Nounally ^hot^ -

And from then on, children were taught two ways to speak: the nounal way for maps and markets, and the verbal way for love and grief and dawn.

“Is it a stone,” Mira said, “or is it the river’s holding of hardness? Is it a stone, or is it the river’s slowing? You have taught us to name things so we can own them. But you have forgotten: nouns are graves we dig for verbs.” nounally

She tossed it into the river. The splash happened — a verb, a sound, a vanishing. Then stillness. And from then on, children were taught two

Then came the Book of Nounally.

Mira rose slowly. She picked up a smooth stone from the fire ring. And from then on