Edits

content/read/003.md

@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ Ey had been lost for something beyond an eternity, for 'eternity' implied the ex
 
 She had been the first one in more than forever that ey had seen. She had been the one who broke through the wall of eir solipsistic existence and encouraged em to reengage with the world. As the orbits of eir life grew smaller and smaller, they had collapsed into a wandering figure-eight around Sasha, the one who made em complete, and Carter, the one who tied em to reality.
 
-And so it was that, even beyond the meetings and interviews, beyond the panels and studies, ey found emself staying in touch with her. Once a week or two, ey would make the long walk from eir flat down to the cluster of UCL buildings and wait until she was free for lunch or dinner, or, had ey yet again forgotten the meaning of time, wait for her to arrive at work early in the morning so that they could get coffee together.
+And so it was that, even beyond the meetings and interviews, beyond the panels and studies, ey found emself staying in touch with her. Once or twice a week, ey would make the long walk from eir flat down to the cluster of UCL buildings and wait until she was free for lunch or dinner, or, had ey yet again forgotten the meaning of time, wait for her to arrive at work early in the morning so that they could get coffee together.
 
 She had not questioned it at all. Even that first time, after ey had hunted down her office in the UCL directory and arrived, unannounced, outside of it to wait awkwardly until she pulled back from her rig. She had simply smiled, shaken eir hand, and they had gone out for an afternoon cup of coffee with no further discussion. It had simply become the thing that they did every now and then. 
 
 Perhaps that was why ey liked her? Maybe.
 
-Today, at lunch, ey joined Carter and two of her coworkers, Prakash Das and Avery Wilkins. Vietnamese had been the order of the day, and each of them had consoled em in turn about the loss of eir dear Priscilla, the cat who had been the only other grounding factor in eir life these last two years. A sudden loss of appetite, and then a sudden loss of life, and now ey needed the comfort of friends --- or whatever it was that Carter had become --- and some noise other than quiet jazz and London streets.
+Today, at lunch, ey joined Carter and two of her coworkers, Prakash Das and Avery Wilkins. Vietnamese was the order of the day, and each of them had consoled em in turn about the loss of eir dear Priscilla, the cat who had been the only other grounding factor in eir life these last two years. A sudden loss of appetite, and then a sudden loss of life, and now ey needed the comfort of friends --- or whatever it was that Carter had become --- and some noise other than quiet jazz and London streets.
 
 To their condolences, ey had simply raised eir cup of tea and nodded to them, saying, "To deny the end is to deny all beginnings."
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ The time neared one o'clock, whatever that meant, and they settled up the bill a
 
 More laughter, more companionship. More warmth, despite the cold.
 
-*Perhaps this is why,* ey thought. *Perhaps Carter and all of those she has introduced to me can add at least a little bit of warmth into the winter of my life.*
+*Perhaps this is why,* ey thought. *Perhaps Carter and all of those she has introduced to me can add at least a little bit of warmth to the winter of my life.*
 
 No, no, must not think such things. Ey had made eir decision, had ey not?
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ At the door to the building where the three worked, they all exchanged hugs, ano
 
 Perhaps sleep.
 
-Ey made it a block away before ey heard the sound of jogging behind em, and stepped over closer to the wall to let the jogger pass. The sound slowed, however, and ey was greeted once more by Prakash.
+Ey made it a block before ey heard the sound of jogging behind em, and stepped over closer to the wall to let the jogger pass. The sound slowed, however, and ey was greeted once more by Prakash.
 
 "Hey RJ, mind if I walk with you for a bit?"
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ He shrugged. "I do, but I'm getting sick of being cooped up. Begged an additiona
 
 A silence stretched for a few minutes before Prakash said, "Nice day, isn't it?"
 
-"No," ey said, laughing. "It is cold and gray. My cat is dead, my job is gone, and my two friends are someone I can only meet in a place I am terrified to go and a researcher of something that is no longer a problem." *Memory is a mirror of hammered silver,* the litany continued within as always. Ey hoped silently. *A weapon against the waking world.* "Dreams are the plate-glass atop memory: a clarifying agent against the-- Sorry."
+"No," ey said, laughing. "It is cold and gray. My cat is dead, my job is gone, and my two friends are someone I can only meet in a place I am terrified to go and a researcher of something that is no longer a problem." *Memory is a mirror of hammered silver,* the litany continued within as always. Silently, ey hoped. *A weapon against the waking world.* "Dreams are the plate-glass atop memory: a clarifying agent against the-- Sorry."
 
 Prakash nodded, as though this was part of a normal conversation. "You're okay, RJ. No luck on the job front? Are you doing alright for cash?"
 
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ Ey nodded, waited for Prakash to continue.
 
 "A way back?"
 
-The intensity with which ey replied startled the researcher, who held up his hands defensively. "Sorry, RJ. If I overstepped--"
+The intensity with which ey replied startled Prakash, who held up his hands defensively. "Sorry, RJ. If I overstepped--"
 
 "No, sorry," ey said. "I did not mean to shout. If it is a way back, I will say yes. If it is a way to 'fix' whatever I have become, I will say no and do not wish to waste your time."
 
-Prakash relaxed and shook his head. "I see. You've mentioned not wanting to lose what you have. I wouldn't have offered if that was on the table. They're not really thinking of a way back, no, but maybe a way forward. Use what you taught us to find --- or make --- somewhere new."
+He relaxed and shook his head. "I see. You've mentioned not wanting to lose what you have. I wouldn't have offered if that was on the table. They're not really thinking of a way back, no, but maybe a way forward. Use what you taught us to find --- or make --- somewhere new."
 
 At this, ey really did stop up short. "What do you mean, 'somewhere new'?"