One Future

And I stood before him, and I sang unto her, and it appeared to
listen. His very countenance rippled like the sea, and the sound
of my own voice came back to me, distorted. For a moment I thought
she was mocking me, or it was nonsapient and mimicking me. Then I
understood: the sounds were not important; it was how I affected
his sounds and how she affected mine that transmitted the message.