“Oh,” she said. “So they’re notallgone.”
PART THREE
THE TUNNEL
17
NICO
Nico was ready to go home.
Ready to forget about the bizarre new figments roaming the island, staring at them with creepy eyes. But Opal insisted they go back to the houseboat immediately. She wanted to talk,now, while they were still together.
So she showed them the tunnel.
It was right where she’d said it would be—in the back of the cave, where the rowboat had been hidden. The passage was a dingy, dusty, creepy mess, but it was there. Despite everything, Nico smiled in the darkness. Now they wouldn’t have to row across Still Cove every time. No more staring down into the black water, imagining what might be looking up at you.
He wished Opal had told them sooner. He almost said something, but her face stopped him. It was like sheexpectedhim to bring it up. He’d surprise her by playing it cool. Truth was, Nico understood why she’d waited. He’d have done the same in her shoes.
The tunnel was rough but clearly manmade. They used phone lights to see, four harsh white circles burrowing down into the black. Reaching a straight passage at the bottom of the switchbacks, Nico realized they wereunderthe cove.Opal came through here alone? Wow.
After a hundred paces they entered an open chamber. Opal continued without stopping, but Nico’s feet slowed. “Wait,” he called out. The others halted. Opal walked a few steps back into the chamber. “Something wrong?”
“What is this room?” Nico swung his light, illuminating a smooth, circular stone wall. The masonry was more refined here than in the narrow passage.
“I’ve never really looked,” Opal admitted. “I don’t like being down here alone.”
Nico’s light dipped, and he noticed a carving chiseled into the stone floor. It looked like a hand holding a torch. He tried to imagine who’d sat down here in the dark, chipping the design into the unyielding granite. Nico shivered. “Never mind. Let’s keep moving.”
The tunnel continued for another narrow stretch, then began climbing as sharply as it had dropped. Nico was ready for sunlight. Even the oppressive, foggy island was better than this. He was happy the tunnel existed but knew he’d never enjoy using it.
They emerged into a gully Nico hadn’t explored. He gave Opal props—her showing up without explanation had been driving him crazy, and walking that path alone took guts.
Thankfully, the area around the pond was figment free. Gasping sighs of relief, they hustled into the houseboat as the sun began to set. Nico fervently hoped all the creatures were gone. He didn’t want to feel their stares again.
Inside the showroom, Opal wheeled on the group, arms latched across her chest. “Okay, weseriouslyneed to talk.”
Emma scuffed a sneaker on the fraying carpet. Though he couldn’t believe it, Nico caught her eyeing the hidden entrance to the Darkdeep. “Sorry about the last one,” she mumbled to the floor. “I got greedy. I won’t think of anything that scary again.”
“It’s not really about scary,” Opal said. “The Visitor wasaggressive. It was blocking you, Emma. And I … I think it spoke inside my head.”
Opal’s gaze darted from face to face, stopping on Nico. He nodded. He’d felt it, too.
Emma’s head snapped up. “But isn’t that a good thing? The figments are getting more real. More interactive. More amazing! Guys, we might be able to do things with them soon. Or learn where they come from. Or … or …anything.”
“We know where they come from.” Tyler glared at his friend. He seemed near the end of his rope. “They come from a spinning, mind-reading, houseboat-basement whirlpool! Which isn’t possible.None of this is possible. Can’t you see things are out of control?”
He was breathing hard by the time he finished. Silence filled the room. Emma couldn’t meet Tyler’s eye. Glancingaway, Nico noticed the pedestal jar. The thing inside had changed yet again, and the water was emitting a dim light of its own.
Nico pointed, but Opal wasn’t interested in distractions.
“We don’t know what we’re dealing with,” she said. “At first it was just a neat trick. The Darkdeep read our minds and made funny images of our thoughts. But it’s obviously stronger than that. The new figments aredoingstuff. That Visitor knocked over a tree. What if one of us had been underneath it?”
“I said I was sorry,” Emma muttered.
Tyler squeezed her shoulder. “Stop it. We know. Nobody’s blaming you.” He shot a hard look at Opal.
“Definitely not blaming,” Opal agreed, color rising in her cheeks. “We all were doing it, Emma. I’m just saying we need to learn more before we go any further.”
