Carl felt his heart pounding in his chest. This new knowledge filled in a gap in the puzzle. Again, "A young boy?" he asked. "You didn't mention that before."
"Well, I suppose... "I suppose I never made the connection," Sarah said, her voice quivering a little. "But seeing you here, the grief in your eyes… it brought it all back."
She went into great detail about the altercation, the older man's frightening look, and the younger boy's desperate cry. The details of a younger Carl, a run-in with Richard, matched his jumbled recollections.
He came to a terrifying realization. Not only had he failed to rescue Emily, but he had also unintentionally put her in danger.
"Carl?" Sarah's words pierced through his clouded consciousness. "Are you alright?"
With tears burning his eyes, he shook h
