SEPTEMBER 2, 2018
Silence lingers as Sophie—or Sophia—finishes her story. Ashford frowns, but it takes him some time to compose a question.
ASHFORD: That is an astonishing tale, Ms. Novak. And a well-put-together file. Did you assist in that?
SOPHIA: Liam did the titles.
ASHFORD: I thought he might have. Tempest. It seems fitting. You know, Ms. Novak, I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone whose life has been so thoroughly steeped in the extra-normal.
SOPHIA: But there are other people who are in tune with the other worlds. Like me. Like Abby and her sister. We’re drawn to those other worlds, and they’re drawn to us. Because we’re useful. The Six-Wing wanted to use me. The thing that’s after Abby, that killed her sister—it wants something from her too, doesn’t it?
He doesn’t want to have to ask; you can see it in his face. But it is the question he has been trying not to demand answers to this whole time, and it is finally too much.
ASHFORD: Where is Abby, Ms. Novak? She made it off the island. So why isn’t she here? Why send everything like that? Not a word of explanation. She won’t answer her phone or her email. No one seems to have seen her. Do you know? Can you tell me?
SOPHIA: I know.
ASHFORD: Then where is she?
SOPHIA: She went to find out what you’ve been hiding from her. She went home.
Ashford looks grim.
ASHFORD: That is what I was afraid of.
SOPHIA: Because you don’t want her finding the truth?
ASHFORD: No, Ms. Novak. Because I don’t want it finding her.