‘What’s your favourite colour?’

“The sky just before it—”

‘Do you have strange visions or dreams?’

“No.”

‘Do you ever have intrusive thoughts?’

“No.” Then, “Wait, what does intru—”

‘Are you ever scared you might harm yourself?’

Cooper shook his head.

‘Are you ever scared you might harm yourself?’

“No. No, I ain’t never—”

‘Are you scared you might harm someone else?’

Peter looked up.

Cooper shoved his head in his hand. “No. I—”

‘What’s your father’s name?’

“Bartholomew Terrence Donaghue.”

‘What’s your mother’s name?’

“Mattie Donaghue.”

‘Do you—’

“Mathilda May Donaghue. That’s her name in full.”

Peter watched Cooper’s shoulders expand as he drew her name inside him for a moment. He never talked about his mom.

‘What’s your favourite season?’

“Fall.”

‘Do you think the Dead were brought down by God to destroy humankind?’

Cooper looked up for help, but Tokala urged him to do his best.

“No,” said Cooper.

‘Do you think the Returned are agents of the Dead sent to help them wipe the living from the planet?’

“No.”

‘What’s your happiest memory?’

Cooper clapped both hands down across his knee. “I dunno. Hell, I can’t even think straight no more.”

‘What’s your saddest memory?’

Cooper looked down.

The mesh box went quiet.

‘What’s your saddest memory?’

‘What’s your saddest memory?’

“Peter lookin’ at me like he dint know who I was no more.”

Peter’s heart pounded. He was so sure he would’ve said Snowball dying.

‘What’s your favourite animal?’

Cooper said nothing.

‘What’s your favourite animal?’

“Moose.”

‘What’s your favourite plant?’

“Pine.”

‘What’s Timberdark?’

Cooper’s shoulders expanded to draw in the enormity of the question or maybe the enormity of the answer, Peter had no idea which. But he didn’t answer.

‘What’s Timberdark?’

Cooper lowered his head even further so his hair spilled across his face. The mesh box crackled. It waited. But Tokala pre-empted any further questioning. He glanced up towards another box in the corner of the room behind Cooper and shook his head. A little red light on the side of the machine faded and Tokala turned towards Peter, leaving Cooper alone with his thoughts.

“I’m sorry Cooper had to suffer those questions,” he said. “So, I thought it best to sit with him while he did. Peter, it’s good to see you again.”

“You too.”

“We didn’t get a chance to talk on the journey over. Are you well?”

“I guess.” Then, “West Wranglestone is very pretty.”

Tokala nodded in agreement.

“The lights.”

“Yes. They’ve gone to great efforts to make it welcoming. But I’m sure the town must fill you with a hundred questions.”

Peter glanced at the empty square in the carpet and smiled. “I met Teddy.”

“Ah. He means well.”

“I expect he’ll have all the answers.”

“Most likely.”

“He told me what a pencil sharpener was.”

“I see.”