I close my eyes and listen to the waves and the thunder. It’s not fair. What am I supposed to do? Walk out in the rain? Hobble over to Rose’s place and say, I’m scared of the storm, can I sleep with you? I need this house. I don’t have anywhere else to go.

Stop it! You horrible son of a bitch, stop it right NOW! I’m not ready! But nothing I do will make it stop. If it doesn’t take my house tonight, the monster’s just going to keep coming, growing extra arms until it gets it.

I could make an escape, run for the center of the island and into the chapel while the sea keeps advancing, devouring the island, shrinking Swan from its edges. I’ll make for the highest point, climb up the rope, and grab onto the bell. And I’ll stay there until the world ends, until the Swans have all gone and the sea has eaten the island all around. I’ll stay there forever, sitting on top of the bell, swinging in the breeze when the sun shines, crawling under and hanging from the hammer to keep out of the rain.

My thoughts go black.

Chapter Twelve

Along the horizon it looks like a huge light bulb has crashed and cracked and spilled its light onto the surface of the water. It’s . . . it’s that something makes you stop and you have to try hard to breathe when you’re looking at it. Arresting. Waves push forward, lines of white-gloved hands. The sea is gray like a military uniform. White foam advances toward the curve of the coast beneath the cliff.

I sit with my back against the house. The ground is soft and wet from the storm. A damp, gravelly chill is seeping into my underwear and spreading steadily. It’s uncomfortable but it feels like I deserve that. I examine the edge of the cliff. Didn’t lose too much last night. It’s when the air heats up again and the weather dries out, that’s when the big slips happen. Not during the storm. In the drama of last night’s squall, I’d forgotten. I press my back against the side of my grandma’s house and extend my stubbly brown legs out in front of me, stretching my feet, pointing my toes, seeing if I can reach the edge.

Not yet. Soon, though.