PTE

nnah spoke

ectly in front of the inn, I had found this p

From the moment Elis stepped out of his remediation, I had felt at peace. The boy had that effect. Elis, too, seemed in that

hl

e from the pit. She probably wants me to go, but I can't leave." I massa

o the best doctors in the country. His crazy is getting worse.

crazy,"

ving a tiny ring that spread and widened, touching and changing t

in it." Nathan chuckled. "That's what he's done. There are two of him. One Elis lives in the USA, one in Salem, his countr

crack. He's looki

imes you, too, went into that park. You've seen what he's capable of building. Crazy c

when I talk to Elis while he's in his crazy world, I feel I might someday belong. I don't fear. He requires no proof of citizenship. Salem i

re you

I do

s to remain in his crazy place. Will they admit it? Maybe not. But why else do they

t, but Elis's Salem gives people what they

in the head? Well, I had a brother - a younger, precious brother - who also

our brother somehow just right as he was? Chloe, if the world in Elis's mind is

steps faded, and a dis

d open m

iful, an oasis in a screaming city, but beautiful things never stopped me before. In Minneapolis, Derawas the draw, but she is not the

t, I'm truly afraid. Worse than that, I'm not

le is happening. I'm beco

care about, I

closed

here. We were doing ju

ed, and from deep inside

time to own

rst need to calm Elis's mum to deliver it. But there were no sounds inside - not on the first fl

d the hea

s the

swer it. Another knock. I glanced about, crept into the

s, the local UBC affiliate. We'

cameraman behind him. He was alrea

speak to him

espassing-related accident. A

ould you li

ra shone in my face,

a few questions for you. Could you first say

, unused contrition. If I couldn't conf

a lie only by degrees. My mum's m

elationship with Ms. Hannah?" S

rough the door. Nobody

d. POE of twelve

t you are connecte

, a small crowd of neighbours gathered, likely curious about the news van. Yet they were all staring at me.

nec

reached the tipping point there was no purpose in continuing with this trip, and if that were true I should fly back to my

nection,

brella and tossed it over my head and onto the porch, causing the cameraman to duck. "Get away from thi

microphone from Steve's hand, and launched it towar

e turned to his cameraman and gestured to ke

s married fifty-one years. Do not talk to me about responsibility . . ." He stepped forward, grabbed the camera, and w

but they garbled in my ears. Soon t

broken lens. He turned and hande

en he smiled. His eyebrows were bushy, and his stubble rough

h me," Ja

and he made his way s

for comin

mouth shut."

tall steeple and crossed the motorway bridge. Ahead loomed a great rectangle, a giant, windowless ma

s this

ages stood motionless; rooted mobiles creaked in t

pture

owed his gait. Together we wandered through the artwork: f

at a man crafted of iron. T

ok alike?

. Now thank you, bu

the dif

m that much. "Fine. Yo

smile. "Not a

e is doing all he knows to do. Stand here in this garden. And ten years fro

t my patience was wearing thin. I had a purpose back at

ars ago in a country I knew nothing about, I sent hundreds of souls

pressed into his should

hey said. 'Jakob, t

had no

this metal man. This may be true. I left my heart with my men and returned . . ." He

ed me to

h Elis. Why are

s firmly in my hands. "I came to retrieve my bag. But tha

bble. "What are you

in doing so before, but here, now, wi

ow. A thing we will not be discussing. And then . . ." I bit my lip. "Then I really met him and thought, maybe

n softened again. "I saw him look at you. I'm afraid you will do

es

nothing left to give my Anne. I loved her for thir

le do what they

ead, and walked back toward the bridge. I wanted to follow him, but my

feel all tha

u're saying

em just like the rest of us, or you would be gone. You're too smart to believe that you have the answe

he players were there. The pub hoppers, night clubbers, and those who hung draped from balconies, yel

utumn because she loves me." Jakob stared at the light

it. "This would be the most wond

see, in Salem, Elis has decided that Bette

on't . . . I do

oolish game played by old, desperate

ddenly

to dream. That gives her hope. T

lishness. Tell me yours

d saw his face. The

aid, one day he would take her anywhere, anywhere she wanted to go. The unspeakable happened, and Dad was taken from us all, and Mum d

he leaves? What are you no

d not

know wher

hate

t running from

ng about this. You know n

s of souls to he

red my

g girl. Please, be kind to Elis." He gestured to his left a

he s

hed and corroded together, toward the massive grey silhouette

the bowl raising into the sky. And fastened to the top of the bowl, twenty feet

t looked remar

get up ther

. following me around . . . No matter. I