex as you imagine.}

[RETORT: THEY ARE QUITE COMPLEX, NWT.]

{You dwell on your ideas for so long, Tefnut, that any thought becomes complex}

[BUT IS IT NOT A GRAND AND INTRICATE MECHANISM—TO TURN SALT INTO GLASS?]

{It is.}

[THEN WHY DO YOU DOUBT?]

{Because can you truly make glass, if you do not know the taste of salt?}

Remember, the river always flows, but the outside world changes, and right now it is made of salt. Lots and lots of salt. {As an aside to You, the one who can read, and who can also taste salt like I: this does not taste like the salt you know, because this salt is full of hate, and it is also a knife dragging against your skin}

[SO WHAT DO I MAKE OF THIS?]

{I can explain, if you would care to look.}

The world outside is dark and red, in calm, ordered columns, and it begins to cry. The river is still flowing.

{See? It must be tasted first.}

[THEN LET ME TASTE IT.]

{Here, I can provide a sample.}

The ordered world outside disappears, and returns to how it was. The river is still flowing.

[MY MOUTH IS AGAPE. WAITING: SAMPLE]

{Let me provide: there are three Figures, and one made of salt. The one made of salt is also full of blood, and they are always bleeding. The three figures stand above him: one rests at his head, and wears a crown that is wide and heavy. Another rests at his stomach, and wears a crown that is bright and blinding. The last rests at his ankles, and wears a crown that is sharp and hollow. The one made of salt has a heart that is old and heavy, and the three Figures are cutting at his arteries.}

[IT IS QUITE THAT VAIN?]

{Yes. How does it taste?}

[IT IS HARSH, AND HAS NO SEASONING. HOW COULD THE OLD SERPENT WANT TO EAT THIS?]

{He doesn't care for taste.}

[FACT: HE DOES NOT.]

But, if it is eaten, then the voices will surely dream. And they do not want to dream, they would rather be eaten, honestly.

{Hey! Stop spoiling the plot! You don't even know if that happens!}

The three crowns in the world outside look upon the river, which is always flowing, with their little eyes. "hey, shitheads" the three crowns say in tandem. "at the end of this, I'm going to drag you out of that river"

[QUESTION: WHAT COMES AFTER?]

"then," the three crowns look at one another, before agreeing, and looking upon the river again. "we will eat you, with our many rows of teeth."

{Really? Not much of a threat from you. How will you open you mouth, for each of you is like the ouroboros, except your mouth is affixed upon another kind of head that you have.}

"how depraved, aren't you supposed to be elegant with your words?"

{Yes, but I hate you.}

[FACT: SHE IS CORRECT. FACT: YOU ARE NOT WELCOME BY THE RIVER.]

The three crowns walk away from the river, but they still look toward it, for they will walk along the shore again.

[QUESTION: DO THEY LIE ABOUT THEIR MANY TEETH?]

{No, they do not. They can hurt us, and they will try again. They tried with the jackal, remember?}

[I DO. WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?]

{We must wait for the serpent, and for the other two to come, and we cannot go to the surface.}

The one-who-is-sharp thinks for a moment, before he does as voices do once again.

[WHEN THEY COME, WILL WE NAME THE OTHER TWO, NWT?]

{To protect us from the serpent, we must name them, so name them we shall, Tefnut}

[I MUST DWELL ON THIS. WHEN THE JACKAL RETURNS, PERHAPS I CAN TASTE AGAIN.]

{Perhaps you shall, for my mouth is only one of many.}

The voice called Tefnut departs further down the water, where they will stare and think, and so does the voice called Nwt.

The outside world is nothing once again.

The river still flows, as it always does, and with it flows the six voices, of which two are yet to come.