Claire, what’s wrong? Jo asked me, putting her arm around my shoulders.

I know you can hear me. Please don’t—don’t do this to me.

I’m worried I’m not strong enough, I told Jo.

Just walk out that door and walk into my arms and I can drive you home, okay?

Strong enough for what? Jo asked.

And we can put all of this behind us.

Strong enough for what, Claire? she asked me again.

Of course you’re strong enough, Leslie said from the floor.

What if I never come out? I asked.

Jo looked confused—You mean of the house?

I looked over at Emily. She was composing herself, wiping her eyes dry, and hugging Damian back, thanking him for restraining her. Howard, kneeling alongside Shawn and Mia, gestured over to me—Come on, Claire.

I want you to take a deep breath, okay? Jo said, looking into my eyes. I nodded, and inhaled, like an obedient child. That’s it, Jo said. Good. Now, come down onto the floor with us. I think everything will feel clear and centred again once we begin tuning.

Not knowing what other option I had, I slid down off the couch and joined the circle.

Okay, Jo said, looking at each of us. We’re all here. We’re all present. I know we’re all in a very heightened state at the moment, but we can channel that intensity. Okay? I want everyone to focus. With every ounce of energy you have in your bodies. Let every other sound fall away. Welcome The Hum in. Let it penetrate you. Let it fill you.

We closed our eyes and, gradually, The Hum began to emerge from us, moving through us, using our bodies as its conduit.

Let it replace you, Jo said. Atom by atom. Until you are nothing but the frequency of the Earth.

I could see the blue and red strobing light through my eyelids. The room was throbbing. The Hum built in intensity, until the room and our bodies grew hot, until another police officer’s voice came over the loudspeaker—You have five minutes to exit the premises through the front door in a calm and orderly fashion. And then he repeated himself, his voice crackling through the night. But we could not hear, not above our own raised voices, groaning, wailing, on the verge of becoming and coming apart, fevered and unbounded, thrashing, writhing, possessed, deeper through time, deeper through sound, deeper into flesh, sound into flesh, flesh into light, tearing at myself, tearing through time, tearing our clothes off, knocking over furniture, toppling over tables, lamps, vases—

Claire?

I could hear Jo’s voice.

Claire! Kyle shouted, trying to grab at me but I wasn’t there, I was shrieking, naked and unfurled into the sound, lashing like a flag on a mast in a hurricane, voices, the voices of the others in alarm—

What’s happening?