At last, she started up the stairs.
Fritz Jr.’s door was shut. She knocked. He opened a crack. She could see an open bottle of Heineken on his night table. She handed him his uniform, cleaned, for practice. “You’re going out tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Be smart. Don’t drive.”
“Okay.”
“Promise.”
He smiled small, his only way of smiling, sweet kid. “I will.”
The next door belonged to Ella. It was open, the girl sleeping atop her bed in her street clothes, Nicholas Nickleby open on her chest. Rhea took off her shoes for her, but even with the air-conditioning, the heat was such that she didn’t bother with a blanket.
Last, Shelly. Lost in thought, she broke her own rule and opened the door without knocking.
Shelly was standing in the center of the room, wet from her shower, big towel tightly cinched. Her taut body was precious as a colt’s, with big feet and hands and eyes, the rest not yet grown in. She was perfect, and loved perfectly. And if she seemed off sometimes, too dark and too sad for a rational person her age, it wasn’t Rhea’s fault.
“Mom?”
Something gritty and inscrutable unfurled inside Rhea Schroeder. A thing that had piled over the years, growing too large to control, too heavy to jettison. A murky monster. Holding the brush, she walked inside and shut the door.
THIS ACCIDENT
July 10
Map of Maple Street as of July 10
*116 Wilde Family
*118 Schroeder Family
INDEX OF MAPLE STREET’S PERMANENT RESIDENTS AS OF JULY 10, 2027
100 VACANT
102 VACANT
104 The Singhs-Kaurs—Sai （47）， Nikita （36）， Pranav （16）， Michelle （14）， Sam （13）， Sarah （9）， John （7）
106 VACANT
108 VACANT
110 The Hestias—Rich （51）， Cat （48）， Helen （17）， Lainee （14）
112 VACANT
114 The Walshes—Sally （49）， Margie （46）， Charlie （13）
116 The Wildes—Arlo （39）， Gertie （31）， Julia （12）， Larry （8）
118 The Schroeders—Fritz （62）， Rhea （53）， FJ （19）， Shelly （13）， Ella （9）
120 The Benchleys—Robert （78）， Kate （74）， Peter （39）
122 The Cheons—Christina （44）， Michael （42）， Madison （10）
124 The Harrisons—Timothy （46）， Jane （45）， Adam （16）， Dave （14）
126 The Pontis—Steven （52）， Jill （48）， Marco （20）， Richard （16）
128 The Ottomanellis—Dominick （44）， Linda （44）， Mark （12）， Michael （12）
130 The Atlases—Bethany （37）， Fred （30）
132 The Simpsons—Daniel （33）， Ellis （33）， Kaylee （2）， Michelle （2）， Lauren （2）
134 The Caliers—Louis （49）， Eva （42）， Hugo （24）， Anais （22）
TOTAL: 52 PEOPLE
From the University of Washington’s faculty personnel file for Rhea Schroeder （née Munsen）：
On February 12 of 2005, the accuser, Aileen Bloom （English Literature PhD candidate, 2008）， claims that Associate Professor of Literature Rhea Munsen invited students of her graduate seminar, The Internet as Reverse Panopticon, for after-class snacks at the Hungarian Pastry Shop, a local hangout. As Dr. Munsen is a popular professor, the entire class arrived, whereupon they resumed the heated philosophical debate they’d been having in class. A truce was reached, but Ms. Bloom continued to argue with Dr. Munsen. The rest of the group approached the counter for pastries. Ms. Bloom then excused herself to the ladies’ room.
Soon thereafter, Dr. Munsen followed Ms. Bloom to the ladies’ room, whereupon she kicked in the locked stall door…
Maple Street Group Chat
July 5, 2027, 2:05 p.m. [email protected]: Hey, guys. Anyone having reception issues with Verizon? I can’t get a connection and I’m supposed to post grades tonight!
July 5, 2027, 2:31 p.m. [email protected]: Same here and I’m Sprint. Took me half an hour just to post this!
July 5, 2027, 3:14 p.m. [email protected]: Okay—I left the block and am getting a better signal. Verizon says it’s the sinkhole. Lots of people have called.
July 5, 2027, 3:21 p.m. [email protected]: My cable’s out, too. AT&T.
July 5, 2027, 8:16 p.m. [email protected]: Check this press release put out by Hofstra: Bitumen reported to interfere with satellite signals.… No point calling your provider. It’ll work again when the hole gets filled.
July 6, 2027, 3:30 a.m. [email protected]: WTH? They’re telling us it’s safe but there’s something in the air that’s strong enough to interfere with satellite relay? Pretty sure that’s a vague description of radiation. Guys, stay inside. Windows closed. Lots of showers. Please!