Chapter 102

Henry jumped up. Charley’s chair teetered and she nearly fell to the ground.

“What?” Charley said.

“The sun, Charley! It’s the sun!” The answer rang inside him like a struck gong. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her closer.

“But the sun isn’t in the picture, Henry.”

“That’s the point. Look!” He pointed again.

Realization crossed Charley’s face. “It’s a cryptogram,” she said. “It’s meant to dissemble!”

“Dissemble?”

“Yes, Henry,” she sighed and rolled her eyes. “It means to have a misleading appearance, to conceal the truth. You know, false on the surface?”

“Oh, sure,” Henry said. “Obviously.”

“Look at the last line,” Charley said, “about the rising fire. What fire rises? The rising sun! Henry, you’re right!”

“And the sun rises—”

“In the east,” Charley said and threw her hands up. She grinned. “We have to go east. As far as we can. To the distant shore.”

Henry nodded. That resonated inside him. They found the answer!

Dawn smiled. “That’s great, you two.”

Thom nodded.

“Now we eat,” Henry said. He reached across the table and snagged the burger. A job well done. It was a double patty, too. Oh, he was so hungry. He would fight through the nausea.

He took a massive bite.

The burger turned to ash inside his mouth.