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She could do that only when she touched the barrier For on the other side, outside the barrier, on the other side of that gray, implacable barrier, they touched it, too Orsay saw the barrier as thin but ilass just a few millimeters thick That’s what she believed, what she felt

Out there, on the other side, back in the world, parents and friends carims to touch the barrier and try to reach the onetheir loss

They reached out for Orsay

She felt them Most of the time She’d had doubts at first, still did at times But it was too vivid not to be real That’s what Nerezza had told her:

Things that feel real are real Stop doubting yourself, Prophetess

Sometimes she doubted Nerezza But she never told Nerezza that There was so, a person with depths Orsay couldn’t quite see but could sense

Sometimes Orsay was almost afraid of Nerezza’s certainty

Orsay reached the top of her rock She was surprised to realize that there were now dozens and dozens of kids gathering on the beach, or even ascending the base of the rock itself

Nerezza stood just below Orsay, acting as guard, keeping the kids back

"Look how many have come," Nerezza said to her

"Yes," Orsay said "Too many I can’t…"

"You must only do what you can do," Nerezza said "No one expects you to suffer more than you can bear But be certain to speak with Mary If you do nothing else, prophesy for Mary"

"It hurts," Orsay ad it All these anxious, hopeful, desperate faces turned toward her And all she had to do was endure the pain in order to ease their fears

"See! They come despite Astrid’s lies"

"Astrid?" Orsay frowned She’d heard Nerezza saying sohts were elsewhere She was only partly aware of ent on around her in this world Since that day when she had touched the Darkness she had felt as if the whole world was just a little bleached of color, the sounds auze bandages

"Yes, Astrid the Genius is telling these lies about you She is the font of lies"

Orsay shook her head "You irl"

"It’s definitely Astrid She’s using Taylor and Howard and a few others Lies travel quickly By now everyone has heard And yet, look howthis," Orsay said

"You can’t let lies bother you, Prophetess We have nothing to fear froht under her nose"

Nerezza smiled her mysterious smile, then seemed to shake herself out of a daydream Before Orsay could ask her what she "

Orsay had only heard Jill sing twice Both tiious experiences It didn’t s almost made you feel like you should do

"Jill," Nerezza said "Get ready" Then, in a louder voice, she addressed those on the beach "Everyone We have a really special experience for you Inspired by the Prophetess, our little Jill has a song for you I think you’ll all really enjoy it"