Autobiography of Red

Later that day, Geryon joins Herakles and his companion, Ancash, at Café Mitwelt. Herakles tells Geryon that he and Ancash are traveling throughout South America to record volcanoes for a documentary about Emily Dickinson. Ancash hands Geryon a tape recorder and headphones, explaining that it’s Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. Geryon hears something like “a hoarse animal spraying pain from the back of its throat.” Geryon thinks the sound is “hot as a color inside.” Herakles explains that they were there during monsoon season, and the volcanic ash and rain were mixing in the air. There are gunshots, too, since the government had to send in the army to convince people to evacuate.

Geryon listens as Ancash narrates the recorded sounds, explaining how the air is so hot “it burns the wings off of birds.” The word “wings” makes Geryon and Herakles stare straight into each other’s eyes. Ancash continues to narrate as the tape recorder plays the sounds of a tsunami hitting a beach in Japan. However, Geryon takes the earphones off and gets up to leave. He has a hard time taking his eyes off Herakles. Herakles tells him they’re staying at the City Hotel and that he should call. Geryon says okay and leaves the café.