Page 43 of The Otherworld

“I was trying to call Jack,” he explains, nodding to the phone. “But he’s not picking up. I thought maybe it’s because of the storm…”

“Is it still storming?” I peer out the kitchen window through the swinging shutter, which must have blown open during the night. Rain pours down, and tidewater crashes on the rocks, sending up billows of white mist.

“Doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon,” Adam says. “Does your dad have a weather radio?”

I shake my head. “We’ve always predicted the weather from reading the sky.”

Adam stares at me, bewilderment in his eyes. They’re blue. I hadn’t noticed that before.

“How do you predict the weather in the Otherworld?” I ask, but before Adam can formulate a reply, the satellite phone explodes into shrill ringing.

At first, I don’t recognize the sound—we seldom receive calls from anyone, so it startles me out of my skin whenever the phone starts ringing out of the blue. Papa has always been the one to answer calls, but today it’s my responsibility. I rush into the living room, pluck the phone off its charging station, and press the green button.

“Hello?”

A rush of static. Then, through the fog, Papa’s voice.

“Orca? Orca, can you hear me?”

“Yes,” I shout into the receiver, trying to be heard over the whoosh of white noise. “Yes, Papa. Can you hear me?”

“Oh, thank God,” he says with a sigh of relief. “I tried to reach you, but the storm—the connection was too weak. Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Papa. Don’t worry about me.”

“I won’t be able to get back to you as soon as I’d hoped. This storm… they’re saying… days.” Papa’s words are choked and garbled by waves of static, but I hear enough to make out what he’s trying to say. “Will you be okay… don’t get back for a few…”

“I’m fine, Papa,” I assure him. “Everything’s under control. Don’t worry about me.”

“You take… of yourself, all right? Don’t go doing… dangerous. I hate to leave you… all alone.”

My gaze slides to Adam, and for a split second, I consider telling Papa that I’m not all alone—that I’ve met a strange and beautiful man from the Otherworld and even helped save his life. I could tell Papa all about this unexpected, miraculous turn of events. But would it cause more harm than good? Would it make him worry for my safety even more, knowing a stranger is here at the lighthouse with me?

What he doesn’t know can’t hurt him.

“I’m perfectly safe, Papa. Truly. If anything was wrong, I would tell you; but it’s not. Don’t hurry back until it’s safe to travel—I don’t want you getting hurt in the storm.”

The waves of static are building now, crashing and whooshing like an angry tide. Through the noise, I can barely make out Papa’s reply. “I love you, my girl.”

“I love you, Papa… See you soon.”

I hang up the phone and return to the kitchen.

“Was that your father?” Adam asks, leaning against the edge of the counter.

I nod. “He was worried about me. It seems the storm is bad enough that he won’t be able to come home right away. But I told him it’s all right, and not to hurry back. Did you have any luck with calling Jack?”

Adam shakes his head. “It rings and rings, but he never picks up.”

“Mmm. I’d offer you the satellite phone, but the connection isn’t very good on that one, either. Perhaps once the weather clears, it will improve.” I turn to the stove, pushing open the valve and stabbing at the coals with a poker. There’s still enough heat in them to get the fire going with a bit of kindling.

Adam sweeps his gaze around the room, taking in every detail. “Do you have… coffee?”

I grin. “Yes.”

He seems relieved that I know what coffee is. I cross the kitchen and open one of the cupboards, reaching for the glass jar of fine black powder.

“Coffee is one of those strange treasures from the Otherworld that the supply man brings. But Papa usually makes it, so I can’t promise mine will be very good.”

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