“Urh. Raccoons.” Carl sat on the floor right in the middle of the room, and crossed his arms over his body. One hand stuck into his armpit and the other reached up, twisted his beard, and tugged. There was a pale patch of skin along his jaw. It was growing larger. He hummed loudly, and it seemed like a long time passed. My head was nodding forward. Even though my whole body was wired, my brain was trying to sleep.

Then he said, “He’s got a headache.”

“Who?”

“That man.” He pointed to a figurine balanced on the shelf beside him. It looked like an enormous chess piece, but with a human head on top. “Terrible pain. A lot of pressure in his cranium. Urh. Can’t get away from it.”

I was going to tell Carl it was just cement, or a rock carved up to look like art, but I changed my mind. Instead I said, “That’s too bad. No fun if you’re bad in the head.” Then I realized I’d never seen Carl lie down. Or doze off. Or even close his eyes for more than a blink. “Why don’t you get a rest, Carl? My friend Mrs. Spooner always tells me life’s easier after a good sleep.”

At once he stood up. His arms moved in that weird way again. It looked like he was tapping the air, feeling for invisible things. I pushed my back deeper into the couch.

“What did you say?”

“A rest, Carl. Everyone needs sleep.”

He angled his head to the side. I heard his neck joints pop. A gravelly voice climbed out his mouth. It didn’t sound like Carl at all. “Why, Magic Boy? Why would you want that?”

Girl was up from the bed, her ears alert. She went to Carl, used her teeth to tug on the hem of his coat. But Carl didn’t seem aware she was there.

“I didn’t mean anything,” I said. “I didn’t. It’s just, just nice to be here.” I pulled my knees up to my chest, hugged my legs.

“Wires in the ceiling. Birds, urh, can’t dig them out.”

And he took a step backward, ripped a frame off the wall. An old man wearing a party hat, seated in front of a cake full of candles. “I don’t know you!” Carl yelled at the photograph. “I don’t know who you are!”

Then he threw it, full force, across the small room. Metal crumpled and glass burst from the frame. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. He was standing right in front of the door. I couldn’t get around him if I tried. Girl yipped and clawed at Carl’s leg, but Carl reached for a second photo, threw that too.

I curled into a ball, put my hands over my head. Pressed my body into the couch as far as I could.