Tonight's dinner progressed without any conversation, which came as a relief to Nigredo. He hadn't wanted to talk, for one. For another, the decision to stay or to leave proved far easier with Sync asleep. It was always difficult for the boy to dawdle in the presence of another, as proved many times over in his daily life with 668 siblings. A walk--so long as he stayed out of the twins' way--was better than waiting for someone to leave.

Silently, he gathered up his flashlight and crept out into the hallway, taking care to shut the door without a sound. As soon as he was in the clear, the boy started his trek down the hall, pausing long enough at the beginning to turn on the device in his hands. Unnatural light, he decided, was better than nothing at all, even if he was technically supposed to keep a low profile.

[To here.]