Worlds Beyond Number - World Turner: Episode 1 - Sundown Part 1

Episode Date: September 1, 2026

Tonight, the great city of Port Akabor celebrates the Summer Sundown! Musicians tune up at the Bayview Bandshell while college students prepare to party. Gather your loved ones, grab a drink, and turn up the radio. This will be a night to remember!Content Warning: This episode contains depictions of alcohol consumption, suicidal ideation, and vomit. We are:Brennan Lee MulliganErika IshiiAlly BeardsleyLou Wilson World Turner was produced by Worlds Beyond Number Edit and Sound Design by Jino Jang-Hansen at Big Giant Head Score by Will Savinohttps://wsavino.com/ Director of Operations: Melanie Bowman Social Media Manager: Shannon H Lorekeeper and Transcriptionist: Jack Morgan E.F. Lavandowska  Recording Engineer: Rainie Toll Character Art by Elisabeth Mkheidze Cover Art by Lu Tomkiewicz Additional Game Design by Mazey VeselakYou can find transcripts of all our episodes on our Patreon. Just navigate to the post for the episode and the transcript will be attached. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is the sound of worlds beyond number. ...network headquarters coming to you on the morning of the summer sundown. If you're stepping outside, yes, that's bloom on your coat and your hat and your breakfast if you left it too close to the window. The yearkeeper's putting on quite a show. Tonight, take your sweetie on down to the Bayview Banshell for Tony Joloni and the Ackabor Brass Society. And if you can't make it in person, our latest and greatest recording equipment will capture every note right here on ABN, provided we can keep the bloom out of the works.

Until then, keep brushing Ackabor. It won't help, but it gives your hands something to do. Morning settles softly over Port Ackabor. By the Bayview Banshell, big white banners are erected, announcing that today is the summer sundown, A celebration of Port Acapore's best season. When the energy of the city is peak, when joy pours out onto the streets, the city celebrates with fireworks and music. Ferrys cross the harbor beneath a pale summer haze.

Trolley bells carry between the buildings and the white strands of the bloom from Yearkeeper drift across rooftops and gardens. West of the university, the noise of the city gradually softens into an area, a neighborhood, known as Twin Bay. Here, the building stands a little further apart than in the old quarter. Narrow apartment houses and old faculty homes lined streets shaded by trees, window boxes lean toward the sun. Somewhere nearby, coffee is brewing, a radio plays through an open window, and someone is already arguing with a delivery driver in the street below. Between the two bays, the air smells with salt water and warm stone

and breakfast being cooked in neighboring kitchens. But on the third floor, a narrow brick apartment building, one window has been left open to catch the breeze, white bloom filaments having collected along the sill. Inside the rooms are small, the furniture doesn't quite match, and evidence of several different lives has begun to gather. in this same space.

This is the apartment of Yaxel and Harley. Where do we find Yaxel this morning? Yaxil is holding like a brass coffee pot, pouring himself like another little cup. And he's got the paper open and a couple of magazines. He's just got like a little sampler of all these different readings that he's doing. You've got a copy of today's Akeborealus with, you know, big pictures of Tony Joloni and the Ackabor Brass Society, arm in arms smiling, talking about how excited they are for tonight's celebration, how they've been preparing for this for weeks, and they've got a whole new tune that they know is going to knock everyone's socks off. And then also, you know, the Daily Ackabour and some other kind of more local, maybe even like university-centric papers that you're going through as you enjoy your coffee this morning.

Harley is on the pull-out couch in the living room. Having passed out there the night before and I still have a couple of empty bottles of beer around me. and I'm sleeping in a very loud manner. You know, it's just the snoring and the sort of talking in the sleep, the restless slumber of somebody who is trying to sleep off the night before. Definitely. I think, Harley, you've been told in the past that you sleep like your father, who is like a six-four.

what tall, like bearded foreman in the city's refineries, even though you are of like a smaller frame, I think you bring like that kind of energy. I am still my father's daughter. And, oh boy. Could you describe your appearances for us? Just what your characters look like? I am pretty tall, pretty like strong guy. I keep my hair pretty neat.

I don't have any facial hair. I can't really grow it. almost always wearing a button-up shirt, sometimes a jacket. It's just kind of the wardrobe I have, unless I'm in, like, a jersey specifically for playing glide ball. In the next room, like in the bathroom, you hear some soft kind of, like, big band music playing, and I recently...

I've been up for a while. I took a full bubble bath already this morning. So I'm dried off, but just in that way that's, like, so freshly clean starting your day. And I've squeezed fresh juice. And I'm getting back to the table with like a little juice glass, a little coffee, all my stuff. I'm reading an article about how they used a two foot branch whittled down

to make the read for playing in a very like specific instrument that they'll be using tonight. And I cannot wait to relay this factoid to any girl that's interested. Yes, they are debuting a new read that they're using on some of the wind instruments. And it's genuinely fascinating. It's a long process. It's a pretty detailed process. Harley is a smaller build enough to fit into a mascot costume but not swim around in it. And has close-croped black hair and is normally very lanky.

thin, but has since gaining the freshman 15 filled out a little bit. And, you know, especially due to running around and the choreography, it is starting to show lean muscle, which is something that is very unusual for her. Yeah, it feels right. You're kind of coming into your adult body, I think, in these last couple years. It felt like going through a second puberty, I think, at first of, okay, oh, I have enough food to sort of gain weight. Oh, I'm working out more now. Cool.

I know about macros now, thanks to Yaxil. You've been eating a lot more in the time that you've been living with Yaxel. You've been eating a lot more kind of bland roast chicken. Harley, I think you are awoken from your slumber as there was just a bang on the door. I'll sleep tight. I go answer the door. You see as you open the door wearing like a blue and white Akabur, Seekows glide ball, T-shirt, not the official uniform and like a pair of like dusty pants

is the former team captain now graduated. Kira Greer, who you guys all call Shang. Shang comes up to about like your chest height. She's kind of standing there, arms akin to. in the doorway. You guys not up yet? Shang, good morning. Yes, yes, of course we're up.

Go on. Move out of the way, Fatso. Harley! Oh, God. Up and at him. Hey. I wrap myself in the sheet that was sort of draped over me, Toga style. I have arisen for my slumber.

We might need a second. You want a coffee? Yeah, I'll take one. Okay. I would love coffee, yes. Shang plops down in one of your mismatched kitchen chairs, waiting for the cup, puts both elbows all the way on the table, and is looking at you guys gleefully. As she says, tonight's going to be rocking. It is.

What time are you getting there? I'm hosting. Okay, so you've got to be there from the top. Yeah, I got to be there from the top. We're going to roll in a few hours after. What are you talking about? What are you talking about? I need to get you at the start.

I think we'll hit story. I think we'll hit story. Orange first and just kind of like relax for a second. Free party. And also, you want us to have the stamina to be there until the sun rises. It's on the list. It's, of course. A list.

I pull out a list, which is very neatly lettered with summer to-dos. You see that she smiles at your summer to-dos, which she helped you put together in terms of all of the things you wanted to accomplish in your first Akabur summer. I slide it over. where you are kind of free from the normal responsibilities you hold in your larger family. All nighter rager? Well, you've got to do sunrise after sundown. That's what it's about. You could cross off like three of these tonight, honestly.

Yeah, I think so. Where are we at on here? Okay. So we saw Tony Jolone once, that leaves two more times. We did splash around in the Pullman Court fountain after me. midnight. Fun. Love that. Perfect sun fruit.

And let the juice trickle down my cheeks. You know, we still have streaking across campus. We have a beach bonfire and summer romance.

Romance. Summer romance. I mean, you want to talk about summer romance. I'm not sure there's anything more sensual than the sundown. I mean, who do you want

to be holding when we go up on my rooftop? You know what I'm saying? I don't know. I thought it just would, you know, manifest itself. Any leads? Anyone that? I mean, I saw you talking to someone last night.

Yeah, I mean, who knows? I mean, a summer romance can start as just like a summer smash. Yeah. No, no, no, because the next on the list is the classic in front of Lighthouse Harbor Old Parks. First kiss. Uh-huh. I'm sorry, first kiss? kiss. I'm sorry, you haven't kissed?

I... You have not? No, I haven't really had. Yaxil, help your girl out. I... I try. This is the summer for it. Yeah, I just haven't gotten around to it before. You know? Haven't gotten around to it. Yeah, with what time? All right, Harles.

I'll say it since you're not going to. Six different people have tried to kiss her since we've been at this school. different versions of her sliding down the wall, climbing between their legs because she's not ready yet. Okay? It's not for lack of interest. I would say we're like shimmying. What do you call it?

You're worming out of the room? Yeah, yeah. The worm shimmy. Yeah, it's funny. It's so crazy to hear this because I know we've been at parties together and I've watched whenever it starts kind of jumping up because something has arrived on the ground that they didn't expect. I just never thought it was,

She lets out a high-pitched hiss. It's, listen, listen, okay, it's not that I don't want to. It's just that when faced with the prospect of it, like with what time, and then I don't know what to do about it. And then also, I don't like the confrontation of saying no thank you because I also do want to leave that option open. And so in the moment, I think the easiest thing to do is to slide down the wall, worm between their legs, and kind of wriggle across the party. One time I heard you go, one second, in a baby's voice. Well, I do not care for conversation.

You're pulling out the baby voice on them, halls. Yeah. Shang, are you going back towards the school? Because we got to get on a bus soon. We got to check on calling. Well, I brought Teb's car because I'm swinging by suits to pick up a keg. Can we get a ride? You guys want to roll?

We got to go back that way. Okay, yeah. Okay, I got to pull on. But I got to head out because I got a whole list of things because we're trying to do a full bar. That's sexy, right? That's sexy. I can get you guys a ride, but I want to be, I have like a full itinerary today. Look at me.

I spin around. I'm ready. I've been ready for hours. You're not wearing a shirt. You do have a shirt on, right? It's a tiny, tiny shirt. That's as much of a shirt as we're going to get on him for the summertime. I put on my actual overshirt and I button it up.

All right, let's go. All right. Ready to go. Let's go, Harles. I'll put it on pants. Blanket ride. and I pull the sheet and you're on it and I'm pulling you out the door.

No pants, no problem. We're going to swing by zoots. You guys can help me with the keg and then where am I dropping you off? Of course. Yeah, I mean, we got to get to Cullen, so we're just on the northeast corner of campus. He's over near old quarter, right?

But we should do a wellness check, you know. It's that bad? We're just waiting on a letter. Normal. Normal. He's fine. All right, you guys are bumming me the fuck out. Let's get down.

downstairs, hop in the car. You just grab pants. You can get dressed in the car. Fine. You take a blanket ride down. Three flights. Shane gets on the blanket. I'm pulling everyone on a blanket ride. A blanket ride. You can tell even though this like, you know, it's early in the morning, there is something to the energy of the city. As you guys emerge onto the street on a blanket, I think you see that the passers by like smile. I think there's just an energy to this day

that just feels very upbeat. Do you guys know they use two feet of a branch? They whittle it all the way down. Oh. You see that Chang's car has these high, thin wheels. We're kind of in like a Model T kind of space. Painted red with a soft top cover. She piles you guys in, hits the Illyron engine,

which is electrical. It's like a soft, gentle sound as it comes to life. And as you talk about this branch, you guys head off into the city. We'll now move to the old quarter. A beautiful studio apartment with a perfectly arranged pink tablecloth, edged with white lace, matching chairs. Two of them. beautiful kind of framed photo on the wall. A little pewter statue of Petrusca, the elemental nature spirit that represents Port Acapore sitting on the coffee table. A beautiful kind of older

radio that you got at like a thrift store somewhere. I'm sitting in this apartment. What Colin looks like, he's about like six, three. and very muscular. He jokes about not being a farm boy, but he was a farm boy growing up. He looks like what should have been the beloved, competent, kind elder son of the more like agrarian, rural, traditional part of the country and part of the world, and he would have been the golden boy, the good son who knows how to hunt and farm and fish, but is also a gentleman and good at his studies and all that stuff.

And he has the build for that and the face for that. But his old Wicklow Butcher's cap has kind of been crushed at the brim. And he's got like a little bit of a mustache. And he's got some little urbane spectacles on. So he kind of has, he has like black shorts and a little short sleeve button up hanging over like an A frame under shirt. So he kind of has like the summer hipster uniform over the body. of like Captain Cavalier, like rural Wonderboy, and is staring at a salt and pepper shaker of a beautifully floral ceramic rooster and hen salt and pepper shaker on the middle of the

pink tablecloth next to flowers he got to welcome someone home who hasn't been able to even be in this apartment yet. and there's little labels he's made for the salt and pepper shaker based on the fact that Abigail, his girlfriend, when she saw them in the store, when they were buying stuff for this place, went, oh my God, it's a rooster and the lady rooster one. And Colin went chicken? And so there's a little label that says rooster and lady rooster one

on the salt and pepper shaker, and he's so depressed that he feels like he's going to shit and vomit at the same time. just staring at the salt and pepper shaker. You're in Old Quarter, which is near the Banshell, where Tony Joloni and the Ackabur Brass Society will be playing. You hear the sounds of men at work lifting things up, and the chirp of a yearling, the birds that live only in the yearkeeper,

which watches over Port Ackabour, the sounds of the city awakening greet you. Has Cullen slept? Last night he got to bed at around 2 a.m. And he woke up at 5 to check the mailbox and he sort of waited. Kind of for some nightmail. For some night mail. I'll just see if the nightmare had gotten in.

Well, he knows that it gets there early and he's like, how early is too early? He's like, maybe they drop, maybe they do a 5 a.m. drop off. And he waited downstairs for a little while. He went to go get a cup of coffee. They don't open until 6.30. So he waited for an hour and a half, got coffee. He's exhausted, so he did sleep for another 45 minutes, and then he heard the front door and woke out

because he thought it might be the postman, and it wasn't. It was just someone leaving for work. And now he's sort of been up. He's just looking around at the apartment that got a big queen-sized bed, which feels just like the height of luxury. He's got a little poster for the butchers, and he's got his acceptance letter to the Vix Institute, and there's a big picture of him and Abigail that's framed up.

Also on his desk, which is Abigail's desk, which hasn't been used because she went back to Wicklow for the summer. She has like a fold desk that faces the window in the harbor. And Colin's desk is an insert. He took out one of the shelves from the closet. So the lowest shelf is his desk and comes in like over his, there's just like an office chair in the closet. But framed behind it, he has three. fake mustaches framed on the wall over his computer, which is probably the only thing that is not making him feel like walking into the sea right now.

As you stare at those moustaches, you do hear the soft and distant of the front door opening. Oh, I will open the door and check pocket for keys real quick and jet downstairs to see him. If it's the bail getting here. Go ahead and give me a dexterity saving throw. 14. DC was 15. As you get to the bottom, you catch on a stair as you're trying to run down the stairs exhausted. You do see the postman looking down at you.

Son, are you all right? Sorry, sorry. E.C. gets down, helps you up. Oh, thank you, sir. Are you, you all right? I'm good. I'm good. I appreciate it. God, you look like you haven't slept. Is everything okay?

Do I really? Oh, God, okay. No, I'm all right, sir. I just, I'm waiting for a letter. Oh, yeah. What's your name? Cullen Tup. Should be from Abigail Hartwell?

From Wicklow. Well, there's the ticket. Here you are, son. Body drops 10 degrees in temperature as I take the letter. Thank you. Of course. I have a good summer sundown. You're going to be at the band chill tonight.

I don't answer. I walk up the stairs. Oh. Hey, have a good one. Two. I'll go into my apartment, sit at the kitchen table, and open the letter. written on like nice nicer than normal

Not nicer than normal The same stationery she normally uses When you guys exchange letters It reads Cullen Our plans are settled Tobias will be coming with me I'm looking forward to enjoying the summer sundown with you

We'll be on the midday boat Abigail I'll fold up the letter Put it down it's so sunny in the apartment 9 Harbor View Lane it's called that because you can see the harbor

it's so beautiful it's crazy for students to have an apartment this nice I'm gonna fucking kill myself I'm gonna fucking kill myself I cannot believe it was a mistake

it was a mistake I should have gone home I let true love get away and this is the price of my stupidity I listened to everybody. I listened to Abigail who told me to stay for this stupid fucking internship. And I do think that I just gag on cold saliva for a second. Just, and I'm going to lean forward. And I look over at a very minor scratch on the wall where I really hurt my fist.

And I thought I would crack the wall. did not crack the wall. I just mostly really hurt my fist. And I had like a weird pop and a knuckle for a couple weeks and felt really impotent and stupid. And genuinely like how foolish to like punch it's so stupid to punch a wall. And I'm like, am I going to punch the wall again? And I'm like, no, I'm too sad. Too sad to punch the wall. And I am going to go into the closet and get a sleeping bag that my dad bought me for our first hunting trip together. And I will, roll out the sleeping bag at the foot of the beds so that Tobias has a place to crash if he needs to crash with us. You hear another as the door below opens and the two of you arrive on the first floor landing.

You guys know that Cullen is up on the fifth floor. We're fucking around. You see the Chang from the car in the street goes, tonight, all right? Not more than an hour late. I need help setting the tone. Okay, okay. Set the tone. Sounds good.

And you see that they peel off. All right. Let's get our boy. Okay. I'm climbing up the stairs two at a time. I am. Cullen! Sort of wriggling up them.

Cullen! Cullen! Cullen, buddy. Cullen from the... Bungano. You hear the sounds of your two friends making their way. You've probably got a cool 30 seconds before they come barreling in here. The sleeping bags are already on the floor.

I hear my friends coming. I will walk over to open the door for them. You guys get to the top of the stairs and see Cullen wearing his widow butcher's hat, his A-Tank. You see that there's a slight, like, cut just above his ankle. And you can immediately tell he has barely slept. I grab him two hands, each cheek, kiss him on the lips. There's my beautiful boy. Bonjourna, bonjourna, bonjourna.

Bonjourna, bonga. Bajornna, I look like shit. So I start making coffee in his apartment. I'll look over and say, there's actually coffee left over because I have the bigger French press now, and I'm going to point at the eight-cup French press. I give it a sniff.

From this morning? Kind of from tonight, from earlier, from the middle, from, you know, from pre-p, pre-dawn. It's a pre-dawn press. Oh, that's pre-dawn. Press. So what's... I take the rest of the press

and just sort of sip it. Yeah, I already had two cups, but there's two cups left in there. You know, a cup is like two cups, so there you go. French toast? Yes or no. Yes.

Do you want to grab some? Yes. I don't know. I might... I'm going to make a little something. I open up the fridge, see what you got. There is a small folded card saying welcome home on a small set of bonbons in the fridge.

Oh, my God, Redden. And I think you guys can also both see the plaid-lined, old kind of ratty sleeping bag laid out the floor. It's a studio. There's no way to miss anything that's different about the apartment. I'll take an insight check from Yaxel and Harley. It's a nine. He's as sad as he's ever been. Same old stuff.

You're dealing with the classics. 16. Harley, this is, we're in a new, we're inching into new territory. I think that you know. about the letter that was sent earlier. You helped compose the letter that was sent earlier this week, trying to establish a boundary with Cullen's girlfriend, Abigail, that Tobias is not welcome here.

I think you're able to very quickly put together the evidence that I think a reply has been received. So we'll be seeing Abigail and meeting Toby tonight, I take it. Toby's coming. Yeah. Oh, but. I knew, I knew this was going to happen.

No. Because, no, because the, everything got framed as setting a boundary, but it's not setting a, like, because now what the fuck do I do? Because I, like, said, I, like, put my foot down, and he's coming. So now, basically she said, that he's coming He's not staying here, right? No, you...

But this is what I was saying because I was like, I should have booked him a hotel room. He could stay with us. He could stay with us. One, he's got to be gay, dude. I'm serious. This is just classic. This is my new friend at home.

We're going to meet this man. He's going to be incredible, flamboyant, best friend. Well, that doesn't mean shit. But, all right. Look, we're going to, look, they're going to get here. We're going to slice hot knife through butter between the two of them. We're going to sidebar with him. I'm going to hold the letter out to both of you.

Yeah. What does that mean? What does that mean? I'm looking forward to celebrating. That's great. Yeah. I swear, this is just a friend. She's lonely.

She's back in her small town. This is just some dude. Seriously. Yeah. He's staying with us because he's one of the boys. And also because he has never seen the city and I have quite a few items on the list that involve seeing the city. We still have the trolley tunnel ghost tour. Fun.

And so he can help us with the list. This is a good day, dude. This is a good day for you. She's coming back. She's excited to see you. We're going to party. Yeah. She can never resist to party in what she's going to be towing around.

this Toby guy, like, during the party? You guys don't understand, man. Toby fixed Darren Keeter's boat after prom. Toby is not a fucking herb. He's a, he's legitimately a cool. He's like King Townie. Oh. Okay.

Well, I suppose in the land of the blind, the one-eyed townie is king? Relax. He's, it's, okay. So he's a cool guy. He is a little, he's a little, like, worrisome for her to be traveling. No, he just has, like, a, he's like waiting in the dark. He's just like this dude who's, no, but like he's the, he's like the, he's like the siren son. Because when Abigail and I were like seniors right at Upton, it was like, oh, this is the guy who you look at and it's like, oh, he stayed in town.

He didn't go to college. He's like working at his dad's garage. But then you're like, oh, but isn't. Isn't that, isn't there a mystique around that? And if you're Abigail and you're here in Ackaborn, people are making you feel like a hick, then he's like, ooh, the allure. Oh, I should have fucking gone home. I shouldn't have taken an internship.

I should have said no to the internship. Hey, when you're at Vicks, is there a different feeling that you feel between when you have a hypothesis about something and when you actually watch it come to fruition? Dude, I'm not a scientist. I work as a research assistant. Yeah, but you understand the empirical method and how right now. What I'm saying is the cold hard proof is on an afternoon boat right now. There's no worrying that has to be done right now.

We're about to see the cold, beady eyes of King Townie and see if he's actually a threat. And we're about to see Abigail's eyes light up when she sees you for the same. the first time in a long time and sees this cute apartment and two single bonbons in the fridge alone. Did you guys eat two of the bonbons? You look in, a couple of the bonbons are gone. I was going to make French toast, and when I said that, I got really hungry. All right, let's go, let's just go. Replace the bonbons.

Do you want to make some French toast? Here. Yes, please. Can help me, this is, make some French toast. This is my first time now. over. Oh. Yes.

You, oh, really? Yeah. I just wanted to see what it's like. It's bad. It's really bad. It's pretty bad. Let's focus on that. Let's get you some eggs.

Let's get some eggs. Make me some egg-weigy. Cullen, you get into the pantry. You don't have any of this shit you need for French toast. You don't have any. The bread, you see the bread. The bread's covered in molt. All right, let's throw that shit out.

Let's go to a restaurant. I look around. You guys see that the only thing that has been happening here is drinking beers and eating dry honey nut churios. You open up the cupboard and it's just there are a couple of beer bottles in there that you forgot about. I got to get out. Yeah, let's go. Let's go to a nice place. Why would you say looking forward?

What does that mean? That's normal. That's how you would put it. It means that she is excited to do this. When you're at work and you got two important beakers full of glowing green goo. and you're looking at him and you're going, which one, what will this one do? That's like today.

My job is managing a database of peer-reviewed journals. I'm here to- So we're a jury of your peers. You don't do like werewolf shit? What? He's not allowed to talk about what he does at the lab. Say what you mean by werewolf shit. I thought y'all were like experimenting

and making like super species or something, right? No. One of them got out. I read about it. in a magazine. No, we do work about basically how we're bioengineering plant materials to see how they can benefit human

oriented medicine and information technology and basically a bunch of, is there a move towards sustainable green technologies based on the natural ways that plants communicate and store information. That's really cool that you're doing that. Look, I appreciate. I

I'm so fucked up, man. We got it. We got it. We hug him. I fucked up, man. You all, I think in this moment of connection, do remember the article that Yaxel is referring to is a satirical article about the Vix Institute

that was in the Gilded Fool, like a satire magazine. Is that werewolf shit? That's a bit. That's like a bit that we do werewolf stuff. We don't do werewolf stuff. Also, werewolves even in lore weren't created. You're thinking of like a Frankenstein. Well, but like the big shot.

No, a Frankenstein's monster, but... Brother. I'm going to go... I'm going to lock up behind me and... Before you lock up, I race to the sleeping bag and I throw it out the window. No, dude! You watch as your... My chair!

A sentimental item to you goes flying out the window. Fuck, I'll go, all right, let's go to, let's grab some coffee at Grind Your Tees and Brews. No. No. They have, you can get like a French toast. They do like a flat bread French toast. We're so close to a much better spot, dude. I know you're trying to make Grindr Tees and Brews work.

I think that's awesome for you. It's disgusting there and the people who like it are bad. I'm going to look at you and my eyes water and I go, I need this. Okay. Oh. We're going. We're going. As you guys exit Cullen's apartment buildings spilling out onto the street,

you cut through the eastern edge of the old quarter, where morning light slips between tall buildings and spills uphill towards campus. The streets are already beginning to fill with students moving in that same direction, coffees in hand, bloom dusting their shoulders, as if the day has dressed everyone for the summer Sunday. Ahead, beyond the close stone and bright windows of the old quarter, you guys see the arch that lets you know that you are making. your way towards Pullman Square.

You guys pass the morning bell, which is a much nicer diner that actually has like a kitchen. Like Teas & Brew's kitchen is like when you go to one of those places and they've got like one hot plate. Goddare. Oh, my boy needs this. I pass, you know, there's outdoor dining at the bell and the French toast has whipped cream and strawberries on it. You guys have to walk past the morning bell as you head closer to like. the heart of the university. You walk past people having just a beautiful dollop of heavy cream on like a thick piece of like eggy bread.

That's fine. Let's go. They do it. The French toast they have at Grindy's and Brews, they do like a pressed flat bread. And then they do. It's a cinnamon pressed flat bread. Yes, but it's got way more cinnamon. It's just pizza.

It's just their pizza. It's just their pizza except that they've put cinnamon and sugar on it It's definitely the same dough they use for the pizza But it's like a It's kind of nice, right? I like it

I think it's cool that you have Something that you like And I want to participate in that with you And if that man had slept in that sleeping bag You'd be throwing it out anyway So let's go I'm going to, yeah We get down to the bottom

And I have wrapped up my sleeping bag And I guess I'm now just bringing it about my day Yeah yeah yeah yeah You might need it I'm actually gonna I need that. And they sort of wrap it around me to sort of muffle, muffle sound and light. What made you, we've come so far since the Bates party.

How, when's the hangover? Oh, I just, I've never had one before, you know, because I've never drunk heavily. You know, I only had, what was? It's a hell of a day to do it with the sundown. Yeah. Well, I got to get. You might need hair of the dog and we can just kind of roll into the party. Whoa.

They have mimosa here, right? Or like Bloody Mary's. And grind your teas and bruise? Yeah, yeah. They have a mimosa-flavored soft drink. A what? Is it just an orange soda? Whatever, man.

Yeah, they have an orange soda. Because a mimosa is just champagne and orange juice tonight. What, do they have the champagne flavor in there? Please, at least. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They have it in the fridge under the bar. Okay. Yeah, let's go get a mimosa soda.

You guys make your way through the old quarter. The streets here are narrow. and cramped. You guys walk past academic buildings as you get closer and closer to the university itself before arriving at Pullman Square, which of course is one of the entrances into Iskander Hall, which is kind of the central domed building that is at the heart of the university at Ackabor. You see the hedge row that leads into the arched entrance that takes you deeper into the university, and of course, a couple of little shops, including grind your teas and brews. I'm going to peel off grab us sandwiches, same as usual, grilled egg.

Egg, in quotation marks. Where are you getting the sandwiches from? I was going to go to Trisios. Oh, yeah, man, get the egg sandwiches in. That sounds great. Will they last bring them in, even? No, just eat outside, right? I don't want to spend any more time than we need to.

If you want to, even here, I know enough, much as much of the last. I'm trying to make Grind your T's and Brews happen. I'll go, you can kill the French toast. Do you want to grab eggs? I think I'll just grab three grilled eggs sandwiches and meet you guys outside. Just get me a plain coffee. Can you do mine on the Faccatcha? Yeah.

Okay, great. You got it. And I'll go grab coffees from Grand Your T's Maris and Chili Mayo. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, get that, yeah, yeah. I'll look at Harley and go, she said they're going to be on the midday boat. What do we have to do to get ready for the sundown tonight? We just got to show up early enough to set the tone. but other than that, I think we're easy- breezy.

Oh, wait, Shane wants us to be there, like... Early, yeah. I don't know. What the fuck am I going to say? Hey, do you want to make sure to take some time before the party to chat with her, or... Well, I don't, like... Does she even want to chat?

Like, I don't know what this whole, like... I think you got to ask her, man. I feel so stupid. I like put my foot down. I literally thought that the options were like she breaks. She like stays home. What were you about to say there? What were you about to say?

I don't know. Like I'm trying. Like I feel like she's going to dump me. I feel like she came here with Tobias to do some like formal like, hey, I've, this other person is like, I want to explore. I'm like trying to bring him here with her, like as to illustrate her point as sort of like a visual aid? If she, if she, listen, you guys have never been to Wicklow. And if I had like one romantic weekend with her and you guys wanted to see Wicklow and she said, hey, I'd rather just have this like very precious little bit of time that we get to ourselves. You don't think I would ask you guys like, hey, let's go another time.

Like, you know what I'm saying? her bringing I didn't even think of this as an option I was like either I was like 99% sure she'll be like I see that you feel very strongly I'm going to be there

and Tobias can come another time and then Cole Cole I like Abigail we like Abby we met same night now we met you

and you guys have always been a unit but I'll get three lavender fogs large Oh, of course, Conrad. It's good to see you. Hey, they call me Conrad here. Is that his nickname?

What? Nickname. No, it's Conrad. Oh. They do a heavy lavender in the coffee. Okay, that sounds great. Thanks, Conrad. Three lavender fogs, extra honey syrup in yours?

Regular honey syrup in mine, and then... I'm Harley and I'll just take normal. Just straight coffee. Great. Two lavender fogs, one with extra honey syrup, and one normal coffee. You got it. They think your name is Conrad. They think your name is Conrad.

It's a cute. No, a nickname is a, is, you know, never mind. I just think that you have so much going for you. You know, Dr. Gord is really looking out for you at Vicks. And like this is a fast track to your dream job. And you got a great crew to hang with. What are you like, it feels like your, greasing a track in like a direction of like

Of no no no no I said I was worried about Abigail dumping me I'm I know like yeah vix is great it's a cool opportunity it's a cool opportunity if I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning and I'm not I'm sorry just because like you are so cool you're so great you're so great and you're doing great there, right? Dr. Gord loves you, is very excited about your work coming in here. I didn't show up last Friday. What?

Two lavender fogs, one with extra honey syrup, and a straight coffee. Oh, thank you so much, sir, Mr. People call me Gorge. Oh, Gorge. That's it. Gorge. Thank you, Gorge.

That's Gorge. This is great. You're funny, Harley. Oh, thank you. Conrad, you're paying? Yeah, I got you right here. Oh, he's got a Harley, and he spelled it. He spelled it right.

He didn't even tell him his spelling on it here. You haven't earned your nickname yet. You got to be here more. You didn't show up on Friday. You didn't show up, the intern. Abigail was in a really tough spot, and I was trying to write. Well, essentially what was happening was she kenneled her lizard because she didn't think it would do well in.

We go. Is, is, is, Okay, so let's just run this little thought experiment. If she dumps you, what then? Well, what, then, then what? Are you going to try and win her back? Or are you going to, you know, get more into your incredible internship that you, you know,

thought was just a dream? Who cares about the internship? Oh, my God. Internship? Opportunity comes and goes. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. An opportunity, like, interning at Vicks Labs does not come for most people. But this is exactly it.

Is you're looking at- Guys, Yaxel is on the grass laying down with three just incredibly beautiful, cool women that he met in line getting sandwiches. This is Sarah. Her dad also did all-father. It's so funny. I'm going to look at it. As I'm, as I'm, as I'm a big cold, it's not that unusual.

Being like, there's not just, like, opportunities to make a connection with someone. It's kind of bullshit, right? Yeah, totally. This whole thing of, like, other fish in the sea or whatever, which I know is, like, I can tell that that's you and Yaxel's, like, point of view. You don't have to say, I understand it. There will never be someone else that I fell in love with in high school. Do you understand? That story doesn't happen again.

You're cullen, right? Who are you? Brigitte. Hey, Brigitte. I'm Sarah's friend. You're working at Vicks Institute this summer, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is it awesome?

Yeah, look, where's my egg sandwich? Pass it too. Werewolves. Oh, like the article. Yeah, it's a joke. Turns out. Cullen. You're so stressed, man.

Sarah does this special hand massage that supposedly sends a message to your cortisol, the producer in your brain, to chill out. a little bit. Can she do it? It's really quick. It's incredible. I don't really. You see she has her hands out clapping. Bring him here. Just put out one hand. Bring them here. I throw my hand back like it's touched a hot stove.

You strike a man who's standing behind you. Sir, I'm so sorry. Ow. Sorry, sorry. Are you, Mr. Tup? Yes. Sorry, telegram from the Vicks Institute. Oh, shit. It's not an envelope, just a nice, like, piece of, like, thick card stock. with a typed message on it that says,

Colin, sorry to call you in on sundown. Just need you for a couple of hours, ASAP, Dr. Gordon. I can't go. What? Abigail's coming in on the midday boat. Oh, okay. What if you let us pick her up and kind of talk up the kind of important work that you're doing at VIX

that has nothing to do with werewolves? And you just come and meet us at the usual spot. you are worried about having kind of put your foot down and feeling a little bit awkward. I totally get that. What better way to just be kind of like off doing your own thing and your friends? We'll take good care of her, obviously. We're going to take them out. You guys, I love you guys.

I know you're looking out for me. We have like two ends of the horseshoe here, frankly. The two of us? Yes. You have like a spreadsheet planning your first kiss, and the amount of kisses between your first kiss and, I'm just saying, are you guys okay? Everything's fine.

I love you guys. You guys were the ones that said, I should write a letter and not get on the boat back to Wicklow. And if I had gotten on the boat back to Wicklow, none of this would have happened. I mean, yeah. Okay. Well, it did happen. But also, no, no, because the lab has a sort of one strike policy. Yeah, okay, then this is the strike.

No, the first strike, large. happened actually I got chewed out on Monday by Dr. Gord she was sort of explaining that how about we pick her up and to and we'll get a car we'll get a good car we'll pick her up maybe we can I don't know do they give tours at the lab maybe they can you know we can bring her right to you at the lab you can pop out and say hello yeah Dr. Gord saying it's a couple hours maybe I could hustle through it and knock it out before that but would you guys please be waiting at at the dock if I can't get out of I'm gonna get out of there

I'm gonna get out of there in time and pick her up at the dock but if I have a few hours maybe I don't know how long it'll be Send word once you have an idea of how long you'll be there we'll know Okay I'll try to I bet I can wrap it up before I bet I can have my cake needed to Let me see your hand really quick I try to remake the massage

You can do the massage I just don't want Abigail to know that I let someone massage my hand It's not weird It's to help you It's science. I believe in loyalty, which I know everyone in Port Acapore reads as me being like a hick, but I am committed. That's why he's still, he's a fan of the butcher's.

I've been in a relationship for six years. That's a lot. I've been in a relationship for six years. Buddy, we love your relationship, but think it's great. We're going to pick her up. We're going to bring her to you. I'm going to step on that dude's foot really hard. on accident.

I fucking love you, man. I love you, too. I give you a big hug. Big hug. Ladies, let's go get a mimosa soda. Huh? I heard that they sell those across the way. Yes.

Right? It sounds awesome. It sounds kind of gross, but kind of fun. What are you up to today? We have a couple hours to burn before we go pick up this guy's long lost, beautiful girlfriend, who we're all so excited to see again. We're chilling. I mean, we're going to be at the sundown.

What time are you getting there? We have to be there early in. like it. Where are you guys going? We're going to just the band show. Well, there's a super cool party at Shangs. Yeah. And, you know, you guys should, you guys should come. We'd love to. It's right across the way, great view of everything, but you don't have to be right at the big band. That sounds awesome. Yeah. And like, perfect. You see that Brigitte looks at you. Are you going? To Shangs? Yeah. Yeah. He'll be there. Yeah, I'll be there. Cool. I'll roll. Yeah, he'll be there. You look great.

Thank you. Do you need anything for work? Do you need like a... No, I don't know. I can jet over there. I have stuff over there. I'm massaging your hand again. I'm letting you.

It's awesome. It's really reducing my stress. You actually do feel... You feel them pulling kind of at the space between your thumb and your index finger. I'm really just trying to replicate what Sarah did because it was incredible. I know you guys are always looking out for me. I don't want to believe in work more than I believe in love. I believe in love.

It really isn't a dichotomy. You can kind of do both of them. I believe in true loves. I think that's so beautiful, dude. And what happens in high school should stay exactly how it is for the rest of your life. And we're with you on that man. But we worry about you. And I hear you loud and clear.

We don't have to push our agenda onto you. You're going to let us know what you need right now. It's Abigail. And that's great. And I'm going to, and like you have it completely handled. You guys, I trust you with my life. And here's the thing. We're going to figure it out, I've been such a fucking wet blanket.

it and I've been, I could feel like I'm ruining our perfect summer. So just let me... Should we be here? Like, do you guys need a minute? No, Brigitte? Regite, you absolutely should be here. Don't listen to him. He's kind of having a hard summer.

Let's be real. Some people have a hard time. We're just trying to show up. Yeah, it's just, you know, he has a depth of emotion. We don't know that it's a hard summer. That's what's so anxiety-inducing. I might be having a hard summer. That's true.

The answer is come on a boat today. Crazy, right? What? Yeah. Unbelievable. It's crazy. Every minute here is a minute that Vicks could keep me from being at that boat. I love you.

I love you too. I love you, too. Harley, I love you too. And hey, anything can happen at the sundown. I think you're going to find someone who makes you understand that I'm not as crazy as you think I am. There's an exhibit on tapestries close to here. You guys want to go check it out. Hey, did you know that there's an instrument that they're using tonight that is two feet of wood that is

carved down into a single reed. You see the first girl Sarah goes, that is so interesting. Yaxel couldn't be more proud. He's fucking beaming. I look over and I wink. Oh, my man. They do that because of the quality of the Lignin.

What? I'm going to the VIX Institute. She kind of said it better. She did indeed say it better. Lignin is the fibrous material in wooden plant. Okay, I'm going to VIX. I'm going to VIX. Bye. You head off towards the VIX Institute. you're hungover, but I think there is a thought that is bubbling to the top of your mind, Harley.

Give me an insight check on yourself. Oh, 17. 17. I think that you have been having this awesome free summer. You've been checking things off your list. You just use Yaxel's line and this girl is immediately intrigued by you. I think that in this moment a bubble just appears pushing through your hungover. overstate, you had told your parents you would come over.

The kids can't stay up that late. Oh. So they want to do a little like pre-dinner sundown celebration. And so you had said you would come to that. Oh, damn it. I, uh, okay. Um, I went to St. Ischkander's Academy. Uh, ladies.

My, my, my dear beloved Jeksel. Um, I, unfortunately, have to split and head to Southark for a little bit, but I will be back to arrive early and set the tone. Oh, but not for picking up at the boat. Okay, okay. No, no, no, I can handle it. I can handle it. Do your thing. I'll see what the timing is. Tell your prince I say hi.

Oh, yeah, all right. Okay, well, yeah, but you, you, you guys will be there tonight? At this person's shang's place? Yeah, we'll roll. It'll be fun. There's plenty of room. It'll be great. Awesome. It's going to be great. Okay. Yeah, we'll see you there. Yeah. Okay. You can put your hand down.

Oh. It's okay. Okay. It's cute. She goes for a long shake. Oh, a hand? Yeah. Respect.

Uh-huh. Okay, well, I think we're going to go get most of sodas for you with your friend, but we'll catch you later. Okay, yeah. All right. See you. I just stared there for a little for a second. to leave right now. You just want to live in this soon. No, I'll go. I'll go. I'll go. You can. You don't have...

Okay. And then I immediately sort of hustle and wiggle away. You scoot down the lane. Lover. We met freshman year. We were put together as roommate. Oh, my God. And it was one of those things where you're like, we don't have a single thing in common. And then you get to the human layer. And it's like, what don't we have in common? I've never heard it describe that way. Like the human layer?

Yeah. Isn't that kind of crazy when you get down? of the human layer? Yeah. All right. Am I derailing your day, girls? Absolutely not. Okay, great. All right, let's tool around.

I got to be at the boats by a certain time. Yeah. Okay. No, but we can like, yeah, we'll tool. You all disperse from Poulman Square headed in your different directions. Harley, you're headed back to Southak by the trolley, looking for a red line stop.

Cullen, you head off. headed toward the Vicks Institute deeper into campus. And Yaxel, you and the girls, Sarah, Brigitte, the third one, head off to the nearby Ackaboard Natural History Museum, where there is a exhibit on tapestries. Within the museum, you enter a room, cool, dim, almost silent beneath a high-vaulted ceiling. It's something of a holiday,

so the museum is open every day. but there are not many people in attendance today. The air smells faintly of stone and dust and old wool from the tapestries that hang around you. Devoted to the earliest surviving tapestries at Ackabor, they hang in long, richly colored panels along the walls, deep blues, faded golds, crimson and the softened ivory of cloth that has endured for centuries. Most of them are religious, in one the All-Father sits within the canopy of year. Yearkeeper, rendered impossibly vast among the branches, looking down upon the first settlement gathered around the trunk below. In another, his light falls through the leaves in long golden threads, touching the hands

of farmers and builders, sailors, and children. Yearkeeper appears again and again, not as a god, but as a place where the divine and the living world meet. Beyond the exhibit itself, through the high, tall museum windows, you see Yearkeeper, rising high over the university roofs. You see that Sarah is following close next to you as you kind of look at the tapestries in the early morning light. And she says, these are gorgeous. Oh my God, right? Aren't they insane? So beautiful. And Brigitte, listen, I think you should really keep after Cullen. You think so? I'm serious. Okay. He seemed pretty, didn't he say something about loyalty?

Yes, he did. Yeah, we kind of grasped the back of each other's necks as we were. about loyalty to each other, but look, he's my guy, man. This is my guy on this earth. And a cutie, but like strong? Exactly. Like sweet face, but strong. Exactly.

Like, kind of my favorite. Exactly. Okay, so he has a girlfriend, and she is being awful. Oh. And she's coming to town with her new boyfriend. Wait, she has a new boyfriend, but he's still her girlfriend.

This is just kind of like all... This feels messy. It is. You see Sarah goes, Brigitte, don't act like you don't like messy. Okay, Sarah. Oh, my God. Thank you, Sarah. You see the third one stands silently kind of reading the tab.

I shift my weight, so she's kind of not in the circle anymore. Sarah, I like you. What? I like this energy. Hey, well, you should have seen me at All Father's Camp. I, okay. How crazy is it to be surrounded by the All Father once again? I know.

It's like. Do you, like, go to church anymore? No, no, no, definitely not. My dad, he's part of the first sons. And he, yeah. What? Look, it's a whole thing. He is exactly what you picture the guy who leading the first sons is like, you know, very push-ups on a gun.

He's ripped. I've kind of developed, like, a following because of the way I play glide ball. And they really want me to come by and help raise a bunch of money for first sons. And I'm just, I think that sounds. kind of gross, but I think I got to do it. Yeah, I mean, like, I get it. Like, my parents are still, like, they go like twice a week. It's pretty intense.

Oh, it's always. It's one, yeah, it's always. But honestly, camp was, like, kind of fun, like, a little bit. Oh, my God. I had a great time at camp. I mean, when you played first sons and heathens, were you first sons, or were you heathens? I was always Heathens.

Ah, that's so hot. Okay, so I was Heathens once, and then the guy who put me on the heathens team got immediately fired. What? And then one of my dad's security guards was at camp every single day the rest of the year, and I was always on sons. Like, clearly, I was like, it's just a game. But that's how serious this guy takes it. He's like so, like, his mind only has one question in it.

And it's very, like, good or evil. It's kind of like, it's kind of like he's reverted to, like, the very first version of a human or something. It's really honestly sad. It's, like, so, like, it's like binary. right? It's like dis her the app. And it's just like, I feel like being at university, it's like, oh, actually it's like everything. Actually, it's like everything. Oh my God.

You start making it. You see that you go to kiss her and from somewhere else in the room you hear. I turn to look. Near the entrance. Don't do this to me. A tall, pale man stands

just beyond the spill of light from the gallery. Close enough to be seen but positioned where no one has to notice him. His hair is cropped close and everything about him is exact, dark coat, clean lines, polished shoes, nothing loose, nothing decorative. He takes a step into the room, stepping into the light and you immediately recognize this as your father's bodyguard, Silas. Did he hear all of that? You're not sure. But you see that he stands still and goes, Yaxel Your father would like to speak with you

Yaxil wants to keep like a I'm on top of this kind of face especially with like all these new friends but you can just tell he's like immediately reverts to like a young kid and is like in trouble and doesn't even say bye to any of it

like he that's how crazy this pull is he's not even like gotta go he completely wordlessly exits the group and follow Silas. You watch as Silas's body posture does not change in the way that he expects this from you. And he simply

raises his arm and gestures for you to lead him back out onto the street. As you leave, you hear Sarah go, but we can still come to the party? He doesn't even turn around. He's like straight out this is no, you can't mess around with this. He's just like walking straight forward, doesn't turn his head. You

leave from this place. Again, immediately met by the sounds of excited university students making their way through the streets, carrying streamers. The excitement and energy abound as you make your way to Silas's motor car, which stands right on the curb, it's a nicer version of the car you rode in this morning. These are the Eddie's motor cars. The most popular car of the time, high-wheeled, narrow-bodied machine, black lacquered steel, polished brass, dark leather cabin. It sits upright on four thin wheels, square windshield exposed lamps. You see that Silas moves to open the door for you in an effort to ensure that you do not break stride as you get into the back of the car. I lower my head. I step into the car and I imagine I'm facing my father? No, the car is empty.

Oh. The door is closed behind you. Silas gets behind the wheel. Silas. I'm so sorry to do this, but I really have to use the restroom. You can do so at the Man. It's an emergency. And you see he begins to drive. Fuck. God damn it. Oh, that's so stupid. Oh, fuck. I get out of the car, moving car. You get out of the moving car?

I duck and roll and I even get out of the car. Okay, go ahead and give me a dexterity saving pro. All right. Wild? Well, now that my dad's not here, it's like kind of substitute teacher vibes. 22. You feel the quiet hum of the Illyron battery kick on. The car slowly begins to move, and you open the door and jump out.

I wouldn't do this if it wasn't an emergency. And I sprint back up to just pop my head into the room where the girls were. I'm so sorry about that. We'd love to see you at the party. It's all at Bayview House. Okay, sounds good. Is everything all right? And then I sprint.

No, fuck. As you go to turn, you feel a hard, muscled forearm. Try me, bitch. Put you in a guillotine choke around your neck, a silent. Is forcing you? Are you resisting? No, no, I got done what I need to get done. Is this not the bathroom?

Is this not the bathroom? I will have to tell your father you're being difficult. And you see that he grabs you, drags you back out. No resistant. Now I'm walking to the car. He doesn't care. He keeps you in this hole and throws you into the back of the car, slams the door, and takes off.

And Silas begins to draw. drive you north through Ackabour past crowded cafes, lecture halls. Shopkeepers are hanging lanterns in their windows. Students carry baskets and bottles toward the old harbor. The car climbs onto Founders Bridge. And for a moment the harbor opens beneath you, ferries crossing dark water, festival boats gathering near the sea wall. The old city is glowing in the afternoon haze. Then you cross into Northak.

The change is immediate. Narrow streets widen. brick gives way to pale stone and the noise of the festival falls behind you. By the time you reach Father's Ward, all that remains is the sound of tires over clean cobblestones and wind moving through old trees.

Tall homes sit behind bronze gates and trimmed hedges. Everything preserved, private, and exactly where it has to be. The gate opens before your car fully stops, beyond them to drive curves through clipped hedges and old black trees toward a narrow stone house set back from the road. It's not that grand by Northak standards, but it is severe, steep roof lines, dark windows, pale walls, almost no ornament beyond a carved crest above the entrance with the Larson family heraldry.

A carriage house sits to one side. In front of it, as you are pulling up, you see that another car is being prepared for travel. Its rear compartment is open and servants are securing cases, folded blankets, and sets of leather bags beneath its canvas straps. You see that Silas at this point gets out of the car, walks to the front and gestures for you to enter through the front door. I go. You enter the foyer of your home. Where you were raised, it is cold and tall. Black and white stone tiles run.

beneath a grand staircase and at the center of the room stands a marble statue of the All-Father with a sword raised above a coiled serpent, its body carved with ancient ruins, and its jaws split in a silent eternal hiss. The blade is polished smooth where generations of hands have touched it in passing, yours included. You are gestured towards your father's study through a heavy door. Inside this room, books climb in walls of exact rows. There's a large kind of Baroque style painting of the All-Father hanging above a fireplace, sword-drawn robes caught in a storm of golden crimson. And beside it, carefully arranged on a brass stand are these dark ceremonial vestments of the first sons,

heavy fabric embroidered cuffs, a narrow sash marking their insignia. And by the far window, you see looking out your father. He's bald, sharp-bearded, and still. One hand rests on his cane, held upright at his side like a sheathed weapon. Beyond the glass, Northak slopes gently away toward the rest of the city. As you enter, he does not turn. Hello, sir. Yaxel.

Do you still remember your verses, or has the university drilled them out of you? Of course. Ah. God the Father, grant me the sharpest weapon so that my foes may be disembowed. What of my favorites? Would you like to know another of my favorites? Yeah. The Father giveth his light unto the sun,

and in the sun shall his glory be reflected. That's a pretty beautiful one for the Father. You've been ignoring my letters. You have not responded? I'm sorry, yeah. That's correct. I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you when I had all of my information. I talked to Coach Brickman,

and he said that he can give me the next four winning game balls if you wanted to have those as prizes at the next time. The first sons need to raise money. I thought maybe I could be there and be in charge of silent auction or something like that. You see your father now turns to look at you. Well, I appreciate and expect you to share your gifts with the first son. I'm interested in more than gifts, son.

I'm interested in when you will take your rightful place amongst our order. And the year can't go by soon enough. But this is the final year, you know, this summer and then senior year unless there's a super, senior year, which actually I just recently heard about. It's possible. Go ahead and give me a deception check. God damn it. That's an 11.

You see that he looks at you, cold, bright eyes. It's just something I heard about from someone who had to go through that. What have I not given you? What have I not provided for you that makes you spurn the chance to join the chance to join? that which is your birthright. You look forward. No, you do not. I see you.

You love the way they all cheer for you on the glide ball court. You and these writhing young ones at the university. Where's mom? Your mother is preparing to leave. That's what the car is for. Is she going to the hospital? Oh, to the country house. Okay, okay.

The intensity of the bloom seemed to be affecting her breathing. Mm. Well, she wanted me to finish college, so that's what I'm doing. I'm not taking my oath for granted. You know, I know where I'll be. I know where I'll be in a little bit over a year, you know, and it'll be right by your side here, back here, Northak, and just being in the first suns.

and taking it really seriously and that it's my whole life. Yes. Can I go speak to her before she leaves? Of course. You see that he puts his hand on your shoulder. You have much of your mother and you, son. Hmm.

And I know it may be difficult with all that is available to you to imagine and become excited. about the life that is waiting for you. But it is necessary. It is necessary. We, we,

Man are simply animals who have learned to dress fear in ceremony. Law, culture, these festivals, all of it holds because violence stands behind stands behind it. History does not move through reason. It moves when someone is willing to hurt, kill, or destroy what stands in the way.

The All-Father demands someone bear the sword. And the first sons, you and I will stand ready. You know, I forgive me, but I... I just want to say. this last year where the weight of everything you just said isn't really the first thing on my mind when I wake up. But that time will come and then that will just be my life for the rest of my life. So right now I woke up and thought about glide ball and a party and that feels really good. So I'm sorry about that. But soon the violence will be with me, it will be within me.

I want to be all around me. Go enjoy the sweet fruits of summer. Say goodbye to your mother. Silas will take you wherever you need to go. Incredible. Whatever Silas tells you is a lie. I walk out of the... You turn walking, exiting through the front door back

toward the carriage house, where you see approaching, carrying your mother in her arms is this big, tall, almost like 6-8, 6-9. This is your... mother's kind of keeper, her like woman servant. Her name is Burma. She carries your mother towards the car and goes, Yaxol, monjourno, as she kind of leans and puts your mother into the seat of the car gently.

Hello, Burma. How are you? I'm well. Yeah? We prepare to go to the country now. Wow. You know, Burma, I brought you something. you know that like spiced coffee that we've been making well my guy started adding something new and I hand her a little cloth bag that has a bunch of star anus in it but this is from this is from Rava yes this is from Rava

yes yes yes so Rava put this in coffee recently and it was really good I think you would love it I will make your mother a tea with it once we arrive ooh tea okay okay and then I turn to my mom kiss you see your mother who you know bears a lot of your complexion, short, blonde hair, she has like a kind of like slow illness. It's not so much.

It is just a, she is a much frailer woman than she was when you were growing up. But still clear, still able to speak. She goes, is that my son? Hi, Mom. Yaxel, what brings you home? Dad wanted to see me some more about the order and the following. years and honestly seeing if I would leave college early. Well, please, finish it.

I agree. Yes. I think so too. Yes, it's been, it's really been incredible. It's been an incredible time. Ah, you, my beautiful son, I want you to be a man of the world, someone who knows more than simply the church or glide ball. And I'm sure the ladies.

You see that she reaches up and pictures your chicks? I'm sure they're chasing you all over town. Well, yeah, I would say, yeah, it's very fun. Mom, are you doing okay? Why are you going to the country? It's my, it's my, I've been struggling to breathe sometimes at night, and the doctors believe it might be with regard to the heavy bloom, the yearkeeper is giving off this year.

So they thought maybe at best that I get out of the city, just for a few days. Bloom has never affected you before. Well, I mean, I don't know. I've been reading the Akeborialis, and they're saying that it's heavier this year for some reason. Okay. And it's just, I don't know, it's been picking up.

And, you know, a few days out of the, a few days out in the country would be good for me. Your father's been quite tight. these last couple of weeks. Yeah, yeah. I... Yeah, I can't imagine living there with him. So it's just you in Burma going out there?

Yes, yes. And then, of course, the servants who are at the country house. Right, right, yeah. We'll run it easily and the rest. Maybe I'll make it up there sometime soon and we can hang out or, you know, play some games. Give me an inside check. Okay.

That is a 13. I think you have this moment. You see your mom, I think, really like soften and almost like her eyes water a little bit. I think home has become a difficult place for you because your father is always there. And, you know, you've learned at this point that if you, even if you want to just go home and see your mom, your father is going to find some way to corner you. So I think there is this like earnest excitement at the idea that the two of you could just have time together. and she goes, I'd like that very much. Yes, okay, great.

Burma will arrange a car, maybe easily can drive into the city and pick you up. Oh, maybe I can bring some friends. You mean it? Yeah, yeah, I really think so. Yes, I think Cullen and Harley would love to come. Oh, I love Harley so much. Yeah, me too. Oh, she's doing great. Is Cullen still sad?

Yeah, yeah, Cullen's still. But this time for like a real reason, I think it might be over for his relationship. Well, you know, young love is an important part of any person's journey. That's so beautifully put... I take out a little piece of paper and I write down. Love is such an important part of any young one's journey. You see that? Burma goes, Madam, we should go.

The roads will become congested with people coming into the city. She goes, right, right. Well, please, maybe a day or two from now, once we get settled? Definitely. Oh, I forgot. And I have another gift. just like kind of a GIF's guy. It's a book that we were reading last semester in class,

and I really thought of you because it's just really beautiful poems about the yearkeeper. Oh, this is Shades of Green by Gil Corwin. You see that she takes the book from you, smiles, and now the tears really do come as she goes, my kind son, I'll see you in a day or two. Yes. You help gently close the door on her. as the car reverses down the driveway and leaves.

Silas emerges from the house. Where would you like to go? Let's go to the ferry. I need to go south and meet some friends. Harley! You get on the underground redline trolley pulling away from old quarter station on the underground line. Inside the car is warm and close.

grass rails tremble beneath your hand, leather seats creak as passengers shifts, and the windows reflect more of the carriage than the tunnel outside. I think as you're riding, you kind of catch a vision of yourself. Are you still in the blanket from earlier? I do still have the blanket wrapped around the top of my head. Yeah, you look pretty, you look pretty gone. You've had a night for sure as you catch your reflection in the mirrors, strips of light passing and pale amber bands every few seconds. seconds. I dig around in my bag and find moist towelette and some lip balm and try to do my best with what I have. Yes, you're trying to wipe away some light makeup from last night, a little bit of like sleep under your eyes, spittle at the corner of your lips. You see like a kind of portly gentleman across who's reading the newspaper kind of shifts taking a glance at you and in a very like

chumly way, kind of goes, you're going to need more than that kid. Oh, okay. As you're sitting here, I feel like, give me a constitution check. Oh, 11. DC was a 10 to vom, just hard. I can. Which, you feel it come up. I feel it come up a little bit, and it's that metallic.

It's a kind where you like, you burp at the end and you can kind of taste it. Oh, it's last night. Oh, it tastes like last night. Oh my goodness. I wanted to try this for the first time. I did this intentionally. I calculated out how much alcohol it would take me to have effects, but not be completely incapacitated.

And I did it. And I, you know, it's an important experience. Your good is two. If you're in it, you want four last night because you knew you wanted this feeling. It's on your list. get hungover. You needed to hit six. And I think the nighttime screwdrivers you had,

once all of the mixers were gone and all that was left was orange juice and vodka, you did not enjoy it, but you put two more away because you knew you needed to have this feeling so you could check it off your list. Yeah. Right now, I'm sort of tasting the last one. I think your mind does go to this list of summer activities. What are the next few ones you were hoping to check? Okay, okay, okay.

Let's see. I still want to hit Crystal Hall, the dance hall that is supposedly so good that it's what my mom says convinced. My dad to propose to her after that fourth date there. But I just, I've never gotten around to it. I need to take Ivan to the library booknucks to sort of claim his spot because, you know, once you call dibsies, if you can get there earlier, the better. Ooh, I have that choreography with a glide ball team. But the one that Shang had said I could probably check off today as the sunrise. I don't know why I picked stay up all night, watch the sunrise over the bay the day after hangover.

Poor planning on my part. But it is going to lead to the perfect summer. I will look back on these Halcyon days and know. that I did my best to make them idyllic. Yes, I think the summer sundown is the kind of thing that people stay up all night for, just because everyone is staying up. So there's not even that sensation of like, oh, it's time to go to bed. There's so many people out in the streets that it's just naturally,

you watch the sun go down and then you stay up partying until it comes back up again. But I think as you think about poor planning, I do think you realize in your hungover state that you've dipped out to head to South Africa, way sooner than you actually intend it. Your parents kind of pre-sundown celebration wasn't going to be until later in the day, so you're actually, I think as you're sitting here on the train, realizing you're actually like a few hours early. Okay.

I mean, normally I'm early to things, because if you're there in time, you're late. But I think I was just trying to eject myself out of the conversation. and followed up too hard on my bluff there. Yeah. So I didn't have anything else to do. I think that the entrance to the red line is close enough to where we walked away from each other, that I just had to commit to it and get all the way on. And now that I'm on it, I realize, okay, maybe I go early and I help my parents out preparing dinner for the kids.

I sort of see everybody off say my hello's together and then let them know that the list is happening and that it is important for me to go fulfill my duties with my friends and I yeah I can I can do that I can do that and then I go back and take a little nap maybe maybe on the trolley okay I'll save the nap for the trolley then we go pick up Abigail and Tobias because there's no way I'm missing that and then we meet up for pre-party Okay, great. So I start making myself a new list here. A new list manifests in your head. Reordering your day in a way that works for you. It's going to work and it's going to be fun and everybody will get what everybody wants.

You hear a voice over the intercom. Next stop, Low Bank. Which you know is your home. As you emerge under the platform, the Low Bank Station is built deep underneath South Act from dark brick and pale tile stained by years of steam and soot from workboots. Thick columns divide the platform each wrapped in brass bands and painted signs directing passengers

toward Low Bank or the trolley that continues on to refinery row or, of course, South Ferry Landing. You ascend up through the stairs, emerging onto the city of Southak. Heat rises from brick streets, factory whistles carry over the root tops, a loading crane groans somewhere beyond

low bank, answered by a fairy bill, and the first sharp crack of a firework farther south. Red and gold streamers hanged between black iron balconies. Shopkeepers have pushed tables onto the street, selling cold drinks, fried food, and paper lanterns painted with suns and harbor boats. Children run past with sparklers and white bloom caught in their hair, while workers come off as shifts, carrying bottles, flowers, and folded festival blankets beneath soot darkened arms. this is your city and you turn headed towards

what you can clearly see from the station the two towers, the apartment buildings where you were raised. You know, as I pass all of this noise and commotion, I remember the first time I came back for a weekend after I had moved out to the dorms and how it was the first time I had gotten to get a full night's sleep because it's so strange without all of that commotion when we're at the dorms.

It's nice and it's quiet. It's just not what I'm used to. Making your way to the towers, you step over children drawing chalk suns on the ground. You see the towers rising above low bank in matching blocks of red brick. The windows are crowded with laundry and flower boxes. Summer sundown streamers tied between. balconies. As you enter, you pass through the kind of shared courtyard alive with an improvised game of glide ball, children shouting. As a feathered ball skims past the benches, and you see a crowd

of two or three children running after it. As you enter, you see that people start calling out, Harles, what's going on? Oh, hi! Oh, you're back! You see that there is just a warmth and excitement and just the community energy as you reenter this place. Oh, man. There's a little plywood lemonade stand in the corner that is every summer sort of a fixture of the place. Yes. For kids usually from 8 to 11 is getting a little older, but they have a whole business. And it is sort of taken over by the next cohort of kids every summer. You see that this summer it's being run by a kid 11 years old.

Actually, you know he's 12 and you know he's just kind of, he just doesn't want. want to give it up. You see that this kid, his name is Smiley, or you call him Smiley, is sitting there kind of a low hat pulled over his eyes, and he's barking at kids. We need to squeeze more lemonade, all right? I'm telling you this afternoon, we're going to be selling them like hotcakes. Harley, you want a lemonade? Five cents. Five cents, best lemonade in South Africa. Come on. Absolutely. You see that Smiley beckons you over and offers you a tiny Dixie cup filled with lemonade. As he goes, I'm sorry, you know, we're doing smaller cups this year. You know, costs are

up, you know? Yeah, yeah. No, and this way you get more out, you know, a little taste. Exactly. I'm trying to run a business over here. Uh-huh, mm-hmm. Yeah, well, you know, profit margins are soaring this summer, I see. Great. Here it is. I'm telling them. I'm telling them all these kids about profit margins. They don't want to listen. Nobody wants to listen.

You're going to bring the family by? Oh, absolutely. I mean, nine cups of lemonade. I mean, that's almost 45 cents. Yeah. And hey, I'll cut you a deal. I'll cut five cents off there. We'll do nine cups for 40 cents. Just for you. Oh, hey, man. I appreciate it. Thanks for taking care of your regulars. Hey, I got to. You're all the business I have. Happy sundown, all right? Happy sundown, smiley.

Ooh, it's a little too... It's way too sweet. It's so sweet. Ooh. It's sugar water with us with a hint of lemon. Oh, that's... It's okay. I'm just happy to get a little... My mouth is dry. My teeth feel gritty. Yes, but I think it still nourishes you in this moment.

As you enter into the north tower, stepping to the lobby, you see the building cool, dim, smooth concrete floors worn by paths from the residents exiting and entering every day. Brass mailboxes line one of the walls beneath a cloudy mirror. And at the center waits the elevator, a narrow iron cage behind a folding gate. The cable's visible through the upper grill. A handwritten note you see is pinned to the call button that warns the resident. not to exceed six passengers. And you can see where six is has actually been scratched out, and now it reads four.

Oh, no. And then, of course, beside it the broad staircase that winds upward along a dark wooden banister, offering a slower but more trusted route to your home on the fourth floor. Oh, I'm just going to take the elevator today. You see it shutters down, coming to a stop. You're able to open the grate, stepping into it.

and of course it even shudders slightly as you just walk onto it. Pressing the button, you feel it slowly begin to rise. You come to the fourth floor, emerging, and immediately, of course, banking one left, you're able to arrive at apartment 412, your home. Your home has the fullness of a place that raised nine children, but was never really built with nine children in mind. Every wall carries evidence of them. Framed school portraits, crooked drawings, faded height marks, paper stars, certificates, and paintings layered over other older paintings.

Shelves have been added where shelves might not fit. Baskets sit beneath chairs. Pens collect in cups, jars, and in forgotten corners. Half-finished projects occupy every available surface. The furniture here is sturdy, mismatched and worn smooth from use. The floor beds are scuffed. The table bears years of scratches, and nearly every object seems to have been repaired rather than replace. As you enter, the apartment is strangely still.

There's no one running over each other, no voices overlapping. Just the quiet sound of the gas oven running in the kitchen and the smell of rich onions, herbs, tomatoes, and meat simmering in a deep pot. you immediately hear the voice of your mother Mara as you enter goes, Ivan, you guys back already? It's me, ma. As I'm walking in, I sort of buy, wrote, start picking up toys on my way

to be deposited in the next room. You see that your mother pokes her head out of the kitchen, goes, Harles, what are you doing here? Happy sundown. Happy sundown. We weren't expecting you for a few hours. Ivan and dad are out getting fireworks with the kids. Oh.

Well, I figured that I'd come in a little early and, you know, help out and, you know, help you with the cooking, maybe set some stuff up and, you know, reunite with everybody. And then I, there's a party tonight. Oh. Yeah. Okay. Uh-huh. And I invited some girls. So I kind of, yeah.

So I want to make sure that, you know, I, um, I. It's kind of a big deal. It's kind of a big deal. Oh, look at that. My Little Harley, a big deal. Yeah. There's a party tonight. It looks like there was a party last night.

Why are you wearing a blanket? Oh, you know, I was checking off another one of my list activities. God, this list. This list. You're always talking about this list. Yeah. I feel like you're working during the summer halls. What's going on?

Listen. Just let it happen. That's not how I got here. That's not how I got here. how I got into a full ride and onto the glide ball management position. And oh, okay, that smells really good, Mom. But I'm going to make the most of this summer. I mean, clearly.

It seems like that's the plan. Yeah. You see, here, I'll fix you a little something. Oh, that's small. You see the cheese scoops one of the meatballs out of this kind of deep simmering Sunday stew, cracks an egg into a frying pan with one hand, not even looking. salts it, scrapes it up on the sunny side, throws it on top. Here, eat something.

Eat something. Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down. I swear. If you're going to come in the house, I'm going to take care of you. You can't have, you know, don't fight me on this. Don't fight me. This is my home turf, all right? I got home court advantage. Ooh, you win, you win, you win. How the sea cows looking this year? Oh, it's going to be.

I know we're losing Shang, which is tough, is tough. He's going to be the new captain. Is your friend? Is your friend going to be the new captain? I'm pretty sure. It's all but promised to Yaks. And I think that he's going to really stuff. Do you think he's ready? Listen. Because your dad has doubts.

You know, he's always nice when he's over here, but your dad has doubts. Well, you know, I think that Yax is going to step into the leadership position quite naturally. I think that he puts on a big old act of being disorganized and, you know, just in it, just in it for the love of the game and because he can get girls so easily. but he really, really cares about teammates, about the team, and certainly about the cows. Okay, good. As long as a cows first, we're a cow's first household, all right? We just need to know.

Don't, no, it's too early for that. I haven't had enough drinks yet. And your other friend, Cullen, Collin? Oh, Colin, yeah. How's it, we're reading about all the stuff happening at the VIX Institute. Is he a part of that? Yeah. Is he like doing all that stuff?

Yeah, he is. He is, you know, got that, it's so great that he has that. He is a fast track to his future. And I don't know how excited he is about any of it. You know, excitement finds you, all right? Eat, eat, eat, come on. Okay. You see as you begin to eat, you hear them before they arrive,

but you hear the voices of your nine siblings coming down the hall. I start eating faster. And then energy as the door bursts open. been scurring among your dad and Ivan's, your eldest younger brother, Ivan's feet are Josie, Nell, Thomas, Rory, Bet, Mina, and Oren your other siblings. You see they come spilling in and go, honey! You see immediately four people are climbing on you. One person has already put a finger into the bowl that your mother is served and goes, I want this. You see that there is just an immediate abundance of energy as your dad and Ivan come in carrying large bags filled with fireworks.

You see your dad catches a side of you, go, boss, you weren't supposed to. Scheduling, scheduling, it's all on the list. And I say as I sort of take off the quilt on my head and bag Mina with it and then pick her up and swing her. Yes, you see she immediately starts writhing underneath it. You see that Oren gets him, bag me next, bag me next. You see that your dad comes and sits next to you at the table. Leave her alone, leave her alone. There'll be plenty of time for that.

There'll be plenty of time for that. Honestly, I'm glad you hear early. You know, I got Ms. Tan from the library. She wants me to fix her radio so she can listen to the concert later on tonight. So I'm going to go over there and work on that. And you and Ivan can hold the fort down. I mean, you know, we're just going to listen to the concert. They're going to put the, you know, the Wallace's are bringing their radio out to the courtyard, you know, the big one.

They're bringing the big one out so we can all listen to it out there. And the kids are going to do fireworks. We've got a bunch of sparklers and everything. You know, we're going to do a whole thing. Oh, that sounds amazing. I unfortunately can't stay. No, of course, that's the plan. Yes.

Yeah, you got the whole list. You're doing the big, big, big, Acobor summer and all that. Yeah, I still feel bad that I can't be here. And that's why I kind of came early, amongst other reasons, to help out and sort of get y'all started, and then, and then I'm going to take off. We always appreciate the help.

You see that Mina under the bag, now goes, you smell funny. You know, you smell funny. What? Come on. Here, it's like, and I sort of waft it in there. Come on, that's all you. You see she just starts pretending, coughing.

You see Ivan comes over and goes, So are you guys like, are you guys going to see Tony? What? Yeah, I don't know if we're going tonight or not. I've already seen him once. We're going to see him as many times as we can. Is he as tall as everyone says he is? He's so tall.

God, I'm so. He's so tall and he's just got it, man. Yeah. I can't wait. His mustache is my favorite. I just like have to see. Is that what you're trying to do? And I poke at his lip.

Stop, dude, stop. No, it's just, I don't know. It's like the wax thing. It feels cool. It feels like it's in right now. Tony, Jolona. You need to have hairs before you groom them. You know, shut up.

You still take him to the library, right? Oh, yeah. You got to pick out your spot. Got to. You know the good ones, right? Oh, yeah. So I have a space with, like, a little window, but it just looks out into trees.

It's nice. It's quiet there. That's lame. Can I get, like, is there something like, I want, like, a little, like, party space, you know? It's like. A party. Well, yeah, like, you're going to have a term.

Well, yeah, but, like, Terrence is always talking about how, like, it's, like, there are people who, like, go to the library and, like, drink and stuff. Terrence is a bad egg, and I don't like you hanging out with him. Terrence is fun, okay? just because his parents, just because his parents let him drink like early, there's like, there's nothing wrong with that.

Like, he's just, it's just like they grow up different over like, you know, closer like in, over like near refinery row. I don't know, it's just like they're like working men, you know? Well, when you get to the university, you will be expected to,

to, um, give me a constitution saving check. Oh, God. 13. You feel the first. you attempted to put down to quell the feelings in your stomach fights you on that as you retain your lunch. You're going to need to compore yourself with a little dignity out there. Are you hungover?

Yes. My God, that's so cool, dude. I know. It's sick, man. I'm so proud of myself. Dude, I'm proud of you. Your brother fist bumps your shoulder as he gets up. I'm going to get you some water. Oh, thanks, man. You see that the energy of your family surrounds you in this moment. You'll be here for a few hours, but you'll be sure to meet Yaxil at the South Ferry Terminal. Yeah, I think, you know, I'm just allowing myself to drink it in, you know.

It's always a lot, but it just, this is so familiar. It's so, it's home, and they're all, man, I don't want to miss a second of it. As those thoughts wash over you and you bask in the glow of your large family in this tight space where you all take up every corner, we move from this place. Cullen, you depart from Pullman Square, headed deeper into campus towards the VIX Institute. Occupying one of the most prominent sites on campus facing the steeped college green just east of Ascandra Hall, The building is broad and made from pale stone and bands of green-painted bronze. Above the entrance is a large architectural relief carved directly into the stone facade. At the center stands Vatrusc, the verdant symbol of the city, representing nature and growth.

Her body is surrounded by roots, vines, and flowering branches. Opposite her is an a lyrin spirit, rendered in sharp geometric forms, its body composed of crystal, flame, and radiating lines of light, their hands meet at the center of the image, fingers intertwining as vegetation grows around the spirit's arm, and the lyren light passes into Vitrusc's palm. Beneath the relief, a set of heavy bronze and glass doors open into a small receiving lobby. Half circle of chairs facing a polished stone desk beside a display case containing early a lyron cells, models of glowglass street lamps, and photographs of the Institute's most celebrated achievements.

On an ordinary weekday, the lobby would be crowded with students, visitors, couriers, and researchers waiting for appointments. Today, because of the summer sundown, every chair is empty. Beyond you is the kind of institute's vast central lobby, but to the right is like a small breakroom, locker room, where you have some clothes and things to change into if you'd like. Walking in, I'll change my clothes really quick. Yeah, you bang into a small breakroom space, narrow table, mismatched chairs, a notice board covered in shift changes, personal messages, old invitations, and of course cartoon clips regarding werewolves from the gilded fool.

Shake my head at the werewolf memes. I don't participate. I have some clothes that I've left here specifically to cut down on time so I could just like head here straight from working out or doing whatever else. I'll change and head out to my work area. You enter kind of the main laboratory floor, which is built out of concrete steel, dark brick, giving it the scale of like an industrial workshop.

Tall windows rise along the exterior walls, filling the space with cool, natural light. Overhead, suspended catwalks and narrow gantries connect, raised workstations, storage rooms, and observation platforms, headed back, you can hear kind of the gentle sounds of work in the kind of precision area where you assume Dr. Gord is waiting for you. You pass by a table with a scattering of red allyron filings that respond to your steps as you approach, lifting gently into the air and gathering themselves into the shape of a flower. Its crystalline petals open toward the light, hold for a breath, and as you pass, collapse back into a pile of dust.

something wondrous for most, but just day in and day out here at the Vicks Institute. I walk past endless wonders going, God, what am I going to say when I see her? I'm just trying to think like, Yaxel and Harls are going to, I just feel like, why would she put me in this situation? And I think at that exact moment, I walk under like a rotating, techno, botanical miracle. Yes. Suspended in a glass thing. And I just sit down at my

little intern's desk and wait to be told what to do. You hear that the beautiful techno botanical miracle illuminates different little growth pods responding to the light and tremors of your footsteps.

You take your seat slumped over and you hear kind of a snapping from a little bit further back in the lab. Over here, call. I will turn a little bit over an approach who I presume to be Dr. Lena Gorge. Dr. Lena Gord, tall, slender with a pair of prescription work goggles and wild tanges of hair tamed up into an updo. You see that she is working on something. You know that these are the

long burn cells. These are different elirin batteries they've been working that are meant to kind of allow rural areas to have the same kind of light infrastructure that has just become the signature development here in Akabor. You see that she, looks over at you and goes, did they find you at your house or T's and Bruce? Oh, they found me, they found me at my apartment at my, at my place or, uh, I actually, no, no, no, yeah, I just stopped into T's and Bruce for a second. I knew it would be one of the two. You all right? Uh, yeah, yeah, doctor. Thank you so much. I'm, I'm, I'm locked in. What's, what appears to, um, sorry, I'm glad I didn't know I would be. No, it's, I, I, I didn't want to call you in today. I just,

I know myself, I'm taking the day off tomorrow. I want you to take the day off tomorrow just with everything going on today. So I was just my thought if we could get some work done today, it would make taking off tomorrow not as big a deal. Okay. Do we have anyone joining us to help today? No, it'll just be the two of us. The weather needles are up on the roof. They're fudging because of the bloom.

I just needed someone to help me clean those out and then take notes on the work I'm doing today. And I mean, we really will be in here for an hour or two. I just thought. Oh, great. Great. Okay. It's just an hour or two. Yeah. No, it's nothing too big. Perfect.

That's awesome. In my head, I'm thinking about making it. Timing-wise, that is ideal. Great. Yeah, I really appreciate it. And thank you for the, am I the only intern coming in today? 100%. Yeah, I called you in.

Well, mostly because I wanted, I did want to, I was pretty brusk with you earlier this week. Oh, no, no, no. I genuinely appreciate being asked to come in because I do feel sometimes a sorry. I mean sorry feels like a pretty weak sauce, and I felt like my sorry was kind of weak sauce. So I actually do like a physical thing that I can do to show that my head's in the right place. My head's screwed on straight, and I'm dedicated, and I'm really grateful. And we'll knock this out an hour. I bet if we're quickly, you're not going to have 40.

I mean, we'd probably do it. I mean, you know, I'm eager. I want to show you how eager I am. Yeah, of course, but we're not rushing. Of course not. Not rushing. Yeah, I think it should be quick work. I'm already kind of deep in the weeds.

I'll catch you up on stuff. but if you could head up to the roof, some of the bloom has gotten into the weather needles. I just need you to pull it out. And then if you could give me some readings here, you see she reaches over and pulls out a slim brass wristband. It's about the size of a watch, but with like a broader rectangular face.

You know this to be a whisper. These are small communication devices that you sometimes use in the lab. Essentially, it's two crystals that are connected because they're from the same larger hole. what you write on one appears on the other. So she hands that to you and says, throw this on and just, when you pull the filings out,

I just need the readings on the needles up top. I can just tell this doesn't look right. Maybe the readings from up top. Got it. I'm going to do that right, great. And I'm going to sprint up the stairs, top speed. You take off up as kind of spiraling staircase up to the ceiling where there's this kind of big hatch

with a few turns. You push it open. Stepping up on top of the VIX Institute, immediately hit by the sea air. rushing cold, clean, carrying the smell of salt and the faint green smell of the summer bloom. On the eastern edge of the roof are these big weather needles beneath tall glass domes. Each instrument is built around a cluster of long, delicate metal spines, mounted vertically above a circular brass housing.

Normally the needles tremble independently in response to changes in the weather. However, as you can see, some are barely moving due to bloom filaments that have gathered inside the protective cages. you can go ahead and give me a slight of hand check as you get in here, mostly for speed. You can't really fuck this up, but it's just about how much time does this take? 18 plus 3 is 21. This man has somewhere to be.

You go to work just pulling out soft handfuls of this light is down, but a little bit tacky against your fingers. And as you pull it apart, you see the needles again begin to quiver individually now that you have taken apart. that which was holding them together, you feel a slight vibration on your wrist. As you see in kind of like a little bit of scratch, you say, looks good is working as a message from Dr. Gord below. Great. Are there any other readings or any other information I need to collect while I'm up here? Yes, you see that on each of the brass housings below is like a narrow viewing

window with like some dial trackings for air pressure, humidity, and wind shift. You can write those into your whisper and trust that Dr. Gord is below receiving them. I will write them in and also as I write them into my whisper, I will also take out a small notepad and write them here because even though Colin is a fucking mess, there's a reason he got this internship and he knows that someone might ask him for these later even though they didn't tell him to record them somewhere. Studious, as always, you take down your notes. While you're writing them again down in your notepad, you receive a message on the whisper, got what I need, come on down. And you were able to return back down to the floor of the Vicks Institute. Awesome. Dr. Gord. Bloom came off pretty fast, which was great. The needles were in

great shape. Task number two, what's up? I'm going to be doing some work on the long burn cells. We've honestly been experimenting with that idea you pitched a couple weeks ago about building in rest cycles into the long burn cells. And we're seeing really positive results. I'm honestly just running it through its paces for a few of these, just to make sure that they can recalibrate after the rest cycles. And as soon as we get that done, we'll probably run test for another 45-ish minutes. We'll just make sure we get the readings down and then you'll be free to go. Awesome. That's great. The rest cycles idea, that was like a... Well, it's like that thing you were saying just about the nature of work in the places we're trying

to get this done. I mean, I think, you know, I was born in Northak. A lot of the working professors here are from the city. I mean, we don't... I think the... pace of work in the communities we are hoping that these inventions can serve. We're not as familiar. And I think we were, we were just building something that could go, go, go all day. And I think it was great to learn that there is a lot of downtime where these machines will need to hold that charge and it's not good to be expending it all out. Hey, you know, the most significant invention in the history of agriculture is the fallow field, right? The soil needs a chance to recharge, reset, and rest. And, you know, it's not different from people. I think we need a chance to, like,

rest, find ourselves, you know, so it's like, everyone needs, you everyone needs a shot. Everyone needs a shot. You know, just like a field, basically. Like, but then again, you know, you have a field that you put to rest and you're like, I'm not going to grow anything there. And then it's like, you're hoping that the nitrogen replenishes. You're like, maybe absence, you know, absence of any crops will make the, you know, make the, first cycle is 47.

Great, 47.1. Got it? Cole, are you all right? You seem... I don't want to cross any boundaries. You don't seem like you've slept. Oh. I never drink the night before I have an internship in the morning.

I mean, I didn't know I had an internship today, but I also, you know, the... No, no, no. In terms of... I haven't been, like, on a bender or anything. I got up a little early just because the... you know, the, um, do they, what do you have, this is an interesting question, actually. Why don't they have of like a midnight or like a 3 a.m. post, post delivery service because

the ships that drop off letters drop them in the harbor all night long. So they, it probably, I would imagine it creates a pretty heavy backup for that morning mail drop. If they just ran them through the night, they wouldn't have such a huge one. I feel like it's like an efficiency issue. I don't think it really makes sense to be delivered mail at all hours of the day. Great. 86.4. Oh, thank you.

Yeah. Yeah. But like, oh, sorry, you're a question. No, I'm doing great. It's the big, it's the sun down. Yeah, of course. What are you and your friends getting up to? You guys are still in school, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You must be party hardy. Heading into, heading into senior year. Yeah. Yeah, the, yeah, big old party. And, God, you know, it's going to be. going to be like the carriage house again. The what?

Carriage house. My partner, Abigail, sort of through this legendary party in our first year sort of crushed as a freshman. She's just very, she's very special. I'm actually, actually, my plans are earlier days. I'm going to be seeing her. Oh, is she seeing her? Is she not?

She applied for an internship at the Marine Conservatory. Spiking at 102. Spiking at 102. Okay, I'll mark that down. Asterix here. Yeah, that makes sense, though. Is that staying, that's like, that's like, that's like, that's like a, that's like a, that's like a, that's like a, that's like a, it's like dipping under and over. The mechanic that is recharging or trying to maintain the charge, it's, I think we're working on other cells that will be able to insert.

But I think that right now we're trying to just get the old cells to do what this new function. Yeah, absolutely. But that's a great note for them. We'll pass that along. she got rejected from an internship at the Marine Conservatory, which was crazy. Because she, I think, honestly, it's a political thing. I feel like they, just because, like, she's very involved in student government, and there was something, maybe they were probably like, oh, she's so impressive.

She, like, does it all. She's going to, like, she's not going to be focused on just this because all these extracurriculars. But that's so sort of perverse that they would, like, rule her out, based on how successful and how capable she is. So she headed back to Wicklow for the summer, which we've been spending summers because we're both from Wicklow, which I know you guys do because of the butcher's hat.

Yeah, of course. But she, so she, I haven't gotten to see her this summer. Oh, but she's coming in town tonight. Coming in town for the summer. Oh, that'll be great. Yeah, it'd be good. Yeah, well, you take tomorrow off. You guys get up to stuff, you know?

I think I really struggle in this moment, as she says to take tomorrow off to like be okay because tomorrow is the weekend still. So being told that I get, I think Colin is in a moment where he's like, oh cool, I get to take Sunday off sick.

Oh, thanks boss. You know, like, and he's just, he's having a hard time. He goes, yeah, I'll take, yeah, we didn't, did, was I on the books for anything tomorrow or no? Well, I mean, all the interns are expected to be on call.

Yeah, of course. Right. Yeah, but I appreciate that. So if I am, called in tomorrow. I should still come in, but I won't be called tomorrow. This is me letting you know. I appreciate that. You can, I mean, I know you guys, people like to stay up, people like to get up to stuff, get up to everything. That's really kind, doctor. I appreciate that. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, Abigail is going to love it. We know, I mean, we've been hearing about the sundown

for, for a long time. And we've, I mean, we've been here in a couple years for Acaport, just never during the summer, so it's going to be. Can I pitch something? Is it crazy? I mean, I know, I haven't parted a long time. Is it still Tony Geelani who does the band show? The one the only Tony Jolonely. You guys should head over the Crystal Hall afterwards. The band normally a lot of them like to drink there and they go

and they get some drinks in them but then they play again so you can kind of get like a little second taste. Why for real? Yeah. It's really cool. I mean it's, you know, I used to, sorry, sorry. I hit the Crystal Hall afterwards. I can't recommend it enough. That is what a scoom.

Dude, Dr. Gord, thank you so much. Hey, you know, I was young once. Man, well, that's, yeah. I'll tell you what, Tobias doesn't know about the Crystal Hall. I'll tell you that for free. Who? All right, this is, this is, I'm getting the 75. I'm getting a flat 75, 75.0.

That looks good, great. All right, I'm going to run it again. Toby. Dr. Gordon kind of looks you over as you as you just muttered Toby. I'm going to give you something. You see that she scrambles. Steps over to another workspace and comes back. You want to blow your girl's mind?

Yeah. Here. She hands you two whispers. You know, we've been using them in lab, but we're going to be releasing them to the public in the next couple of weeks. They're going to be available at the Grand Exchange. They work within like about five, seven mile radius.

But yeah. Oh, my God. That's incredible. Maybe it helps you with your night post issue. Yeah, no kidding. My God, what if this worked up? What has this worked if she was all the way in? Okay, this is amazing.

This is actually real. She'll flip. She will flip for this. And it's like, yeah, this is the kind of stuff that's going on in Port Acapore. This is like why we stay here. Yeah. Thank you, doctor. I appreciate it.

Of course, man. You've got a good head. You're smart kid and you work hard, Cullen. There's a place for you here. Right? but I need you here. I really appreciate that, doctor, and I really, I see my place as being here, and I...

73. 73. I see my place as being here. Or at least I aspire to that, and I want to be that. And it's like, you know, what do you do? What do you do when there's a place that you're supposed to be, but the person that you care about the most in the world, she's been sabotaged and like the place that she's supposed to be had been like ripped away from her do you stay you know it's like it's like okay someone's like okay i'll meet you in port

acabore and i'll meet you under the yearkeeper and then you're waiting into the yearkeeper and it's like do you keep your word and stay under the yearkeeper because that's what you told the person you cared about but they're late they're not there when they at the rendezvous or they said they were going to meet you what if something bad happened to them so do you break your promise and leave or do you stay and not take responsibility for something that terrible that might have happened to them? Can I say, Colin, you're talking to the wrong doctor, right? I've been divorced three times. You don't want my answer. I'm really sorry to hear that. Hey, I divorced them. All right, let's get back to these readings.

2000. That can't be right. Oh, I hope that's not plugged in. Sorry. Oh, okay, yeah, let's run that again. this goes on for about an hour, but with that high sleight of hand roll, you are out of there and finished

with a chance to make it to the harper on time. You know that thing where you're like, is my phlegm? I'm running so hard and panting so hard. Is the phlegm at the back of my throat mixed with blood? Am I tasting blood and iron in the back of my throat from running so hard?

Sprinting as fast as you can. Are you taking the ferry of the trawling? Am I going across the bay here? Yes, you would be taking the ferry from Old Harbor to kind of a little bit further south of refinery row. The trolley runs around, but the trolley is a little bit more kind of, yes, if you miss the ferry. It's over. It's toast. It's, you'll just be late.

The ferry is faster if I'm on time. But I can't take that risk. The trolley's reliable and I will just sprint like 18 blocks to the right side. stop so I don't have to wait for a transfer. Yes. Like sprint 18 blocks, get to the right station, direct line, here we go. You run. People are cheering for you as you run through the streets.

It's just a great five. Thank you. Yes. Believe it. Go get him. Get it. Go. You sprinting through the streets of Acapore headed to make it to the terminal on time.

What you don't see, Cullen, is that in another room of the Vix Institute, closer to the entrance, in the corner of a room you pass through without stopping. A needle begins to move. It's mounted on an old bay monitor, a machine built to track tide pole and the slow breathing of the waters around Ackabur. All day it's been steady, a little high from the bloom, but nothing more.

Now the needle drifts right. Then farther. Then it begins to tremble. A second needle answers it. Then a third. Across the board, tiny ink pens scratch new lines into paper, drawing a shape no one is there to read. Not a wave,

not a storm, not anything the machine was built to understand. Beneath the city, the bay level rises a fraction of an inch. Then another. In the dark water, beyond the harbor lights, something very large

disturbs the tide. That was Erica Ishii E as Harley Mori, Brennanly Mulligan as Cullen Tup. Ali Beardsley as Yaxil Larson and Lou Wilson as everyone and everything else. World Turner is produced by Worlds Beyond Number, edit and sound designed by Gino Jang Hanson at Big Giant Head,

score by Will Savino. For even more stories like this, join us on our Patreon. We'll see you by the fireside.