“Fingers crossed.” Raya drew a deep breath and pulled the drawer open. The tree house shook violently, sending the jar of light tumbling into the drawer, abandoning them in the dark.
“Who should I call if a pipe leaks?”
Frequently Asked Questions
The Elsewhere Express
Passenger Handbook
Rasmus
Secrets poured down on Rasmus from the gallery’s fountain, showering bits and pieces of the lives passengers had made for themselves on the Elsewhere Express. Rasmus ignored them, not caring about whether Astrid from the painting crew had a crush on Dev from maintenance or if Min from the Dragonfly had cheated at Scrabble during the train’s last game night. The putrid scent leaking into the room made it difficult to focus on anything other than trying to take a breath without gagging.
“Han?” Rasmus covered his nose with his hand. “Are you in here?” His eyes fell on a note on the desk.
On Break. Will be back shortly.
Rasmus would have breathed a sigh of relief if he had breath to spare.
“What is that smell?” Han grimaced, walking up behind him.
Rasmus spun around.
“Other Rasmus?” Han held a handkerchief over her nose and mouth. “What are you doing here?”
“Get out of here, Han.”
“I can’t. There are two guests at the exhibit.”
“I’ll handle it. You need to leave right now. There’s a pipe leak in the reflection pool.”
“Should I call maintenance?” Han said.
“I’ve already called them. Just go.”
“Rasmus.” Lily burst through the door. “I got your message.”
“What did Olly write in his notebook?”
Frequently Asked Questions
The Elsewhere Express
Passenger Handbook
Raya
Thuds, cracks, and creaks filled Raya’s ears, but darkness hid the destruction taking place. Raya imagined the tree house crumbling as the pavilion did and could only pray that whatever happened next was going to be swift. She found no comfort in dying in Q’s company and did not wish to prolong it. He deserved to live and see, even if she deserved less. Her only consolation was the small hope that the stowaway might get lost in the Missed and Misplaced Department and never find its way out.
Q held her to his chest. Their tether bound them tighter. “Don’t let go.”
Raya closed her eyes and waited for the end. Rustling leaves joined the cacophony. Light spread behind her lids. Raya opened them, wondering if the end had come without her noticing. Branches parted from the tree house’s window, allowing moonlight to pour over the truth. What Raya had believed to be chaos was construction.
The tree house expanded like a pop-up book, unfolding and growing in width and height. The wall covered in scratches split intosmaller square sections that were pushed upward as the tree house grew. Furniture popped up from beneath floorboards and hidden compartments in walls, breaking and multiplying to fill the enlarging space. Cabinets, bureaus, and bookshelves balanced on top of one another, creating a circular atrium determined to touch the stars. Two rolling ladders, guided by wrought iron rails, spanned the atrium’s height. Makeshift lamps cobbled together from flashlights and phones lit the atrium’s lopsided shelves.
“What just happened?” Q glanced around. “Was the dresser some kind of switch?”
Raya strode over to a textured wall. Odd-shaped stones revealed themselves to be remote controls, coins, and books mortared in place. “Olly’s scribbles weren’t meaningless…” Her fingertips roamed over a plastered table, finding the shapes of wallets and pens. “They were designs. This is the tower from his notebook.”
