Page 45 of Dead of Summer

HENRY

Their dresses trail through the night sky like banners until they hit the water with barely perceptible splashes.

Henry steps away from the telescope and dashes outside skidding down the old staircase with panic rising in his throat.

He freezes at the threshold of the dock, where he stops and stands, trembling.

He can’t just leave, can he? What about Margie?

He looks up at the windows as though Margie is still inside and he needs to care for her, to keep her safe.

But it was never really safe, was it? Her voice is at his back. It is kind and nurturing.

No, it wasn’t, Henry thinks, blinking back tears.

You must go now, Henry.

This will change everything .

Yes.

What about you? But there’s no answer.

Margie’s sickness had advanced almost without him even noticing. First, she’d spent more time in bed. Then they’d stopped taking meals at the table. It was slow, over the course of months. He should have paid closer attention. He hadn’t had time to prepare.

“Bury me here,” she’d instructed him near the end. She knew her time was coming, of course she did. But Henry still couldn’t imagine it. He shook his head, unwilling to hear her. “Here on the island,” she’d repeated.

“Do you want a piece of toast? Some tea?” he asked instead, trying to push away the panic that had gripped his throat.

Her fingers were weak on his arm. She was insistent. “Hush, Henry. Enough, now listen. I don’t want to leave this place. Keep me here.”

“Stop, Margie, I don’t want to hear it,” he choked.

“There’s a place on the leeward side. The stones are loose. It’ll work nicely.” She’d said it with enough conviction to send dread coursing through his veins.

“Margie,” he had moaned. The horror of it was upon him now. She was telling him the truth.

“I don’t want you to leave,” Henry admitted.

“I won’t leave.” She patted his hand. “I will be right here with you, always.”

His vision blurred then and he had to look away, to the wood paneling on the walls, slowly going in and out of focus.

“Promise me you’ll do what I ask.” He had only been able to give her a short nod before leaving her there on the bed. He wanted to shut it out. He’d felt like a curse had been cast as he backed quickly out of the room. As though her saying it out loud was willing it all into existence.

He doesn’t have any more time to think. He runs to the boat and drops into the hull.

It’s been so long since his feet have left the Rock, they feel uncertain in the bottom of the boat.

His chest is floating as he pushes off from the dock.

Henry pulls at the starter of the small motor with all his might.

It sputters at first and then roars to life, drowning out everything else.