Chapter 1860

The windows overlooking the village.

Everything looked exactly as it had before the first house appeared.

For several seconds, Jude could only stare.

Then he heard movement behind him.

He turned.

All twelve wives were sitting at the table.

Susan.

Rose.

Serena.

Layla.

Natalie.

Zoey.

Lucy.

Stella.

Emma.

Grace.

Sophie.

Scarlet.

They looked peaceful.

Each had a cup in front of her.

Each was smiling.

At the far end of the table sat the silver-haired older Jude.

Beside him sat the four Sols.

The smallest child was sitting on the floor, playing with the eyeless wooden bird.

Jude slowly approached.

"Are you all right?"

Susan nodded.

"Of course."

Rose smiled.

"We were waiting for you."

Jude looked at the others.

"Where is the tree?"

Serena tilted her head.

"What tree?"

"The enormous tree."

Layla looked at him.

"Jude, sit down."

He looked towards the empty chair.

It was the thirteenth chair.

The one with his name.

He stepped back.

"No."

The older Jude looked up.

"Why not?"

"Because I know what this house does."

The older Jude smiled.

"Do you?"

Jude looked at the four children.

"Get away from the table."

None of them moved.

"Sol?"

The fourth child lifted his head.

"Which one?"

Jude stared.

The boy smiled.

All four children spoke together.

"We’re all here."

Jude turned towards the wives.

"Get up."

Susan frowned.

"Why?"

"Because this isn’t real."

The women exchanged glances.

Then Layla slowly stood.

"Jude, what’s wrong?"

He looked at her.

"Tell me what happened at the eastern river."

Layla smiled.

"We planted the little tree."

"What happened afterwards?"

She frowned.

"You told us it would grow into the tallest tree on the island."

Jude stared.

That was right.

He looked towards Susan.

"What did I say about building a house beyond the mountains?"

Susan shook her head.

"You never said that."

Jude looked at the older Jude.

The man smiled.

"Are you satisfied?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you’re all repeating the same memories."

The older Jude tilted his head.

"Perhaps because those are the memories we share."

Jude looked at the four children.

"Then tell me something none of them remember."

The smallest child stopped playing.

He looked up.

"I remember the first time you cried."

Jude stared.

"When?"

The child picked up the eyeless bird.

"When you realised the room had no outside."

The older Jude’s smile disappeared.

The child continued.

"You sat beside the window and cried because you couldn’t see the sea."

Jude felt a strange pressure in his chest.

The child looked at him.

"Then the other boy told you that he would build one."

The fourth Sol slowly stood.

The third Sol followed.

The second Sol touched his pendant.

The first Sol placed his wooden bird on the table.

The older Jude rose.

"Enough."

The smallest child looked towards him.

"You remember too."

The older Jude’s face tightened.

"You don’t know what you’re talking about."

The child shook his head.

"You were there."

The room became silent.

Then the child said:

"You were the one who opened the first door."

The older Jude looked at Jude.

"Don’t listen to him."

The child continued.

"You were the one who let the thing outside come in."

The older Jude’s expression changed.

For the first time, Jude saw something like fear in his eyes.

"You were the one who made the promise that nobody would ever be lost."

The older Jude took a step towards him.

"Stop."

"And you were the one who changed the promise."

The older Jude froze.

Jude turned towards him.

"What did you change?"

The child looked at Jude.

"The first promise was not that nobody would ever be lost."

The smallest Sol held out the eyeless bird.

"It was that nobody would ever be kept."

The older Jude closed his eyes.

The child continued.

"But when the first Keeper became afraid, he changed it."

Jude stared at the older man.

"Is that true?"

The older Jude did not answer.

The child looked towards the table.

The thirteen plates began to tremble.

The cups cracked.

The silver threads around the chairs tightened.

The child spoke again.

"He changed it because he wanted everyone to stay."

A deep rumble travelled through the house.

"And when the tree tried to let them go, he locked the door."

The older Jude suddenly raised his hand.

The smallest child vanished.

The eyeless bird fell to the floor.

Jude rushed towards the spot where the boy had been.

"What did you do?"

The older Jude looked at him.

"I saved us."

"You took him!"

"He doesn’t belong here."

"Neither do you!"

The older Jude stared.

Jude moved towards him.

"Tell me what you changed."

The older Jude remained silent.

Then the fourth Sol spoke.

"He changed the last word."

Jude turned.

"What last word?"

The child looked towards the window.

Outside, the village was visible.

The sun was setting.

The houses were standing in their proper places.

The orchard was still.

The river flowed normally.

Everything appeared peaceful.

But there was something strange about the sky.

The stars were already visible.

And among them was a new constellation.

A small wooden door.

The fourth Sol pointed towards it.

"The first promise was that nobody would ever be kept."

Jude looked at the older man.

"And he changed it to?"

The older Jude finally answered.

"Nobody would ever be lost."

The words sounded ordinary.

But the house reacted as though he had spoken a forbidden name.

Every chair moved.

Every door slammed.

The windows turned black.

And from somewhere beneath the floor came a voice.

Not the enormous voice from outside.

Not the voice behind the nameless door.

Not the voice of any Jude.

It was the voice of a little child.

A child who had been waiting in the dark.

"Then why am I still here?"

The older Jude went pale.

The fourth Sol whispered, "Oh no."

Jude turned towards the floor.

A small wooden hatch appeared beneath the dining table.

It had no handle.

Only a tiny inscription.

THE PLACE WHERE THE FIRST PROMISE WAS CHANGED.

Jude knelt.

The hatch opened.

Below it was a staircase descending into darkness.

A soft light flickered at the bottom.

And someone was sitting on the lowest step.

A little boy.

He looked exactly like Jude.

He was holding a wooden bird with eyes.

He raised his head.

"Hello," he said.

Jude stared.

The boy smiled.

"Do you remember what you called me?"

The older Jude moved towards the hatch.

"Don’t answer him."

The little boy looked at Jude.

"You used to call me your brother."

Jude felt the room tilt.

The four Sols slowly turned towards the hatch.

The wives stood up.

And the boy at the bottom of the staircase lifted the wooden bird.

Its eyes opened.

Inside it, a tiny silver light began to glow.

Then the boy said:

"I’m not the one you left behind."

He paused.

"I’m the one you left outside."

The hatch began to close.

But before it shut, Jude heard one final sentence.

A sentence that made the older Jude fall to his knees.

"Father is still waiting beyond the door."

Then the hatch slammed shut.

And every clock in the house began ticking backwards.