Inverted World Read Online Free Page A

growing up from the horizon, was a spear of white light, leaning slightly to one side like a toppling church steeple. As it grew it thickened and brightened, becoming as the seconds passed so brilliant and incandescent that it was not possible to stare directly at it.
    Future Denton suddenly gripped my arm.
    “Look!” he said, pointing to the left of the centre of brilliance. A formation of birds, spread out in a delicate V, was flapping slowly from left to right across our vision. After a few moments, the birds crossed directly in front of the growing column of light, and for a few seconds they could not be seen.
    “What are they?” I said, my voice sounding coarse and harsh.
    “Just geese.”
    They were visible again now, flying slowly on with the blue sky behind them. After a minute or so they became lost to sight beyond high ground some distance away.
    I looked again at the rising sun. In the short time I had been looking at the birds it had been transformed. Now the bulk of its body had appeared above the horizon, and it hung in sight, a long, saucer-shape of light, spiked above and below with two perpendicular spires of incandescence. I could feel the touch of its warmth on my face. The wind was dropping.
    I stood with Denton on that small platform, looking out across the land.
    I saw the city, or what part of it was visible from the platform, and I saw the last of the clouds disappearing across the horizon furthest from the sun.
    It shone down on us from a cloudless sky, and Denton removed his cloak.
    He nodded to me, and showed me how we could climb down from the platform, by way of a series of metal ladders, to the land below. He went first. As I stepped down, and stood for the first time on natural ground, I heard the birds which had nested in the upper crannies of the city begin their morning song.

 
     
3

    Future Denton walked with me once around the periphery of the city, then took me out across the ground towards a small cluster of temporary buildings which had been erected about five hundred yards from the city. Here he introduced me to Track Maichuskin, then returned to the city.
    The Track was a short, hairy man, still half-asleep. He didn’t seem to resent the intrusion, and treated me with some politeness.
    “Apprentice Future, are you?”
    I nodded. “I’ve just come from the city.”
    “First time out?”
    “Yes.”
    “Had any breakfast?”
    “No … the Future got me out of bed, and we’ve come more or less straight here.”
    “Come inside … I’ll make some coffee.”
    The interior of the hut was rough and untidy, in contrast to what I had seen within the city. There cleanliness and tidiness seemed to be of great importance, but Malchuskin’s hut was littered with dirty pieces of clothing, unwashed pots and pans, and half-eaten meals. In one corner was a large pile of metal tools and instruments, and against one wall was a bunk, the covers thrown back in a heap. There was a background smell of old food.
    Malchuskin filled a pan with water, and placed it on a cooking-ring. He found two mugs somewhere, rinsed them in the butt, and shook them to remove the surplus water. He put a measure of synthetic coffee into a jug, and when the water boiled filled it up.
    There was only one chair in the hut. Malchuskin removed some heavy steel tools from the table, and moved it over to the bunk. He sat down, and indicated that I should pull up the chair. We sat in silence for a while, sipping the coffee. It was made in exactly the same way as it was in the city, and yet it seemed to taste different.
    “Haven’t had too many apprentices lately.”
    “Why’s that?” I said.
    “Can’t say. Not many of them coming up. Who are you?”
    “Helward Mann. My father’s—”
    “Yeah, I know. Good man. We were in the crèche together.”
    I frowned to myself at that. Surely, he and my father were not of the same age? Malchuskin saw my expression.
    “Don’t let it bother you,” he said. “You’ll