The Turbulence is always out there, trying to breach the walls to destroy minds and bodies and machines alike. There is a sentience to it as it probes first one spot and then another looking for weakness. There are men with incredible minds who can see where the walls need to be fixed and can make it happen through sheer force of will until other men can come along and build their design into reality to keep the Turbulence out. Ritter's father is one of the best Engineers there is, maybe The Best, and Ritter has only ever wanted to please his father so followed in his footsteps. He has the talent but more so, he has the talent to actually be able to rebuild minds. But with that talent comes a lessening of focus for the walls and now he must choose to be a Librarian as his talent shows him he should be or follow in father's footsteps to become an Engineer and lose a part of himself forever.
The worlds that Mr. Chu manages to create in such short stories are truly incredible and this one was no exception. The characters and their struggle manage to touch and engage so easily because they speak to universal dilemmas. This story yet again demonstrates Mr. Chu's amazing talent for the short story.
Page count: 24p/20,939p ytd/292,342p lifetime
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