She squirms out of Carreau’s grasp and runs to her mother, who holds her tight. Hardcastle clears his throat and gestures toward the bunker door, which is open.
HARDCASTLE: Nothing in there I can see. It should be safe.
KAPOOR: Should be?
HARDCASTLE: Might be. Better than staying out here.
He waits, shrugs, and heads inside when no one else takes the lead. The others trail after with varying levels of reluctance. Novak remains outside a moment longer.
SOPHIA: Mama? Is it safe?
NOVAK: I don’t know, sweetie. But I promise I will keep you safe. I will not let anything happen to you. No matter what.
She starts to lead Sophia inside, and then she stops.
CARREAU: Joy?
NOVAK: I thought I heard something.
SOPHIA: Mama, something’s out there.
Her voice is soft and trembling.
NOVAK: Get inside with Martin, Sophie.
SOPHIA: Mama, I’m scared.
Novak steps out into the mist cautiously. Now the microphone picks up what she hears: a faint whimpering. She takes another step, and another.
A small figure stumbles out of the mist. Her knees are muddy, her hands scraped from a fall. Tear tracks line her cheeks. Novak lets out a low moan as her daughter lurches toward her.
SOPHIA [?]: Mama, I’m scared. I got lost and I couldn’t find you. Mama?
Novak turns slowly. Looks at the Sophia in the doorway to the bunker, clinging to Carreau’s leg. Then back to the girl, wide-eyed and trembling, who reaches for her.
SOPHIA [?]: Mama?
21
KENNY ONLY ASKED what had happened once, and when he didn’t get an answer he didn’t press. Maybe the looks on our faces were grim enough he didn’t want the answers. By the time we got back to the dock, Dr. Kapoor and Dr. Hardcastle were waiting for us. When they asked what had happened, silence wasn’t an option.
Liam cleared his throat, but I stepped forward. I gave them a sanitized version: we went to find Liam and Abby, Lily went in, when she didn’t come out, I’d gone in and found only Liam, insensible.
I’d composed the lie on the way over. People disappeared on this island. Trying to come up with a logical explanation for what had happened, saying that I’d seen them die or something—that would just lead to more questions I couldn’t answer. But the inexplicable? The people here were used to not digging too deeply.
“You’re hurt?” Dr. Kapoor asked Liam with brusque concern.
“No, I just—I had a panic attack or something. I don’t remember anything between going into the bunker and leaving with Sophia.”
“Going into the bunker that’s supposed to be welded shut because it’s dangerous and unstable, you mean,” Dr. Kapoor said. “A room might have collapsed. The two of them might have fallen. We’ll need to go and look for them. I’ll handle that. Kenny, drive Liam home and then take yourself and Ms. Hayes back to Mrs. Popova’s.”
“I can help look for them,” Kenny objected.
“We will handle this,” Dr. Hardcastle said, not a drop of his usual friendliness in his tone. He was looking over at the island, and I couldn’t read his expression. Dr. Kapoor, though—that look was fury, pure and incandescent. Did she know what had happened? Was she part of it?
I allowed myself to be bustled along. Kenny was full of concern and trying desperately not to demand details from me.
Dr. Kapoor must have called ahead, because Mrs. Popova was waiting for us on the porch.
“You’ll be all right, yeah?” Kenny asked, parking the car without turning off the engine. I nodded. “I need to get back. In case they need my help to search,” he said.
“You’re a good friend, Kenny,” I told him. “You’re a good person.” I didn’t lie and tell him that everything would be all right.
“Thanks,” he said, distracted. I don’t think he’d actually heard me. I curled my hands slowly into fists. I’d never had to use the void so frequently before. The backlash was already threatening, like a migraine aura at the edge of my vision.
One step at a time, I told myself, and made my way stiffly toward Mrs. Popova. She took a look at my face and clucked her tongue softly.
“You look exhausted,” she said.
“I’m fine,” I told her, but my voice broke. I gulped down a breath and looked away. I just needed to get inside. I just needed—
“Oh, you poor lamb,” she said, and the next thing I knew I was sobbing.
“I’m sorry,” I choked out.
“Don’t be absurd. You cry all you must,” she told me. “There