“Can’t you see it?” demands Hawthorne, waving the flashlight in their faces. The flashlight’s not switched on, but it has googly eyes stuck to it.

“It has googly eyes stuck to it,” says Senji.

“More than that!” Hawthorne hisses. “When you look at it, you look at the eyes, don’t you? Can’t you feel it? The application of the eyes has given it spirit, person, anima! I’ve found the secret, Senji!”

“The secret,” Senji says flatly.

“The secret to my creation, Senji!” Hawthorne rears up in wild glee, and lightning crashes behind him. “The secret of artificial life!”

He’s wrong, though.