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Arthur sat up, dizzy, and put his hand to his head to find it
covered in blood.
Must have hit it in the explosion.
“. . . Arthur! Look at me!” Cora’s face swam into view in front
of him, sharpening his focus entirely. “We have to get out of here.”
“Are you okay?” Minnie asked Thomas, who was crawling
toward where Charles sat against the far wall, eyes wide and breath
shallow.
“I’m fine! I’ll be fine. We’ve got to get out!”
“The door is blocked,” Arthur said, sluggishly trying to sort
his thoughts. They needed to leave through the door, but the door
was blocked.
Minnie hurried across the narrow strip of wood that skirted the
water and led to the two gate-like doors that opened onto the ocean
to let boats in or out. She shook them, but Arthur could see the
padlock firmly in place. “We’ll have to swim for it!” Minnie said.
“What if he’s out there watching for us?” Cora asked.
“Dive deep. Stay under as long as you can. After you get under
the gate, go left behind the boathouse. We can hang on out there
until we see whether it’s clear to go. And be careful of the waves. If
it’s high tide, they’ll be pounding harder.”
Arthur felt he should be the one saying what to do, figuring
out how to get them out of here. Minnie needed his help. But she
was calm and in control, while he could barely think straight.
When had she become this way?
Another
popping sound was followed by a burst of light and
heat so intense Arthur could smell the hair on his arms charring.
“I’ll get Charles!” Thomas said. He pulled Charles up, putting
his hands on his face and pulling him close, whispering some-
