Her mother dropped her off on the corner where she could turn to head back toward home, leave the car in the garage again, then go to work—executive assistant at a financial company—on the subway. How did anything about their life make sense?

The walk to the school doors was a daily minefield. Who did you make eye contact with? Who did you avoid? Who actually wanted to talk and who didn’t? Was it bad form to talk to someone who was wearing AirPods? It was exhausting just getting from the curb to the building.

Ilanka pretended she didn’t see the three of them—tried to blow right past. The one guy sounded irritated and was saying, “Let’s just bring it to the office.”

“Ilanka,” the other, quieter guy—Eli was maybe his name?—called out. “Hold up.”

“I’m not interested,” Ilanka said.

“Just give us a minute,” Eve said. “I just need you for a second to see if our theory is right.”

No, not Eve.

Adam and Eve. Garden of …

Eden.

“What theory?” Ilanka said.

Eden held out the device and said, “Just take it.”

The annoyed guy said, “This is a waste of time.”

“You realize you’ve all gone insane,” Ilanka said.

“Maybe,” Eden said.

Ilanka looked at the device. “What’s it counting down to? Is it going to explode?”

“We don’t think so,” maybe-Eli said.

Eden said, “Just hold it for a second. Please.”

“This is ridiculous,” she said.

“Listen, Ilanka.” How did maybe-Eli even know her name? “This is just some kind of game. We know that, but we’re playing it anyway, and who knows, maybe there’s a prize, like, if we do well or win or whatever.”

“Well, good luck, then!” she said. “You don’t need me.”

“That’s the thing,” Eden said. “We think we do.”

The countdown was at three minutes.

“Just take it for a second,” Eden said, holding it out again for emphasis. “We’ll take it right back.”

Ilanka tsked and said, “Fine,” then reached out and took it in her hands. It was lighter than she’d expected.

The countdown stopped at 2 minutes 48 seconds.

They all exhaled.

Good job. Her turn now.

“No way,” Ilanka said, trying to hand it back, but no one would take it. She held up the message for them to see.

“Just for a while,” Eden said. “Like until the end of school. It has to be handed off within fourteen hours, so that’ll be good enough.”

Svetlana was crossing the street. Ilanka didn’t want to have to explain the simple fact of talking to them.

“Fine,” she said. “Where should I meet you to give it back?”

“Right here at dismissal,” maybe-Eli said. He turned to the others … “I can take it. I mean, if that’s okay with you guys.”

“I thought we were going to turn it in today,” the other guy said, annoyed.