It hurt when Eddie didn't take my hand and I quickly folded it back under my arm, then shoved both my hands in my pockets and then took them out again. They felt useless, like they were meant to be doing something else, and I was reminded all over again that I would have to go back before it got dark.

I wondered if Eddie and Beverly would want to come with me or if it was something I should do on my own.

When we reached Beverly, I couldn't smile. She knew something was wrong, I could see it in the way her eyes widened, in the pallor of her skin, and almost even before she was signing her questions, I had my hands up.

"Inside," I signed. "We should go inside."

This was something that needed to be said. I didn't want Beverly to have to try and piece together the sign language when even I wasn't anywhere near fluent in it.