Jan 11, 2022
A Up on the top floor of the tower was a small glass bowl, which had probably been made for a fish, but had no water inside on this day. Instead, it was occupied by rubber ducks, all squeezed together and pressed hard against the glass. It sat next to a sunny window overlooking the city. Off in the distance was a sparkling river that flowed off into the ocean, and beyond that were chimneys puffing out soft plumes of pale white steam.
Suddenly an overhead light turned on and two children entered the room.
“Where’s the glass bowl, Fred?” Asked one in an eager sort of way.
“It’s there by the window,” replied the other, quietly and timidly. “Marty, we can’t be here too long.”
Marty marched over to the window and grabbed the bowl. “It’s cold! “ He smiled. “This thing must’ve been here all night! Where can I find some water to fill it up?”
“There’s a bathroom down the hall,” answered Fred, pointing behind him. “The sinks aren’t running, so you’ll have to fill it with whatever water is in the toilet.”
“That’s fine,” grinned Marty, walking past Fred with the glass bowl held against his stomach.
Fred remained in the room for a moment, paying attention to the fine dust that floated through the air. He looked at the carpet, noticing the muddy marks that Marty had made with his winter boots. He took a great breath and then exhaled with a hint of melancholy. He turned towards the exit, flicked off the overhead lights, and went to find Marty.