The Harrisons were mine in every sense of the word. From me they were made, and from them I would rise. I had only one more to go, and then all I had to do was make sure that, when I got back, I wouldn’t repeat the mistakes that landed me here in the first place. I had to find out exactly when and why it happened, go back to that very moment, and do the opposite. The Looking Glass was the only way.

In short, behind this door was my humanity. And I wanted it back. Whatever the cost.

“Can we go in now?” I asked, reaching for the doorknob. A tail came out of some unseen slot and slapped me on the hand.

“I can’t go in there with you, for mechanical reasons. Which means I will be timing you. Our research shows that it takes exactly three minutes and thirty-five seconds for the Looking Glass to find what it is looking for, and for that information to be printed. We calculated in roughly forty-three seconds for human processing time, to adjust for your antiquated circuitry. If the Looking Glass is still engaged when my timer goes off, you will be immediately shipped Downstairs. Do you understand?”

I went cold, but managed to nod.

“Good.”

Felix faced the door, and a light scanned his glass eyes. It flashed twice and turned green.

“Your time starts now.”

MICKEY

WHEN MICKEY OPENED THE bedroom door, Ruth was on the bed, a book in her lap. She cast it aside as soon as Mickey walked in.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Mickey didn’t know how to answer. She felt like a trapdoor had opened and all of her insides had spilled out, leaving her tripping over her intestines as she climbed the stairs, apologizing for their stains.

Her dad had never, ever talked to her like that. Sure, he yelled at her some for stupid choices. The time she brought food coloring into the bath and accidentally dyed the porcelain purple. The time she and Sean wrapped the family car in cellophane on April first. Those times, he yelled like he knew that was what he had to do, but ultimately, he loved her the same as always. Tonight was different.

“I’ll tell him tomorrow it was all my idea. I’ll just tell him, and it’ll be—”

“He assumed as much.”

Ruth nodded and slumped back against the bed. “Got it.”

Mickey felt pain moving through her, building a tether. She hurt, so she threw it at Ruth. Now Ruth hurt. And so on. Mickey lay down and buried her face in the pillow. She wanted comfort. She wanted her mother.

Mickey heard the bedsprings shift, felt Ruth press against her.

“I’m sorry, Mick,” she whispered. “I didn’t think he would find us. I had no idea—I didn’t think about what it would feel like for him.”