Good Evening, Mr. Brinclhof

Aleeza froze in place. Why had she come in?

The dim glow of fluorescent lights flickered, casting shadows on the dark laboratory. Every instinct screamed at her to turn and leave.

A tall man hunched over a desk, his wiry fingers clasped together in contemplation. His face was thin, almost skeletal, with piercing gray eyes. His long hair fell over his shoulders, and his thin lips curved into a knowing smirk. Aleeza was too curious to leave. Her gaze was flicking to the desk where a piece of paper lay spread open. The title caught her eye: Maxwell’s Demon.

„Is that a fairy tale?“ Aleeza asked.

The man’s smirk widened.

„A fairy tale? That depends on who you ask.“

Aleeza swallowed hard. „Who are you?“

The man stood, extending a hand. „Brinclhof. It’s a mnemonic. I mean my name. It helps you remember which gases are diatomic.“

Aleeza took his hand, even though she didn’t want to. They shook hands.

„You know that matter is made up of atoms? And atoms don’t do well alone. Some like to find a friend of their kind, with whom they can form a diatomic molecule. You remember some such atoms when you remember my name. Br for bromine, I for iodine, N for nitrogen, Cl for chlorine, H for hydrogen, O for oxygen, and F for fluorine.“

Brinclhof studied Aleeza, his eyes calculating. „You understand atoms, then?“

„Of course,“ Aleeza said, folding her arms. Brinclhof nodded approvingly. „Good. You may yet have potential.“

Aleeza wandered further into the lab.

„I’ve been waiting for you.“

Aleeza’s blood ran cold. „What?“

Brinclhof studied her reaction, then said, „Tell me, Aleeza—do you know that disorder is increasing in the world?“

Aleeza laughed, the tension breaking for just a moment. „Oh, I know the disorder in my room.“

Brinclhof smiled slightly, then shook his head. „No, my dear. I mean in a deeper sense. Disorder increases when the sun shines. It is completely inevitable.“

He exhaled sharply and covered his face with his hands. „I hope it’s just a thought experiment,“ he said. „A figment of my imagination.“ He lowered his hands, his eyes dark with something unreadable. „But I know it’s not.“

Before Aleeza could respond, the lights flickered violently, then cut out entirely. The room plunged into darkness. Then, from somewhere in the pitch black, Brinclhof whispered, „And neither are you.“