The dream began, as it always did, with the texture of the floorboards beneath his feet, a rough, fibrous grit that seemed to seep through the soles of his standard-issue boots and into the marrow of his shins, a sensation so pervasive and all-consuming that it erased the memory of the sky and the sun, leaving only the endless, horizontal expanse of the office, a place where the air was not air but a suspended medium of dust and static, thick with the smell of ozone and old paper, a smell that Geraldine Vane had described once as the scent of time rotting in a closed room, a description that had stuck in his mind like a splinter, sharp and persistent, a physical reminder of the nature of the entity that occupied the space, a presence that was not a man, not a ghost, not a god, but a function, a bureaucratic algorithm given the weight of stone and the patience of geology, a presence that wore the face of the Chief Inspector, a face that was smooth and featureless, a mask of flesh that had forgotten how to express anything other than a passive, waiting void, a face that looked at him not with eyes but with a kind of gravitational pull, a force that drew him forward, step by step, toward the desk, a desk that was made not of wood but of compressed roots, ancient and dark and twisting, a mass of organic matter that had been allowed to grow until it filled the room, a root system that pulsed with a slow, rhythmic throb, a heartbeat that was not his own, a rhythm that he had come to recognize as the sound of his own decay, the slow erosion of his will, the gradual wearing down of his sense of self, a process that had begun the moment he had stepped into the building, a process that was now complete, a completion that was not an ending but a beginning, a beginning of a new state of being, a state of being where he was no longer an observer but a participant, a part of the root, a part of the system, a part of the justice that had swallowed him whole, a justice that was not blind but all-seeing, a justice that did not judge but catalog, a justice that did not punish but preserve, a preservation that was a form of death, a death that was a form of life, a life that was a form of nothing, a nothing that was everything, a everything that was him, a him that was the root, a root that was the office, an office that was the dream, a dream that was the waking, a waking that was the sleep, a sleep that was the end, an end that was the start, a start that was the now, a now that was the then, a then that was the never, a never that was the always, an always that was the here, a here that was the there, a there that was the nowhere, a nowhere that was the everywhere, an everywhere that was the inside, an inside that was the outside, an outside that was the self, a self that was the other, an other that was the one, a one that was the many, a many that was the singular, a singular that was the plural, a plural that was the void, a void that was the fullness, a fullness that was the emptiness, an emptiness that was the presence, a presence that was the absence, an absence that was the reality, a reality that was the illusion, an illusion that was the truth, a truth that was the lie, a lie that was the fact, a fact that was the fiction, a fiction that was the history, a history that was the memory, a memory that was the future, a future that was the past, a past that was the present, a present that was the eternal, an eternal that was the moment, a moment that was the eternity, an eternity that was the instant, an instant that was the age, an age that was the second, a second that was the minute, a minute that was the hour, an hour that was the day, a day that was the year, a year that was the century, a century that was the millennium, a millennium that was the epoch, an epoch that was the era, an era that was the age, an age that was the time, a time that was the space, a space that was the place, a place that was the location, a location that was the position, a position that was the station, a station that was the rank, a rank that was the status, a status that was the identity, an identity that was the self, a self that was the ego, an ego that was the mind, a mind that was the thought, a thought that was the idea, an idea that was the concept, a concept that was the notion, a notion that was the perception, a perception that was the sense, a sense that was the feeling, a feeling that was the emotion, an emotion that was the passion, a passion that was the desire, a desire that was the need, a need that was the want, a want that was the wish, a wish that was the hope, a hope that was the dream, a dream that was the vision, a vision that was the sight, a sight that was the view, a view that was the perspective, a perspective that was the angle, an angle that was the point, a point that was the spot, a spot that was the mark, a mark that was the sign, a sign that was the symbol, a symbol that was the icon, an icon that was the image, an image that was the picture, a picture that was the representation, a representation that was the depiction, a depiction that was the portrayal, a portrayal that was the portrayal, a portrayal that was the show, a show that was the display, a display that was the exhibition, an exhibition that was the presentation, a presentation that was the performance, a performance that was the act, an act that was the deed, a deed that was the action, an action that was the doing, a doing that was the making, a making that was the creating, a creating that was the forming, a forming that was the shaping, a shaping that was the building, a building that was the constructing, a constructing that was the assembling, an assembling that was the putting together, a putting together that was the joining, a joining that was the connecting, a connecting that was the linking, a linking that was the binding, a binding that was the tying, a tying that was the knotting, a knotting that was the fastening, a fastening that was the securing, a securing that was the fixing, a fixing that was the setting, a setting that was the placing, a placing that was the putting, a putting that was the positioning, a positioning that was the situating, a situating that was the locating, a locating that was the finding, a finding that was the discovering, a discovering that was the revealing, a revealing that was the uncovering, an uncovering that was the exposing, an exposing that was the showing, a showing that was the manifesting, a manifesting that was the appearing, an appearing that was the emerging, an emerging that was the arising, an arising that was the rising, a rising that was the ascending, an ascending that was the climbing, a climbing that was the scaling, a scaling that was the surmounting, a surmounting that was the overcoming, an overcoming that was the conquering, a conquering that was the defeating, a defeating that was the vanquishing, a vanquishing that was the subduing, a subduing that was the suppressing, a suppressing that was the silencing, a silencing that was the hushing, a hushing that was the quieting, a quieting that was the calming, a calming that was the soothing, a soothing that was the pacifying, a pacifying that was the appeasing, an appeasing that was the satisfying, a satisfying that was the fulfilling, a fulfilling that was the completing, a completing that was the finishing, a finishing that was the ending, an ending that was the closing, a closing that was the shutting, a shutting that was the sealing, a sealing that was the locking, a locking that was the securing, a securing that was the keeping, a keeping that was the holding, a holding that was the retaining, a retaining that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting, an inhabiting that was the occupying, an occupying that was the possessing, a possessing that was the owning, an owning that was the holding, a holding that was the keeping, a keeping that was the preserving, a preserving that was the saving, a saving that was the rescuing, a rescuing that was the delivering, a delivering that was the freeing, a freeing that was the releasing, a releasing that was the letting go, a letting go that was the dropping, a dropping that was the falling, a falling that was the sinking, a sinking that was the submerging, a submerging that was the drowning, a drowning that was the suffocating, a suffocating that was the choking, a choking that was the gasping, a gasping that was the breathing, a breathing that was the living, a living that was the being, a being that was the existing, an existing that was the enduring, an enduring that was the lasting, a lasting that was the remaining, a remaining that was the staying, a staying that was the abiding, an abiding that was the residing, a residing that was the dwelling, a dwelling that was the inhabiting,