There Is No Year - Blake Butler [0]
Blake Butler
There Is No Year
a novel
For no one
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Part One
Controller
Estate
Copy Family
What Else Could They Have Done?
Pretend to not be There
The Copy Mother, In Particular
Smothering, The Mother’s Knowledge of
Closer
The Copy Son, In Particular
No
A Good Day
Room of Hair
Disease Relics
How the Son Got Sick
Keys
Heads
Another Room on the Same Evening
The Skin of God
After Dinner
An Investigation
Late List
Passage
Decision
His
The Son’s Book
Book
Lawnwork
A Very Long Hallway
The Son’s Fingernail
Power Exit
Relax
Part Two
What Took the Father so Long at Work
Q&A Re: the Father’s Car & House, etc.
What the Father did Then
Other Fathers
The Son’s Phone
What the Mower Found
The Copy Egg
What the Son did with his Information
The Most Frequently Played Song on the Son’s Computer Before the Son Erased the Contents of the Hard Drive and Burned it and Buried the Computer in the Woods
Incoming
Encombing
What Was Beneath The Father
13-Dream Dream Sequence
Sequel
Special Friend
Body Double
Version
Active Listing
Welcome
Hey
3 Doors 1 Room
Beep Probe
Other Mothers
Vow
Offer
Copy Speech
Bell Chords
Copy Sleep
Somnambulist
Invocation—Invitation
Inverse Color
The Son
Mirryramid
Job
Hole
Enter
What the Son Learned the Ants had Done
X
Inverse Sound
Skinning
In a Daze the Son Remembers The Black Package He’d up Till now Ignored or Forgotten or Somehow just not Seen
???Egakcap Eht Edisni Saw Tahw
Part Three
Renege
Redress
Game
Surround
Infinite Reflection
Look Again
Indications of the Manner by which you will Arrive
Exit Method
In the Sand Around a Hallway
Nothing You Ever, Nothing Nothing
Another Fucking Box
Soft!
Air
Sleepover
Path
Home
Tunnel in a Tunnel in a Tunnel (in an Eye)
What
Help Yourself
Pop!
Film
Room
Photoperiod
Night
Consume
Database
Entrance, Passage, Gallery
The Father, Reconsidered
Antechamber, Second Antechamber, Shafts
Film of A Film
Map of Ascent
Apex
Lawn
Hi Hey There Hello
A Very Specific Wall
Portal
Queen
The House was Getting Wavy
Copy House
Rememberemberer
Drink
That is Some Thick Stuff
Rorrim
Not a Word or Shape or Name
Interview
The Wanting Box
Inside
Answer
Box Of Boxes
Where am I Where have I been Where are you
There There
Part Four
Removal
Deep Focus
Body
Oh
Please Respond
Ungift
Massive Fabric
Initiate
O
0
Days
The Repeating Night
DoppelgÄNger Mantra
Hive
Population
Cocoon Gazebo
Bag
Blank
Either
Copy of a Copy of a Copy
Or
Hallway
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Blake Butler
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
For years the air above the earth had begun sagging, suffused by a nameless, ageless eye of light. This light had swelled above the buildings. It caked on any object underneath.
This light, unlike most other light, outside itself could not be seen, could not be felt impressed upon each inch of air and body. It had no length, no temperature, no speed.
Each day the light grew gently thicker, purer. Each day still felt the same. Its presence rode in ridges on the faces of the hours and in silent hair all down all arms.
At night the light would be called dark. Among the dark the people staggered, aligned upon the air with hidden halls. In hidden halls they bumped and built their homes.
Each of these homes, no matter how small, held at least several outlets, doors, and bulbs. In each home, as well, several people, each fit with further holes inside them too.
Through these holes the light could enter, thereby: naming, thereby: age. Inside the light and homes the people made more people. The light, unlike the people, went on and on.
PART ONE
Those who live, live off the dead.
ANTONIN ARTAUD
CONTROLLER
The father and the mother sat close together without touching. They weren’t sure which way to aim their heads. They remembered recent rooms from other buildings. The house still felt so new.
They’d been sitting on the sofa for a long time. Neither