“I knew you could do it, Rosie,” Ebb says. And then he begins to flicker.

In another moment, he’s gone.

Germ and I watch just the slightest hint of the sky lightening as the clouds of distant moths streak out toward the horizon.

The enormity of what I’ve done begins to sink in.

What forgotten things are going to be remembered? Will it ever, in the smallest way, change the world? All because of a story and one tiny little imaginary bird?

Germ, who’s been grinning from ear to ear, finally grows serious.

“Well, I’ve really got to get home. I’ve been living on M&M’s for the past twelve hours. And my mom…” She looks sorrowful and deeply guilty. “I may be grounded for, like, life. But when I’m allowed, I’ll call you.”

“What will you tell her?”

“I’ll tell her I was sleepwalking,” she says, and winks. And then she gets serious again. “No, I’ll tell her the truth. And she won’t believe me. And she’ll probably put me in therapy or something. But at least I’ll know it’s the truth. And I’ll keep trying to convince her, somehow.

“Rosie…” She hesitates. “I was thinking about it all the time I was walking home, and I’m pretty sure I’ve figured it out. I think the reason I got the sight is because I love you, just like how it happened with your mom and dad, how loving her so much helped him to see what she saw. I think maybe loving a friend can help someone see what they see too.”

She hugs me again; then we pull back and look at each other. There is still that uncertainty between us, that little bit of distance. But we are too happy to be bothered by it now. And I think maybe she is right about the sight, and how she got it.

“I’ll walk you up to the driveway,” I say.

We are just stepping onto the steep trail up to the yard when I hear it.

I put a hand on Germ’s arm.

She turns to me with a quizzical look.

“What?” she asks, but I hold a finger in front of my mouth, and listen hard.

It’s an unfamiliar sound, coming from the direction of the cliffs. I know what the sound is, but it makes no sense. It’s hard to distinguish above the wind off the sea. But I have a prickling, itching feeling.

“It sounds like someone calling my name,” I say.

Germ tilts her head and then nods. “I hear it too.”

It’s definitely coming from up on top of the cliffs now. Someone is calling, calling me.