From Surgipelago, the Beach Surgery encyclopedia
The Mechanic Who Is Also Policeman
At a service station in the red desert, the mechanic—oil-stained, badge clipped to his uniform—greets Leif and Katita. Leif's vision splinters into ten overlaid versions: mechanic, police officer, younger self, older self, all occupying one body. The mechanic speaks in a voice echoing from multiple frequencies. The Mechanic: “"Where are you headed?"” Leif cannot answer. In the petrol pump's reflective surface, all ten versions stare back at him. When they leave, Katita asks what he saw. Leif: “"Someone who has already finished living here."” The mechanic stands alone in the desert, watching them drive into the heat shimmer, his selves collapsing back into one. The fluorescent lights above flicker in rhythm with the Karman line's drone.