It was late evening, dark clouds were drifting over the eerie laboratory on the hill. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a cold wind blew.

The lab was brightly lit, almost completely filled with scientific equipment. The Professor had spent the entire day setting it up, weeks of preparation had preceded tonight. The Professor had evaluated readings and adjusted and changed procedures. He had spent nights making calculations just so that everything would run smoothly today and the project would be a success. This was very important to his guests, and his scientific pride would not accept failure.

He took a deep breath, commanded the guests present to be quiet, and got down to business. Taps were turned on, switches were flipped, it was rushing, hissing and steaming. He watched the clock closely, and after the allotted time, he pushed buttons and adjusted knobs.

A moment passed, then the Professor pushed the cart with the prepared vessel into the machine.

He adjusted here, switched there, checked the displays, watched everything carefully. Then it was time to wait. He looked at his watch with concentration, his guests were getting restless, but he paid no attention to them.

Time seemed to stand still, the waiting became unbearable for the guests. Then the time had come! The Professor jumped forward, shut off the taps, turned off the equipment. There was a brief rumble and hiss, then silence. Everyone waited anxiously.

The devices gave a short ringing sound, then the machine opened. The Professor carefully pulled it out and looked closely at the vessel standing on it, and after a moment he said: "It is done!"

He signaled to his guests, whereupon the man and the young girl approached. The girl, Anna, looked at the vessel from all sides, then paused briefly, and turned to the Professor. With tears in her eyes, she said to him, "It's beautiful. Thank you!"

Happily, she turned back to the oval vessel. In it was the lifelike image of a small dog romping across a meadow. It was her dog, little Pip, who had left her forever four weeks ago. In the jar, however, he was running back and forth, wagging his tail and looking at her happily, just as he had when he was alive. Her father stepped next to her, glad to see his daughter happy.

In a low voice the Professor spoke to them: "The apparatus should last indefinitely. Neither the color nor the movement should fade or diminish. Just dust it off every now and then."

Anna turned and hugged the professor, unable to find words because of her happiness. Every day now she could look at her beloved Pip in the glass apparatus and keep her memory alive.

Her father also thanked the Professor once again, then they took the apparatus and left the eerie lab on the hill.

Smiling, the Professor watched them go. All the effort of the last few weeks had paid off, the setup had been a success. Satisfied, he went back to his lab.

He might be a mad scientist, but he would never refuse to help a grieving child.