"Now there's a question." It sharpens the way he regards Paul, all approval. "That's what I'm talking about. Do you find it interesting that when we die here, we crawl out of that same water? That once it has its hold upon a soul, we enter a closed system?"

He props his elbows on the arms of his chair, laces his fingers. There's a smudge of ink here or there along the edges of his hands.

"At a certain point, I'm inclined to get out on the water and have a look around."