"When he turned his head and looked behind him, he found, as he had expected, that the road was no longer visible. But ahead of him, the curve continued and seemed to turn forever. He walked on through the trees. The dark green wall of branches that surrounded him made him feel small and alone. On the edge of his mind there was a memory, almost too distant to see, just close enough to feel."

"They stayed late into the night. The strong coffee held Bridget and Kieran far away from sleep when they left the tiny white house. They had no idea where Patrick had gone to. They were in no rush to get home. As they walked over the smooth black streets of the town of their childhood they watched the sprinklers come on over the nighttime lawns. It looked different to Kieran. How could it not?"

"The sliding black doors showed them their reflections. A frantic energy crackled around them. Every emotion Kieran had felt over the past month sizzled just below his skin. He felt a scream building not in his lungs but in every pore and cell of his body. He felt like he could shatter all of the windows in the building with one blow. The doors slid open and he snapped back to reality. They had an appointment to keep."