His hand inched towards it. Inched wasn't accurate. Millimetered towards it.

He could see the rim of light around his fingers be stretched into long strands, silently spooled into the chasm. Soon, a brilliant light bordered the dark center. It was all very quiet. He felt the intense afterimage of a brilliant ring.

How dangerous. He smiled.

TGE maintained a safe distance between Barry, tempted to walk closer. To surround him with a reminder of his existence. He remained where he was.

"Well. Tomorrow." sighed Barry.

"Tomorrow? Not now?"

"There's no need to rush these things." Barry said resolutely, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The next morning was no different. Barry woke up in the afternoon, had a cup of tea, and walked out the door. He walked out the door for many miles.

He was linearly aligned, walked over rocks and cacti and tumbleweeds without hesitation. Just one more mile. He would then turn around and repeat the same ritual in the unpleasant heat.

When he arrived at the house, he occupied himself. He would mop the floor. He would dust his shelves. He would water his plants. He would say hi to TGE. He would say hi to Vorpal. He would have dinner.

He would say goodnight to TGE.
He would say goodnight to Vorpal.
He would then be alone in his room. He went to sleep on his desk after doodling in the margins of his now defunct notes. He doodled spirals and telomeres and turings. He doodled the planet and was sure to color in the shading to its darkest pigment.
The next morning was no different. Barry woke up in the afternoon, had a cup of tea, and walked out the door...He would water his plants.

He would say hi to TGE, whose eyebrows knit with concern.
He would say hi to Vorpal, who would say nothing.

He would have dinner, and still feel hungry. He would say goodnight to TGE, who was busy watching TV. He looked sad. He would say goodnight to Vorpal, who was already asleep. He would then be alone in his room. He passed out on his desk after doodling in the margins of his now defunct notes. He doodled spirals and telomeres and...

The next morning was no different...

"What are you going to do with all your plants?"

Barry startled from the question.

"Nothing. They're allowed to wither."

TGE rolled his eyes. "Plants don't have that choice."

Barry let out a groan. "I suppose I'll loan them off to someone."

"To me?"

"One of my clients."

"Doesn't matter. These plants are going to be so. Damn. Big. They're going to be so huge from all the GMOs I'm going to be pumping them with."

"They're already modified. If you could make them stronger I'd be impressed."

"I'm going to give Lutz some of the orchids in that collection you have.

"I told you I'm not letting you have them."

"You sound like Vorpal! I'm going to disrespect the dead's wishes."

TGE sat near the black hole, alone. Barry hadn't bothered to return to the location. TGE had brought a bag of pebbles.

He threw the pebbles in one by one, watching how they caused streaks of light to swirl into the center. It was mesmerizing.

TGE tossed pebbles one by one, bitterly, until he noticed the particulates of light streaking off his own hand. He had been throwing with a lot of force. He quickly withdrew his hand, embarrassed in the presence of no one.

He ran out of pebbles. Objects surrounding him were good candidates. Ripped up plants with their roots still intact. Dust that flickered with sparks of light.

He had nothing else, so he let the remnants of light sparkle in his six eyes.

He closed them, they remained printed in his retinas.

He opened them, and he could still see it.

He closed them again, feeling the warmth of his eyelids.
He held like this for a moment, watching as the phantom afterimage faded away.

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