The lanterns were extinguished one by one, and the village settled into silence. The sound of the sea drifted faintly through the forest, while the wind moved gently between the branches.
Jude fell asleep later than usual.
He had spent much of the evening thinking about the beach and the strange mark in the sand. He wondered where Sol had come from, whether someone was searching for him, and how a child could have reached an island that had remained isolated for so long.
Eventually, exhaustion overcame his thoughts.
He slept.
Somewhere in the middle of the night, the lantern inside Sol's cabin went out.
The boy sat on his bed.
He had not moved since Jude left.
The wooden bird rested on the table.
Sol slowly turned his head toward the open doorway.
Beyond it, the village was completely dark.
He stood.
His feet touched the wooden floor without making a sound.
Then he stepped outside.
