This bizarre shift in time wasn't only happening to Deep.
Like him, every person on every island froze at that moment, trapped in place and endlessly looping the actions they were performing.
However, after the translucent liquid stretched back and forth dozens of times between his mouth and the spout of the jug, time suddenly returned to normal, finally pouring into Deep's mouth.
Deep was unaware of the recent anomaly. After gulping down several mouthfuls, he wiped his lips, tapped his feet lightly on the roof, and walked straight down to the plaza below as if nothing had happened, picking up a copy of the Hope Daily from a newsstand.
Today's front-page headline was a special advertisement.
"Great news! The downsized civilian difference engine is about to go on sale! Dear readers, you may not know what this is, but your reporter must tell you: this is a product that heralds a new era!"
