Immanuel strips to his underwear and climbs down the aluminum ladder into the pool, the cool water giving him the shakes. ‘It’s cold.’

‘It’s warmer in the nexus. Now take a deep breath and go under.’

Immanuel takes a gulp of air and ducks underwater, working his way below using the ladder. Gripping the bottom rung, he closes his eyes.

Blackness.

His heart pounds in his ears.

His lungs burn.

Immanuel releases the rung and kicks to the surface, exhaling as his head breaks water. ‘You are such a goddam liar. I swear, I don’t know why I let you talk me into these things.’

‘I wasn’t lying—’

‘Shut up!’ Immanuel climbs out of the pool, shivering. ‘I’m going inside.’

Jacob grabs his arm, then points to the digital clock on the pool house wall. ‘It’s 2:04, right? Watch and learn.’ Without waiting for a reply, he dives in, kicking to the bottom.

Immanuel sees his brother wrap the crook of his left arm around the lowest ladder rung. Crazy freak.

Jacob steadies himself. Closes his eyes. Loses his thoughts in the blackness behind his eyelids.

In his mind’s eye, he is sliding down his larynx, racing through a bronchial tube into his right lung. He follows a bronchi branch into one of the smaller bronchioles until his mind dead-ends at a harvest of grapelike alveoli clusters, each tiny sac containing molecules of air. Like a honeybee he taps into each one, drawing minuscule breaths, which he redirects into his oxygen-starving brain.

The constriction in his chest eases. The pinpoint of light appears, its warmth increasing as it expands.

Okay, I can do this … I can do this …

Jacob Gabriel’s mind slips inside the bright hole, his soul bathing in its warmth.

Then he sees the shadow.

Immanuel looks up at the clock. Almost three minutes … A tingling as his bladder tightens. What do I do? What if he drowns? He focuses on his brother’s face. Sees the melancholy smile. Geez … he’s really doing it.

Beyond the haze is a lithe figure, floating along the periphery. Jacob’s mind reaches out to communicate: Hello?

Who’s out there? A girl’s voice. Frightened.

Don’t be scared. My name’s Jacob. Who are you?

Lilith. Where are we?

It’s a special place I call the nexus. How did you find it?

Brandy taught me. She told me to hide in here.

Why are you hiding?

I … I can’t tell. Quenton will get angry.

Who’s Quenton?

My grandpa. He says I’m a heathen. Says my soul needs to be cleansed.

Lilith, I have to go.

Wait! Please don’t go, I get so … lonely.

I have to go, but we can talk again.

Really? Will you be my friend, Jacob?

Of course, but now I have to go.

The digital display advances—2:11.