“You’re missing my point,” said Cal. “This isn’t about leaping. It’s about learning the truth.”

“And you’re missing my point,” said Sadie. “Sometimes, when we learn the truth, we wish we still knew only the lie. By not knowing, hope can live on.”

“Yeah, well, by that logic, we might as well just stand here and close our eyes, hoping that we’ll magically wake up at home.” He turned his back on her and walked toward the refrigerator.

Everyone called out for him to stop, but Sadie was the only one who took off after him. Placing her ukulele on the floor, she grabbed his elbow and pulled him backward. Lou cried out, “Sadie, no!”

“Get off me,” Cal grumbled. He yanked himself away and then dashed closer to the refrigerator.

It thumped and shook again.

“Please, Cal! Don’t!” Sadie called.

Cal smirked and reached for the door. “You’ll see.”

To everyone’s shock, the handle moved by itself, and the door squeaked slowly open.

CHAPTER 22

LOU WATCHED, STUNNED, as Cal peered into the refrigerator. She was waiting for the door to burst wide, smacking him in the chest and launching him backward into Sadie.

But nothing happened.

Cal gagged and then covered his mouth and nose with his hand. “Holy crud, it stinks.”

Sadie stepped away, and Cal dragged the door open fully. From where she stood with the others, Lou could only make out darkness inside.

Cal leaned forward and then shook his head in amazement. “You guys have to check this out,” he said, rubbing at his throat, trying to not gag again.

“Is it empty?” asked Rufus.

“Sort of. But … you need to see for yourselves to understand.”

“Sadie?” Lou called out.

Sadie turned toward her, her eyes wide and red, nodding slightly.

Nina, Rufus, Marcus, and Lou made their way around the butcher-block island.

As she came closer to the open door, Lou understood why Cal looked like he wanted to throw up. The smell was worse than at her condo’s Dumpster on the hottest summer day. Its surfaces were green with mold and dripping with black slime, and Lou wondered if she’d ever have an appetite again.

But it wasn’t the smell or the slime that had captured Cal’s and Sadie’s attention. Where the rear wall should have been, there was nothing. The space just went on and on like a garbage chute sloping downward into the earth. At the far end, there was a pinpoint of light.

“A way out,” said Cal. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the refrigerator and then disappeared into the darkness.

Nina grabbed Lou and squeezed her like a rag doll. “I can’t do this!”

“We have to,” said Rufus. Covering his mouth with his hand, he followed Cal. Sadie pressed her lips shut in silent anger as she too stepped inside, clinging to her ukulele. She didn’t even look back.