Time flowed for Bela in the opposite direction. The day after yesterday, she sometimes said. Pronounced slightly differently, Bela's name, the name of a flower, was itself the word for a span of time, a portion of the day. Shakal bela meant morning; bikel bela, afternoon. Ratrir bela was night. Bela's yesterday was a receptacle for anything her mind stored. Any experience or impression that had come before. Her memory was brief, its contents limited. Lacking chronology, randomly rearranged.
Bela perceives time in a non-linear way, describing it as flowing in reverse, suggesting that her understanding of temporal sequences is fragmented and unique. This perspective is reflected in the pronunciation of her name, which coincidentally also signifies different times of the day in her culture. It illustrates how deeply interconnected her identity is with the concept of time, influencing her daily comprehension of life.
Her memories form a chaotic collection rather than a structured timeline. This randomness signifies Bela's struggle with retaining a coherent narrative of her past, as her memories seem to exist in a disordered state. The idea that her "yesterday" serves as a repository for experiences highlights both the limitations of her memory and the intrinsic complexity of human perception regarding time.
