When the flames came up her eyes burned out there like gatelamps to another world. A world burning on the shore of an unknowable void. A world construed out of blood and blood's alcahest and blood in its core and in its integument because it was nothing save blood had power to resonate against that void which threatened hourly to devour it. He wrapped himself in the blanket and watched her. When those eyes and the nation to which they stood witness were gone at last with their dignity back into their origins there would perhaps be other fires and other witnesses and other worlds otherwise beheld. But they would not be this one.
The passage illustrates a profound moment where the protagonist observes a woman whose eyes burn brightly amidst a chaotic and destructive environment. These eyes symbolize a connection to an alternate reality, one steeped in the visceral essence of blood and struggle. The imagery evokes a sense of both beauty and despair, as it portrays a world teetering on the edge of annihilation, with the power of life represented by blood resonating against an impending void.
As the protagonist envelops himself in the warmth of the blanket, he reflects on the impermanence of this experience. He contemplates the eventual loss of the woman and her people, hinting at the cyclical nature of existence. While other fires and witnesses may arise in the future, he acknowledges that none will replicate the unique essence of this moment. It underscores the fleeting nature of life and the distinct worlds we inhabit, each marked by its own struggles and witnesses.
