“Then I see that the acid is on my skin . . .”

Her throat seized for a few seconds.

“I begin to scream . . .”

“And that’s the end?” Helen asked.

“And then I hear a voice echo around me. Find him.” Sherry swallowed at the lump in her throat. “That’s what I think I heard. Find him.”

They sat in silence for a few seconds, when Sherry heard a creaking. She opened her eyes to see Helen rise slowly to her feet and hobble to the window.

Helen looked out for some time. When she finally spoke, it was without turning.

“You know, Sherry, I look out of this window often and I see an ordinary world.” Sherry followed her gaze. “Ordinary trees, ordinary grass, ordinary blue sky, sometimes snow, coming and going, hardly changing from one year to the next. And yet, even though most never see it, those of us with any sense know that an extraordinary force began all of this. We know that even now that same force fills the space we can’t see. But sometimes, once in a great while, an ordinary person is allowed to see that extraordinary force.”

Helen turned to her now, smiling. “I’m one of those people, Sherry. I have seen beyond. And now I know that you have as well.”

Sherry sat up. “I’m not a prophet.”

“Surprising, isn’t it? Neither was Rahab, in the Old Testament. In fact, she was a prostitute—chosen by God to save the Israeli spies. Or what about the donkey who spoke to Balaam? We can’t always understand why God chooses the ves- sels he chooses. God knows it makes no sense to me. But when he does choose a vessel, we’d better listen to the message. He wants you to go back, dear.”

“Go back?” Sherry shook her head. “To Venezuela?”

Helen nodded.

“I can’t go back!” Sherry said. “I don’t want to be a vessel. I don’t want to have these visions or whatever they are. I’m not even sure I believe in visions!”

Helen returned to her chair and sat without responding.

“What even makes you think that’s what this is about?” Sherry asked.

“I have this gut feeling I’ve learned not to ignore.”

“I’m finally sleeping for the first time that I can remember,” Sherry said. “I just want things to be normal.”

“But you’re running. You have to go.”

“I’m not running! That’s stupid! I want to sleep, not run!”

“Then sleep, Tanya.” Helen was smiling gently. “Sleep and see what happens. But I have seen some things too, and I don’t mind telling you that this is far beyond you or me, dear. It began long before you were trapped in a box. You were chosen before your parents went down there.”

“I’m not interested in being chosen!”