The Tunnels
I transfer the last of the Mushroomers and wait for Constance.
The little stubborn girl insists on jumping herself. “I’m the one who’s supposed to save you all,” she says. “I will jump.”
And she does. Like a smaller version of me. A little superhero with the mind of tens of other little girls — surprisingly surpassing the mind of an adult one.
I try to catch her when she crosses over to my side, but she pulls away. She’s going to be one hell of a determined woman when she grows up.
“And me?” Tom reaches out from the other side.
“I say we leave him,” Constance says.
“I’m not sure,” I say, but already jump over to get him. “Tom.” I engage him, ready to jump back. “You’re a big mystery to me. I hope Lewis was right about giving you such responsibilities.”
We cross over. He pants with satisfaction once we do, but then snakes his way through the Mushroomers so he’ll be closest to the door to the river.
“I hope you can swim,” Constance says.
“Last time I did I was your age, but I think I will manage,” he says.
This leaves just the Dude.
He surprises me and jumps over with the March’s body on his back. That’s some flexible move I’ve not seen before.
“None Fu?” I ask him.
He nods and hands me the March’s body, then jumps back.
“Wait! What are you doing?”
“You need someone to close the door to the asylum behind you,” he says. “You said you don’t want to be the reason the Pillar dies.”
“Yes, but if you do it you will…”
“I was sent to help, Alice,” he says. “I hope I did. It’s your job to get the Mushroomers — most of them — up to the boats.”
He is about to close the door behind him…
“Just cool down…” I say. “Who are you? I need to know who sent you and why you’re doing this.”
He is about to say something, but the sound of the police barging in is deafening. Without my permission, he closes the door and disappears behind it.