“She’d scream bloody murder at every single person in this town,” Henry goes on. “She’d call them all crazy, and she’d include you in that assessment.”

Tom nods. But he really doesn’t want to talk about this right now. He just wants to listen to Jacob and Calvin, hear what they have to say, add to their conversation. Their ideas. Their bravery.

Jacob says, “It’s different than looking at the reflection of one in the mirror because, for starters, you might see something in your peripheral vision that isn’t reflected in the limited shape of the glass.”

Calvin says, “In this case it’s all about forcing the creature to do something fathomable.”

They’re talking about his ideas!

It’s everything Tom’s ever wanted.

“God, it’s like I can hear her voice already,” Henry says. “The shrill bemoaning of the new world. The endless rules. You’ll see.” He plants a heavy hand on Tom’s shoulder, and Tom wants him to remove it. “When you finally get to view one, you’ll see just how paranoid your mother has been.”

Jacob and Calvin are discussing mirrors. Reflections. The possible mind of impossible creatures. Tom wants to get lost in their words. He could listen to them for weeks.

But Malorie, as is her nature, keeps coming back up.

“She’d go for me first,” Henry says with a chuckle. “She’d ask who took you here, and when I raised my hand…”

“She wouldn’t see it,” Tom says.

“That’s right!” Henry says. His laughter is louder than the discussion between the two volunteers.

He thinks this is funny, but it’s not. Not right now.

“Eventually she’d find out,” Henry says. “And she’d come for me. Except…like you bring up, where would she know to look? And doesn’t that sum everything up, Tom? Here, a woman so righteous, yet completely inert. Well, she’s done it to herself, I say. She’s so deep in the dark she wouldn’t know if safety were sitting right beside her.”

Not now, Tom thinks. Not now.

“My God, if she had her way, you’d be locked in a crate like veal. She ever tell you what veal is, and how it was raised? Probably not. She probably didn’t want you knowing that’s what was happening to you.”

Allan enters the tent. He says the two-way mirror is ready. He says something about a park. Jacob and Calvin stop talking.

Tom can’t help but imagine them mad.

“…like a caged animal, Tom. And what kind of life is that? And who, then, would have put you in a worse position? The things outside…or your very own mother?”

Jacob and Calvin smile Tom’s way as Allan escorts them outside.

“Wait,” Tom says, but they’re already out of the tent.