AT DINNER THAT NIGHT, Finn brooded at the table, unable to take his mind off recent events: Maybeck’s sleeping sickness, Amanda’s mysteries, the letters they’d found secretly hidden at both It’s a Small World and Splash Mountain.

Watching him, his mother wore a look of curiosity, while his father, in typical fashion, ate quietly. Finn stabbed at his food and moved it around on his plate, hoping it might appear eaten.

“How was school today?” his mother asked. Every night, the same question. Next would come: did you do anything fun today? What are your friends up to?

“Did you do anything fun today?” she asked brightly. She couldn’t stand it when Finn was quiet like this.

“I don’t know,” Finn answered honestly. “It’s all right, I suppose.”

“You can do better than that,” his father said. His father always thought Finn could do better at everything. He seemed always to be riding Finn about his grades or his performance on the soccer field. He talked about college scholarships like they were some kind of religion.

“I’m good,” Finn said, pushing back his plate. “May I be excused?” Another part of the secret code. He had no chance of leaving the table without these passwords.

“No snacks later, sweetheart. This is dinner.”

“I know,” Finn said. He stood up from the table and grabbed his plate. Suddenly his head went all rubbery, as if all his blood was draining from him at once.

He thought he might pass out.

“Finn?” His mother’s voice, but in the next county.

Then there was her painted mouth moving above him, her voice sounding detached and several octaves lower than normal, like a tape playing at half speed. She’d rushed to his side.

The lights in the room dimmed. A power failure? He saw his father, chewed food in his open mouth, looking…scared.

“Finn, dear?” his mother said.

“I’m…fine,” he replied.

His mother hovered over him. He felt his parents taking him under his arms and leading him upstairs. Finn’s feet flapped and dragged. He felt useless.

They led him toward his bed.

“No! No! I don’t want to go to sleep!” But his eyes felt so heavy….

He closed his eyes, and it happened again.