as i exited the cigar lounge, i noticed that the streets were empty. the people seemed to have all disappeared. then i noticed the most peculiar thing. figures, bodies, poised and serene stood in the windows of the shops lining the avenue. they looked real enough, but i had to be sure. i drew nearer only to discover the certainty of their humanness. no person was alike. each had his own look about him, his own aura, his own attitude. i continued down the street, looking for my match, my compatible companion, and the people never returned from their glass cages...