Edan’s descent was slow, and that was only partially because the stairs were only barely tolerable. The new management likely wouldn’t fix them. No one expected them to. It wasn’t their fault the stairs were built faulty.

  The factory was said to have once been a temple. A marvel of humanity and nature – cavernous and impossible as a trip to the sun. The stairs were the only thing that remained from the old building. Everything else had been covered and modified beyond recognition. It was for the best, the first management had reasoned. Such a place could never reside in an era not built for it. In an era no longer built for magic and all its inherent mystery. Edan had arrived only a few years after the transformation. He’d hardly mourned for the place that once was.

  He reached the D floor slowly. His hesitance to get to his floor wasn’t only because of the stairs’ poor make. Colin would likely be waiting for him. Colin was never tolerable of his brother’s late night wanderings. Colin couldn’t understand him. Edan knew Colin never would.

  Edan walked down the last few steps. The E door stood before him. He hesitated. Tensed. Prepared himself for Colin’s face to greet him the moment he swung the door open. The door groaned as pressed against it. The corridor beyond was bare, without a single door visible in the dim light. The effect was intentional. All the lower floors were made up of illusions and corridors indistinguishable from each other. It was meant to keep magicians out. Only managed to keep everyone confused.

  Edan walked carefully. Then he ran straight to his room. He pushed through the burn’s yelling in his haste to get inside. It was only a single minute to five am. A single minute until the room’s bell rung and Colin would be woken from his slumber. Edan tripped over his foot and almost slammed into the door. The doorknob was small, but the small seven in its centre gave it away. He grinned his triumph-

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  The door swung open.

  Colin grabbed him and yanked him inside. A yell bubbled within him. He fought to hold his silence. Edan bit his lip so hard it almost bled. Colin dragged him to the bottom bunk. Every contorted grunt was silenced before Edan could make much more than a squeak.

  The room was tiny, even by factory standards. Bathroom, bunk bed, dresser, clock, bell. That was all you needed to sleep. The rest could be done in work time. Colin sat him down and ran to the bathroom. Edan heard him filling something with water.

  “Oh don’t use that. We’ll need it later.” Edan yelled.

  Colin came back with the laundry bucket. He just glared. Edan looked away as his younger brother lifted his injured foot into it. Edan hissed as the burn hit cold water. He didn’t say another word. They’d always preferred to do their own laundry. Everyone knew the kids that did it had no clue how to clean anything properly. Colin would blame him for his uniform smelling like feet later.

  “What did you do.” Colin said.

  Edan looked determinedly at the clock. Only a few more seconds. He looked down at Colin, who was sitting on the floor cross-legged.

  “Changing my birthday.”

  “You can’t be serious.” Colin let out a laugh. Edan didn’t

  Colin’s face contorted. After a pause, Colin spoke.

  “We’re not kids anymore. We can’t do stuff like that.”

  “It’s fine. I don’t get caught.” Edan said.

  “But you might.”

  “Does that matter?”

  Another silence. Edan usually didn’t mind silences. This one felt like boiling acid. The kind that leaves more than just a burn.

  “It won’t land me in jail.” Edan said, not believing himself for a second.

  “No,” Colin said. Edan began to relax-

  “You’ll be imprisoned for less.”

  Edan’s eyes widened to an expression of mock horror. Colin didn’t smile. Edan swallowed. His expression contorted as he tried to stand.

  “I’m serious.” Colin said, eyes almost pleading. Edan couldn’t look at him.

  Colin grabbed his arm as Edan pulled his foot from the bucket.

  “We can wait another year.” Colin said. Edan shook him off.

  “I can’t.”

  The bell rang. Edan left the room.

  Neither noticed that a single minute had lasted three.