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The world of Wraeththu came to a halt...

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January 16th, 2021

The day began as I had feared when I opened the daily news on my mobile: It´s more than a rumor that lockdown 3rd will get expanded until - and that´s a valid question - when exactly? Far into February they say, a very cryptic statement, I´d say! Last federal states will end their semester break on February 21th. My guess is that this will be the earliest date to end this farce. Because as long as people are forced to go to work, use public transport and shop in overcrowded grocery stores there´s always the chance that someone carries along the virus and does not even know about it. Tests won´t help, you´d have to test on a daily basis, and all of us at that. Vaccination will not help much, because the speed of it can never take up with the virus´s ability to mutate, especially in our country, where the lack of vaccine and the lack of enthusiasm to speed up the procedure is a case for inquest. Besides, no one knows if the vaccine will work after the next few mutations!
So I opened facebook, to see what´s going on there. To say I was shocked when I heard the news of Storm Constantine's death is an understatement. I had fallen for her apocalyptic world more than I had for Tolkien´s Middle earth. As much as I love dwarves and elves, the setting of Storm´s world is more realistic by far, as we now can clearly see in the pandemic we're witnessing.
How sad she had to die so (relatively) young. Storm has always been a master of privacy, hence not many knew of her sickness. I so had hoped that she´d bring out one more novel revolving around her Wraeththu world, because her way of wording was unique!

Today: a perfect day for thinking back. It must all be said, now, before time takes an axe to my memory. Outside, on the balcony, the air begins to chill. The season changes. Curled leaves, brazen with death, scratch along the marble terrace and the clear, golden sunlight is rustling with ghosts.
Remember: laughter, fear, delight, courage.
I came out to the balcony to write. It’s been difficult to begin. For some minutes, I have gazed at the distant mountains, which are smudged in a lilac haze. Someone has turned off all the fountains. Below me, the gardens are mostly silent.
They say to me: “What tales you could tell,” and if I tell them, “again, more. There must be more.” This may become a history book, but remember it is only my history.
- Introduction to Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit | Storm Constantine 1987

The world of Wraeththu came to a halt...

The day began as I had feared when I opened the daily news on my mobile: It´s more than a rumor that lockdown 3rd will get expanded until - and that´s a valid question - when exactly? Far into February they say, a very cryptic statement, I´d say! Last federal states will end their semester break on February 21th. My guess is that this will be the earliest date to end this farce. Because as long as people are forced to go to work, use public transport and shop in overcrowded grocery stores there´s always the chance that someone carries along the virus and does not even know about it. Tests won´t help, you´d have to test on a daily basis, and all of us at that. Vaccination will not help much, because the speed of it can never take up with the virus´s ability to mutate, especially in our country, where the lack of vaccine and the lack of enthusiasm to speed up the procedure is a case for inquest. Besides, no one knows if the vaccine will work after the next few mutations!
So I opened facebook, to see what´s going on there. To say I was shocked when I heard the news of Storm Constantine's death is an understatement. I had fallen for her apocalyptic world more than I had for Tolkien´s Middle earth. As much as I love dwarves and elves, the setting of Storm´s world is more realistic by far, as we now can clearly see in the pandemic we're witnessing.
How sad she had to die so (relatively) young. Storm has always been a master of privacy, hence not many knew of her sickness. I so had hoped that she´d bring out one more novel revolving around her Wraeththu world, because her way of wording was unique!

Today: a perfect day for thinking back. It must all be said, now, before time takes an axe to my memory. Outside, on the balcony, the air begins to chill. The season changes. Curled leaves, brazen with death, scratch along the marble terrace and the clear, golden sunlight is rustling with ghosts.
Remember: laughter, fear, delight, courage.
I came out to the balcony to write. It’s been difficult to begin. For some minutes, I have gazed at the distant mountains, which are smudged in a lilac haze. Someone has turned off all the fountains. Below me, the gardens are mostly silent.
They say to me: “What tales you could tell,” and if I tell them, “again, more. There must be more.” This may become a history book, but remember it is only my history.
- Introduction to Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit | Storm Constantine 1987