Chapter 1867

The first Sol shook his head.

The second nodded.

The third looked uncertain.

The fourth lowered his eyes.

"He used to sit beside me when I couldn’t sleep."

Jude said nothing.

"He told me stories about the sea. He said the water was so large that you could travel for days and still not see the other side."

The boy smiled faintly.

"He said that one day we would go there together."

The staircase curved.

At the next landing, Jude found a small wooden shelf.

There were four objects on it.

A silver cup.

A broken key.

A child’s shoe.

And a photograph.

He picked up the photograph.

It showed five children standing beneath the enormous tree.

Four looked like Sol.

The fifth looked like Jude.

They were holding hands.

Behind them stood the older Jude.

He was younger in the photograph, with dark hair and no silver streak.

The fifth child had one arm around his shoulders.

On the back of the photograph was a short message.

For the day we finally leave the room.

Jude turned it over again.

He studied the five children.

There was something strange about the way the fifth child stood.

He was not looking at the camera.

He was looking at Jude.

As though he could see him through the photograph.

A small mark appeared beneath the child’s feet.

The three curved lines.

The central point.

And a second symbol beside it.

A door with no handle.

Jude put the photograph away.

"Who is the fifth child?"

The fourth Sol looked at it.

His face changed.

"That’s him."

"Your brother?"

The boy nodded.

"But why does he look like me?"

The child stared at the photograph.

"He didn’t always."

The other Sols gathered around.

The first child touched the image.

"He had dark hair."

The second shook his head.

"No, he had silver hair."

The third whispered, "He looked like all of us."

The fourth Sol looked at Jude.

"Sometimes he looked like you."

A faint sound came from below.

A wooden bird calling.

The staircase ended.

Before them was a circular chamber.

It was smaller than the chamber beneath the mountain, but it seemed older. Its walls were made of dark wood, and there were no visible roots.

In the centre stood a little bed.

Beside it was a table with two cups.

A small window looked out into endless darkness.

And sitting on the bed was a child.

He had Jude’s face.

The same dark hair.

The same eyes.

The same expression.

He was holding a wooden bird with both hands.

He looked up as Jude entered.

For a moment, he seemed unable to speak.

Then he smiled.

"You came."

Jude approached slowly.

"Are you the one who was outside?"

The child nodded.

"Are you the one who called me your brother?"

Another nod.

"Are you the one who was left behind?"

The child’s smile faded.

"Yes."

The fourth Sol stepped forward.

"Do you remember me?"

The child looked at him.

His expression softened.

"Of course."

The fourth Sol took another step.

"You said we would go to the sea."

"I remember."

"You said we would build a house."

"I remember."

"You said you would come back."

The child lowered his eyes.

"I remember."

The fourth Sol stood silently.

Then he asked, "Why didn’t you?"

The child looked at the wooden bird.

"Because I was afraid."

"Of what?"

The boy looked towards the window.

"Of what was outside."

Jude glanced at it.

The darkness beyond the glass seemed to move.

"Is it still there?"

The child nodded.

"It never left."

"What is it?"

The child shook his head.

"I don’t know."

"You called it something before."

The boy looked at him.

"I called it the outside."

Jude frowned.

"But outside of what?"

The child looked around the little room.

"Outside of everything."

The four Sols moved towards the bed.

The child looked at each one.

Then he reached out and touched their faces, one by one.

"You’ve grown," he whispered.

The first Sol smiled.

The second looked down.

The third began to cry.

The fourth leaned into his hand.

Jude watched them.

For the first time, the children seemed less like copies or fragments and more like a family.

The child on the bed turned towards Jude.

"Do you remember what you promised?"

Jude hesitated.

"No."

The boy looked disappointed.

"You promised you would come back."

"I know."

"You promised you would take me with you."

Jude looked towards the window.

"I’ll try."

The child shook his head.

"That’s not what you promised."

Jude sat beside him.

"Then tell me."

The boy placed the wooden bird between them.

"You said that if the door ever opened, we would both go through."

Jude looked at the bird.

Its eyes were closed.

The boy continued.

"But when the door opened, you went alone."

A memory stirred.

A door.

A dark corridor.

A hand reaching towards him.

A child calling.

And a voice saying:

Don’t leave me here.

Jude closed his eyes.

"I don’t remember."

The child nodded.

"I know."

He looked towards the four Sols.

"They remember more than you."

The first child looked at Jude.

"I remember the day you left."

The second Sol nodded.

"I remember the door."

The third whispered, "I remember the promise."

The fourth looked towards the window.

"I remember what came through."

Jude turned.

"What came through?"

The fourth child stared at the darkness.

"Not the thing outside."

The room became quiet.

"Then what?"

The child looked towards Jude.

"Someone."

The window rattled.

A faint silhouette appeared beyond the glass.

Jude moved closer.

The figure stood on the other side, looking in.

It was a man.

He wore a dark coat.

His hair was silver.

His face was hidden.

The child on the bed lowered his head.

"That’s him."

Jude looked at the boy.

"Who?"

The child whispered:

"The one who opened the door."

The figure outside raised its hand.

A ring glimmered on one finger.

Jude recognised it.