Book Seven: Chapter 132

“Good job, Romeo. I’ll do the next part.” Lily slid into Mike’s collar and vanished. Ingrid followed behind him once he started walking, the dream crumbling in places as they walked toward a distant light. It was similar to the entrance he had come through, but daylight and seagulls had replaced a crashed plane and drakes.

“This is my home,” he announced, stepping onto the soil. He paused to set young Ingrid down, the girl now rubbing her eyes. “My house is just up the hill.”

“This is stupid,” muttered Ingrid. Even though she had stepped free of the cave, the darkness clung to her like ink.

Mike shrugged. “Better than having crabs eat our feet.” He looked at the girl at his side. “Are you hungry? I have a friend who loves to cook.”

Young Ingrid nodded, and he took her up the beach to the house. Ingrid stood in the background as Mike introduced her younger self to everyone who came out to greet them. They spent the majority of a day there, visiting with the ot