Broken Symmetry

12. Spin Sideways

The two universes only coexisted in a small volume, with a radius of about ten meters from where the SQUID sat. The rippling, hazy effect continued, making everyone in the area appear to be submerged in lazily moving water. Roy Schwitters, Harold Volin, Sam Stratton, and Bob Kingsley found themselves almost overlapping with Ray Shwartz, Kristin Anderson, and Louis Reichen. Everyone in the two groups backed off slowly from each other, and regarded each other for a moment. To the people in one group, the people in the other group looked like phantoms, fading in and out of insubstantiality. When the first person spoke, from Spin Up, her voice sounded distorted to the people from Spin Down. But they barely noticed, as someone from Spin Down spoke at exactly the same time, and said exactly the same words.

“It’s you!” Kristin said to Ray, pointing at Roy.

“It’s you!” Harold said to Roy, pointing at Ray.

The two directors approached each other, cautiously. Through hand gestures, the one from Spin Up deferred to the one from Spin Down.

“I’m Roy Schwitters, director of the SSC.”

“That’s funny. I’m Ray Shwartz, director of the SSC. In my universe, I mean.”

They smiled, and attempted to shake hands. Their hands passed right through each other.

Ray looked over his shoulder, back at Reichen, who stood goggle-eyed in shock. “I think we may have proven our point.”

Harold and Kristin approached each other with similar caution, and introduced themselves. Harold laughed, and Roy turned to him. “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Talk about your Grand Unification Theories,” Harold said, and then the universes separated.