The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

Author:Justin Cronin [Cronin, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780525619482
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Penguin Random House
Published: 2023-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

IV

THE NURSERY

23

I roused from my fugue state to the sound of crashing waves. The ferry was approaching the reef; beyond it, the Nursery rose imposingly from the sea. How quick the journey had been! At a distance of several hundred yards, the ferry altered course, turning south to circle the island. There, on the far side, the reef was interrupted by a narrow channel, through which we passed into a sheltered lagoon. Great walls of unscalable rock surrounded it on three sides; the water was black with depth. An arched opening appeared in the far wall. The tunnel.

Inside, the temperature plummeted; the sound of the ferry’s engine increased as it rebounded off the damp stone walls. A few minutes passed; ahead, a single light appeared. The space around me expanded; the ferry had entered a cavern. At the far end was a pier, where a single figure waited. We came to rest with a soft roar of reversing engines. The waiting figure was a woman. I made my way down to her.

“Welcome to the Nursery, Mr. Bennett.”

I was astonished. It was Dr. Patty. The twinkling blue eyes, the glossy brown hair, the silver clip to hold it back: she was exactly as I remembered, right down to the sterling white lab coat and the clipboard she was clutching to her chest. The woman hadn’t aged a day, though at the time of my first visit with her, being so young myself, I’d probably mistaken her for someone older.

“Do you remember me?” I asked her.

A smile dawned on her face. “Why, of course, Mr. Bennett. You came to see me about dreaming, if I’m not mistaken.”

“That’s right.” I was strangely glad to find her here. “My mother brought me. I was quite young.”

“How very nice to see you again.”

Her tone was fond but colorless, exuding a kind of generic warmth. The effect was unaccountably relaxing.

“We’ll have lots to talk about, Mr. Bennett. For now,” she said, directing me to an opening in the wall, “if you’ll kindly follow me.”

An opening led to a carpeted hallway—clean, bright, rather sterile, like something in an office. At the end was an elevator. We entered and began to descend.

“Have you worked here long?” I asked her.

“Oh, for quite some time now. I find it very gratifying to work with retirees. As you yourself must know.”

“Why’s that?”

She glanced at me sidelong. “You needn’t be so modest, Mr. Bennett. I understand there are very few managing directors with your level of success. An achievement to be proud of, if I may say so.”

We’d been going down for a while, I realized. The elevator’s panel had just a single button, which, presumably, took it both to and from its only destination.

“And here we are,” said Dr. Patty.

The elevator opened onto a second hallway, identical to the first. We resumed our unhurried walking.

“You know,” I ventured, “I’m not actually supposed to be here.”

“The feeling is common among new arrivals. I assure you, it will pass.”

“What I mean is, this is all a big mistake.

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