in his delirium a few coins had fallen from his belt, along with a cone of bright metal, the size of a die. in vain a boy tried to pick up this cone. a man was scarcely able to raise it from the ground. i held it in my hand for a few minutes; i remember that its weight was intolerable and that after it was removed, the feeling of oppressiveness remained. i also remember the exact circle it pressed into my palm. this sensation of a very small and at the same time extremely heavy object produced a disagreeable impression of repugnance and fear. one of the local men suggested we throw it into the swollen river; anorim acquired it for a few pesos. no one knew anything about the dead man, except that "he came from the border." these small, very heavy cones (made from a metal which is not of this world) are images of the divinity in certain regions of tlön.
in response to my best friend's life-changing fictions: this is one of mine.
ON MYSTERY
