I have hands, and someone is holding mine.
Opal. He thought of her, and she appeared beside him. The water was everywhere, but also nowhere, as if they drifted in a void.Are we still in the pond? Is this a real place?
The creature regarded them with unmistakable malice. Figments appeared in the void.
The cockroach. The Beast. Death and its scythe.
Nico’s fingers tightened around Opal’s. He remembered them riding bikes, inventing new worlds. It made him stronger. More grounded in whatever emptiness they occupied. They faced the nightmares together.
We don’t fear you. Opal thought rather than spoke.Not anymore.
This ends now. Nico closed his eyes, concentrating.It’s time for the figments to go.
One by one, the imaginary creatures winked out. The Darkdeep howled.
Nico felt a sliver of hope, like a window opening to let in fresh air.
You don’t belong here.Opal pointed at the Darkdeep.This isn’t your place.
It screamed. The creature stretched larger, its face a mask of naked fury.
Chains, Opal thought. Clinking iron links materialized around the Darkdeep’s wrists. It bellowed in rage, fighting to get free. But Opal had solved the riddle. Nico knew what to do.
Dagger, Nico thought, and a weapon appeared in his hand.
The Darkdeep’s roar now carried a note of fear. Opal held a dagger, too.
Go, Opal sent.Or we’ll finish you.
The Darkdeep squealed like a cornered weasel. As Nico watched it attack the chains, he spied a thrumming black line shooting from its back. The cord was both there and not there, extending high overhead.
Nico looked up. Saw the bottom of the houseboat.
The connection to our world.
Nico zoomed close to the monster. Opal appeared next to him instantly.
The Darkdeep’s hollow eyes widened. Its mouth opened.
Nico and Opal thought as one.
Time to go.
Two daggers sliced through the pulsing black cord.
The line snapped.
The Darkdeep wailed as it was sucked backward into the endless void.
Black flipped to white. Up became down.
Nico’s eyes rolled up and he remembered nothing more.
32
OPAL
“You look amazing.”
