Invention

Kateřina Zelená

Squeak.

...

Squeak.

...

I cautiously climb from the roof of the old theatre to the rusty balcony. I turn my back to the railing and leap over to the balcony of the house opposite.

...

Squeak.

...

The wind blows again into the swing hanging on the very edge. Its chains grind against the equally degraded fastenings. Another loud creak emanates from it as I jump off, cutting through the silent streets of London.

I dangle by my feet from the swing and lean down to check that the flat below the balcony with the swing is empty.

Yes, the flat is empty.

I swing a few times, and land through the open window on the floor of the flat below.

I have my orders, so I immediately set about searching the area. The only clue I've been given is the family. So I head for the children's rooms first, but find nothing except an obviously valuable rocking horse and an old wooden pencil case. In the master and butler's rooms, no less. So I went into the lady of the house's room. I felt the blood rush to my face as I rummaged through her drawers of clothes and underwear.

I certainly had no business being here.

I was about to walk away when a small, bland image on the wall caught my eye. It depicted a family at the lake on a beautiful sunny day. For a moment I just studied it with awe and obvious interest. Then I grabbed the picture by the frame, and carefully removed it from the wall.

This must be it, the clue with the family, I thought. But after removing the painting, only the bare wall returned my gaze.

Nothing.

Just nothing.

I started looking around, examining the painting and the frame, but there was no indication that my target was anywhere around. I looked at the painting again, and with a mixture of fury and disgust, I kicked it. The canvas loosened, revealing a small green object hidden between the canvas and the frame. It was, in truth, a small green box. I waited for nothing, hid the box in a pouch attached to my belt, and hopped across the roofs and balconies of London houses to the professor.

I came running, panting, my loot in my outstretched hand. His eyes sparkled with pleasure, and the box disappeared into his coat.

He turned on his heel, and headed away. I immediately followed him.

The professor led me to the attic, and I could only manage an eye roll.

The professor picked up two metal rings about a foot and a half in diameter. He then inserted the slightly smaller circle into the larger one to form a sphere. Then he inserted one more until there were twelve. I noticed that each one contained a small extendable spike, and one round dimple. Then the professor inserted the whole structure into metal handles, similar to those that usually hold a globe.

I watched with interest as he pulled twelve different boxes out of the pockets in turn. I was surprised to find that the boxes contained eyes.

Ruby, sapphire, emerald and countless others.

Each eye was set by the professor into a socket in a circle.

His creation looked bizarre, almost frightening. For the first time, I began to doubt the professor's sanity and tried to sneak away. But the professor noticed my actions and grabbed me by the shirt. "You can't leave now," he said, "There's no turning back now. And then he let me go. I stood frozen and watched as he pulled the last item out of the green box.

A ruby heart.

He carefully placed it in the center of the sphere and watched.

For a moment nothing happened, but the moment after changed everything.

The circles began to slowly rotate and gradually accelerate. After a few moments, the ruby heart was no longer visible.

It came to life.

A dark shadow began to spread from the very center of the sphere. The professor had been watching everything up to this point with a half-crazed look. But now he rushed over to me, and embraced me.

"It's working!" he sobbed.

"It's working, Thomas!"

I returned his embrace, but I did not stop to watch the small, black tendrils of darkness crawling away from the professor's creation.

And in that small, terrifying second, I understood everything.

I screamed, and the world was swallowed up in darkness.

                                                                                                                                               Edited by Petra Němcová