“There are two of them,” says a man. “Look, one’s moving!”

“Leave ’em,” barks another. “They’re Japs.”

“Help us,” I rasp.

“Is that a woman?” says the first man.

“No,” the barker replies. “Look at his hair. That’s a man wearing women’s clothes. See how sneaky they are?”

“Well, Japs or no, shouldn’t we take them?” says a third man, this one with a tremulous voice.

The first man curses. “Come on, man, you’re wasting time.”

“We only have room for one,” the barker grumbles. “Two might sink us all!”

“Then let’s take that one.”

Hands reach for me.

If they only have room for one, they will leave Jamie behind.

“No,” I spit, feeling one last fire spark in my belly. Words, which have frozen on my tongue, at last begin to thaw. “Take him. I beg you.”

A whale means being in control of your destiny.

“But that one’s not moving,” says the tremulous man. “He might already be gone.”

“No, he is moving. Look,” says the first man as Jamie stirs beside me.

The barker groans. “Fine. At least he’s bigger. He can help us row.”

Hands reach for Jamie. He moans softly, his frozen hand clutching mine.

No, Brother. It’s your turn for the leapfrog. Trust me.

With a collective grunt, they lift him.

Up the phoenix rises, and unlike at our birth, I don’t grab his ankle for a lift.

“Val . . . ?” he moans, his voice thick.

“Don’t look behind you anymore, Jamie,” I manage to get out, though the ache of our parting stabs me like a dull knife through the gut. “The best . . . is ahead.”

“Val . . . ?” he murmurs again.

He’s covered in a blanket, and the oars are set to rowing. Soon, the lifeboat becomes a white blur, its wake moving me farther away.

When my twin, Jamie, left, he vowed it wouldn’t be forever.

But this time, I hope he doesn’t hurry home.

I rest my cheek upon the float, ready at last to let go. Heaven is thick with dandelion seeds, close enough to touch.

The fire in me grows cold. But something deeper begins to stir.

Troubled by all she has seen and felt, the whale turns into a bird, whose wings churn the water. And when that great seabird meets the wind, I feel my spirit take flight.

Look to the sky, Jamie, and you will always find me.

EPILOGUE