They walked back to the wall between the Lull's body and the white stones. Nobody spoke. Almond kept one eye on the man at the front of the tide the whole way.
The man did not move. He stood with his hands at his sides and watched them go.
Lily was waiting at the north gate. She had let go of Silvester's arm. She did not say anything when Almond came through the stones. She put both hands on his face and looked at him, as if she were counting him.
"I came back," he said.
"I saw." Her voice was rough. "Don't do that again for at least a week."
They went up onto the wall.
John was still standing where he had been. He had not moved since the Lull screamed. The old woman stood a few steps behind him with her hands folded over her empty bag.
The man in the field walked forward.
He came forward alone. Behind him, the tide did not follow. He walked past the dead Lull, past its great open eye, and he did not look at it.
