– 1 –

“We have reached the limit of what we can do on land,” decides Cheryl, at the last.

She slams down the blueprints on the table. They unroll.

“If we are to kill such things as wolves and serpents,” she says, “I think, we must first rise up to conquer space.”

Tom looks at the blueprints.

“It is a boot,” says Tom.

They have gathered there to listen: the House of Dreams.

Cheryl reiterates: “In space.”

Tom looks at her sideways. “You can’t just make anything scientific by adding ‘in space,’” he says.

Cheryl shrugs.

“I’ve tried,” Tom says, softly. “You know. Space and time are closed to me.”

“If necessary,” says Cheryl, “we can make an astonishing space boot using Lethal Corporation funding and ordinary, un-dreaming science.”

Tom’s lower eyelid twitches.

“He took them from me,” says Tom: space and time, he means, and Jeremiah Clean.

Then he closes his eyes. He opens them. He looks haggard for a moment. He looks small.

“But fine,” says Tom. “Tell me how to do it. Open up this path for me, which I can no longer see.”

“It’s impossible,” Cheryl decrees.