she turned to the
inspector
and started explaining
to him
about the fault she'd found
-the hairline fracture
subtle and delicate
almost imperceptible
almost nothing, really
I mean, to most people

but she didn't consider
herself
most people
and while she had
at first
bravely tried to
ignore the issue
-as the years went on
I mean look at it!
when you hold it up to
the light
/no, from the other side, silly
well it just
ran
the whole length
of the object
-it altered the lines
-it upset the balances
-it ruined
the total effect

as the inspector held it
up to the light
/just so
a gateway opened up
to him
the lines were spreading out
disturbing the
mechanisms
and he imagined them
reaching out further
-to the greater world

he saw the object
fall through its
purpose