When I woke up again it was getting light.
I jumped up. Splinter was gone. I looked around, called out his name, got no response. His things were still there, though. I scanned the beach below and was alarmed to see the tide coming in. Maybe I was afraid that he’d jumped, that somewhere down there I’d discover a heap of shards, but I didn’t see anything. I called his name again and then I heard him.
He staggered out of the forest, pulling a battered wooden cart covered with a ragged old blanket. I was shocked to see the state he was in. His skin had lost its lustre, was no longer reflective. He was worn out. No, dying.
‘I did it,’ he croaked. ‘If I walk very stiffly, hardly anything breaks off, and the glassblower put some bandages on my back. Now I’ll hold a bit longer.’
But when he took another step I heard the splinters rattling in the hollows of his feet. I rushed to his aid and took the cart from him. When I lifted the blanket, I saw it held a glass fishing boat, just big enough to fit in. I looked at Splinter.
‘I’m finished, Look. I’m getting sicker all the time. I wanna see if I can pull it off. I’ve got all day to row to the horizon. I wanna see if I can touch the sun when it sinks into the sea tonight.’
We looked at each other for a long time. I kept trying to say something, don’t know what, but my voice had given out. Finally I managed to utter a single word. It was the only time I’ve ever begged someone.
‘Please,’ I said.
‘But I’m the one to say please,’ Splinter smiled. ‘I need you. To push me off.’
What went through my mind as I pulled him in the cart, over that narrow path winding down to the beach? About a million voices in my head were telling me to turn around, yelling that it wasn’t fair and why was this happening to me? But I buried it all inside, deep down where nobody could ever reach.
The sun wasn’t up yet and save for a lone jogger, it was quiet on the beach. Splinter showed me a video cam wrapped up in the blanket. ‘Give that to my parents. It has a message. For you too.’
Next I put him in the glass fishing boat and pulled him across the tide line. I was up to my waist in the water. The sea was smooth here, slick and oily, like a mirror. The boat was very well crafted, the work of an artist. Geppetto had even fitted it with glass oars.
I held him in my arms for a long time. Then I let go. He took the oars and started rowing, slowly and concentrated, careful not to break his back. He looked back once. The first few rays of sunshine cast a faint glow on his body, and his lips formed a single word. That word was thanks.
I waded back to the beach and watched him disappear, saw him grow smaller, a glittering speck on a glittering ocean. I stared for hours. The beach filled with day-trippers. People squabbled over trivialities, children cried over nothing. I felt drained. Eventually I clambered back up the cliffs. When I reached our stuff, I thought I caught a few more glimpses of the boat, but it was probably just a trick of light. Still, I didn’t leave.
I wanted to see if he’d pull it off.
I wanted to see if he could touch the sun.
I was detained at Faro Airport. Not because they recognized me from some description, but because the X-rays at security fell right through me. Descriptions don’t come any better than that. They questioned me in a small holding cell. I wobbled in my chair, couldn’t find a comfortable position. I was pissed off because I had missed my flight, which had cost me four hundred euros last-minute. The Portuguese official was pissed off because he had a lousy job. After he’d been in contact with the Dutch police, he asked me if I knew anything about Splinter Rozenberg’s disappearance. I tried not to cry and kept my mouth shut, said I wouldn’t say a word until I’d spoken to his parents. At that he got all worked up and banged both fists on the table.
‘Talk to me, you glass-eyed monkey!’ he yelled in broken English.
I flew off the handle: ‘You don’t know shit about glass.’
‘Did he die?’
‘No,’ I said. ‘He lived.’
They must have searched my luggage, but they didn’t find the tape or the glass cones. I’d wrapped them in something soft and hid them in a dark place; you guess where. And so I was escorted back to the Netherlands and reunited with my parents.
A lot more happened, none of which is really relevant. What is relevant is that watching Splinter’s video message made Mr. and Mrs. Rozenberg realize that his dream had come true. Splinter told them not to be sad for him, how I’d made his life sparkle. I saw very little of it. Tears blurred my vision when I heard his voice. I thought about how I’d sat there on the beach that long afternoon, plagued by doubts whether I’d done the right thing to let him go. Whether I should have joined him. But I also remembered how the sun had finally set, the ocean a brilliant mirror of orange light. Then I’d known. You make your final journey alone.
Afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Rozenberg came to me and asked: ‘Did he do it? Was he happy, in the end?’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘He touched the sun.’
Who am I? My name is Look. I haven’t found my reflection. I’ve found my mirror.
Somewhere in Portugal, scanning the waves with his binoculars each night, there’s an old glassblower. And every so often, I believe, he espies a blue whale.
Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
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Table of Contents
ANTHOLOGY OF SPECULATIVE FICTION, VOLUME TWO
What is Speculative Fiction?
NORMAN SPINRAD
Subjectivity, by Norman Spinrad
Carcinoma Angels, by Norman Spinrad
The Brown Revolution, by Norman Spinrad
Lighter than Air, by Norman Spinrad
TERRY BISSON
They're Made out of Meat, by Terry Bisson
Bears Discover Fire, by Terry Bisson
England Underway, by Terry Bisson
Tell Them They Are All Full Of Shit and They Should Fuck Off, by Terry Bisson
MIKE RESNICK
Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge, by Mike Resnick
One Perfect Morning, With Jackals [April 19, 2123], by Mike Resnick
Kirinyaga [August, 2129], by Mike Resnick
For I Have Touched the Sky [January, 2131], by Mike Resnick
SAMUEL R. DELANY
Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones, by Samuel R. Delany
Aye, and Gomorrah, by Samuel R. Delany
JOHN CROWLEY
Snow, by John Crowley
JOE HALDEMAN
Four Short Novels, by Joe Haldeman
LUCIUS SHEPARD
Salvador, by Lucius Shepard
The Jaguar Hunter, by Lucius Shepard
The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule, by Lucius Shepard
Emerald Street Expansions, by Lucius Shepard
The Emperor, by Lucius Shepard
A Walk in the Garden, by Lucius Shepard
Over Yonder, by Lucius Shepard
IAN WATSON
The Thousand Cuts, by Ian Watson
Intelligent Design 2.0, by Ian Watson
JACK DANN
Da Vinci Rising, by Jack Dann
GEORGE ZEBROWSKI
The Word Sweep, by George Zebrowski
CONNIE WILLIS
Fire Watch, by Connie Willis
Distress Call, by Connie Willis
Nonstop to Portales, by Connie Willis
HOWARD WALDROP
The Ugly Chickens, by Howard Waldrop
RAY VUKCEVICH
Whisper, by Ray Vukcevich
TERRY DOWLING
The Lagan Fishers, by Terry Dowling
Clownette, by Terry Dowling
OCTAVIA E. BUTLER
Bloodchild, by Octavia E. Butler
Speech Sounds, by Octavia E. Butler
The Book of Martha, by Octavia E. Butler
Amnesty, by Octavia E. Butler
JOHN VARLEY
Air Raid, by John Varley
Just Another Perfect Day, by John Varley
STEPHEN KING
The Mangier, by Stephen King
The Cat From Hell, by Stephen King
TERRY PRATCHETT
Death and What Comes Next, by Terry Pratchett
Theatre of Cruelty, by Terry Pratchett
The Sea and Little Fishes, by Terry Pratchett
GEORGE R. R. MARTIN
The Way of Cross and Dragon, by George R.R. Martin
“. . . for a single yesterday”, by George R.R. Martin
Sandkings, by George R.R. Martin
Shadow Twin, by Gardner Dozois, George RR Martin and Daniel Abraham
NANCY KRESS
End Game, by Nancy Kress
One, by Nancy Kress
Wetlands Preserve, by Nancy Kress
The Most Famous Little Girl in the World, by Nancy Kress
WILLIAM GIBSON
Burning Chrome, by William Gibson
JOHN KESSEL
It's All True, by John Kessel
Every Angel Is Terrifying, by John Kessel
DAVID BRIN
The Giving Plague, by David Brin
Reality check, by David Brin
Bubbles, by David Brin
KAREN JOY FOWLER
Standing Room Only, by Karen Joy Fowler
Younger Women, by Karen Joy Fowler
What I Didn't See, by Karen Joy Fowler
GREG BEAR
Blood Music, by Greg Bear
Sisters, by Greg Bear
ORSON SCOTT CARD
Homeless in Hell, by Orson Scott Card
KIM STANLEY ROBINSON
The Lucky Strike, by Kim Stanley Robinson
A History of the Twentieth Century, with Illustrations, by Kim Stanley Robinson
Our Town, by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Lunatics, by Kim Stanley Robinson
Arthur Sternbach Brings the Curveball to Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson
KATHLEEN ANN GOONAN
What Science Fiction is All About or, The Amazing Dancing Chairs, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
A Love Supreme, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Electric Rains, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Buried in Time, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? , by Kathleen Ann Goonan
The Day the Dam Broke, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Solitaire, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Angels and You Dogs, by Kathleen Ann Goonan
KEN MACLEOD
Who’s Afraid of Wolf 359?, by Ken MacLeod
A Tulip for Lucretius, by Ken MacLeod
Earth Hour, by Ken MacLeod
EMMA BULL
Silver and Gold, by Emma Bull
STEVEN BRUST
The Desecrator, by Steven Brust
Fireworks in the Rain, by Steven Brust
GEOFFREY A. LANDIS
Ripples in the Dirac Sea, by Geoffrey A. Landis
The Eyes of America, by Geoffrey A. Landis
A Walk In The Sun, by Geoffrey A. Landis
Shooting the Moon, by Geoffrey A. Landis
JEFFREY FORD
The Empire of Ice Cream, by Jeffrey Ford
Creation, by Jeffrey Ford
The Way He Does It, by Jeffrey Ford
A Man of Light, by Jeffrey Ford
RICHARD PARKS
Cherry Blossoms on the River of Souls, by Richard Parks
IAN R. MACLEOD
New Light on the Drake Equation, by Ian R. MacLeod
SEVERNA PARK
The Cure for Everything, by Severna Park
PAUL TREMBLING
Time, Art & Criticism, by Paul Trembling
Eternity is 20 Seconds Long, by Paul Trembling
COLIN P. DAVIES
Tall Tales on the Iron Horse, by Colin P. Davies
Her Precipitous Pride, His Lamentable Ears, by Colin P. Davies
KIJ JOHNSON
26 Monkeys, Also The Abyss, by Kij Johnson
Mantis Wives, by Kij Johnson
The Snow Wife, by Kij Johnson
Spar, by Kij Johnson
Schrödinger’s Cathouse, by Kij Johnson
The evolution of trickster stories among the dogs of North Park after the Change, by Kij Johnson
Ponies, by Kij Johnson
LINDA NAGATA
Goddesses, by Linda Nagata
NEIL GAIMAN
How To Talk To Girls At Parties, by Neil Gaiman
One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock, by Neil Gaiman
An Invocation of Incuriosity, by Neil Gaiman
Feminine Endings, by Neil Gaiman
DAVID D. LEVINE
Tk'tk'tk, by David D. Levine
The Tale of the Golden Eagle, by David D. Levine
Written on the Wind, by David D. Levine
GREG EGAN
Bit Players, by Greg Egan
Oracle, by Greg Egan
The Planck Dive, by Greg Egan
Mind Vampires, by Greg Egan
Oceanic, by Greg Egan
KENT BREWSTER
In The Pound, Near Breaktime, by Kent Brewster
SCOTT WESTERFELD
Non-Disclosure Agreement, by Scott Westerfeld
Unsportsmanlike Conduct, by Scott Westerfeld
GARTH NIX
Fire Above, Fire Below, by Garth Nix
Bad Luck, Trouble, Death, and Vampire Sex, by Garth Nix
CHARLES STROSS
Generation Gap, by Charles Stross
Equoid, by Charles Stross
ANDY DUNCAN
The Pottawatomie Giant, by Andy Duncan
DOMINIC GREEN
The Clockwork Atom Bomb, by Dominic Green
WILLIAM SHUNN
The Practical Ramifications of Interstellar Packet Loss, by William Shunn
TED CHIANG
Story of Your Life, by Ted Chiang
The Lifecycle of Software Objects, by Ted Chiang
What's expected of us, by Ted Chiang
Understand, by Ted Chiang
Exhalation, by Ted Chiang
The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling, by Ted Chiang
SYLVIA SPRUCK WRIGLEY
Alive, Alive Oh, by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
The Sex Adventurer's Handbook to Kuiper Belt Resorts, by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
Regarding Your Unexpected Visit to the Surface of an Apparently Only Mostly Uninhabited Planet, by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
Regarding your Position as our Third Year Teacher, by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
KELLY LINK
The Faery Handbag, by Kelly Link
The Hortlak, by Kelly Link
Some Zombie Contingency Plans, by Kelly Link
MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL
For Want of A Nail, by Mary Robinette Kowal
For Solo Cello, op.12, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Horizontal Rain, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Evil Robot Monkey, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Waiting for Rain, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Weaving Dreams, by Mary Robinette Kowal
BENJAMIN ROSENBAUM
Start the Clock, by Benjamin Rosenbaum
K. J. PARKER
The Sun And I, by K. J. Parker
GAYE JEE
Seraphim, by Gaye Jee
A Civilising Influence, by Gaye Jee
N. K. JEMISIN
Non-Zero Probabilities, by N. K. Jemisin
Too Many Yesterdays, Not Enough Tomorrows, by N. K. Jemisin
Cloud Dragon Skies, by N. K. Jemisin
JOE HILL
Jude Confronts Global Warming, by Joe Hill
SUNG J. WOO
Paris at Night, by Sung J. Woo
CORY DOCTOROW
0wnz0red, by Cory Doctorow
The Things That Make Me Weak and Strange Get Engineered Away, by Cory Doctorow
Power Punctuation!, by Cory Doctorow
EUGIE FOSTER
Sinner, Baker,
Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast, by Eugie Foster
Anthology of Speculative Fiction, Volume Two Page 516