Many had fled when she had first been sighted. More when the heralds came.

If your life is everything you ever wanted, then go! If your body has never failed you, if you are content in every moment, you are not worthy of her!

But we would not leave our homes behind. Perhaps the stories were not true. (was that what we thought?)

But tell me, have you never heard the voice of discontentment screaming at the heart of things?

She had perched atop the highest point of the ridge we had carved our lairs into, generation after generation. She seemed content to lie there, slowly writhing and oozing along the sharp stones, which pierced her viscous flesh seemingly without harm or notice.

That the life you live is not your choice, that the particulars of your existence were thrust upon you, out of concordance with the truths of your being?

The heralds had called to us with strange declarations and promises that surely no sane mind would accept. (surely we did not?) Some tried to attack them, but upon approaching found themselves unable to bring themselves to strike a blow, just as we all could no longer conceive of leaving.

THAT YOU HAVE NEVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN TRULY FREE?

On the third day, she began to sing.

It started low, a hissing murmur on the edge of hearing, seeming to come from every direction, then rising to a screaming discordance that deafened every sense. It carved twisting furrows in my mind, words running through them like blood.

sweet child that is and is and is and never is not why do you choose to be as you were and are day then night then day then then again again again who holds you to yourself armor turned inside to press you into something do you tell yourself you chose this not that never that or any other never never never never never

how long was it? i fell to the floor but never landed, and then, then was it after? then i was crawling on my belly up the ridge, there were no other directions or even stillness

you are beauty but not now but maybe maybe maybe come to me I love and hate you you can be more can be many can be every they lied to you when they gave you a name they only knew lies I hate and love and do not care come to me come

i was close now, i saw the world ripple around her fingers and her eyes twist and pulse with her song, but she was not singing, she is laughing and I understand why and what she is and I am laughing too, laughing and laughing as she touches me and at last, at last, the world and I begin to change.