21Merla was in the kitchen, just beginning the Valettes’ dinner, when the moaning started. Dropping an eggplant into the sink, she froze, a feeling of dread passing through her. She did not know whether she should see if someone needed help or flee the house as quickly as possible.
Chloë and Gisele were under the small table in the foyer. Gisele had found a tablecloth that nearly reached the floor, and the two girls had brought stuffed animals and cookies with them, planning to bivouac indefinitely. When they heard the noise coming from upstairs, Gisele pulled Chloë close and put her hands over her sister’s ears.
Simon had put a small chair on the balcony of their bedroom, and Camille sat there watching swallows dive after insects in the early evening, having put her book aside. When she
