The light of a deep pink sunset glistened on the water; the land in the distance had already gone to dark cutouts on the horizon. The ferry that chugged towards it was doing so without any lights on.

Seagulls were milling noisily around Hawk, who stood at one of the railings watching the horizon blur into the sky as night fell. He wasn't really listening to the gulls, who flapped across a backdrop of bruise-purple clouds and emerging, faint stars. One of them was nipping at his fingers, but it left with a complaining screech as someone laid a small hand on Hawk's arm to get his attention.

He turned to see Kim standing there with her hands on her hips. She signed "You look" and then a word he didn't know.

He gave her a puzzled look. She smiled wryly and spelled it for him: "H-O-M-E-S-I-C-K."

"Oh," he said out loud, and signed, "Yes."

"It's okay," Kim assured him. "We all are. But there is food to share tonight, if you're hungry."

Beyond her, between the station wagon and the trailer parked on the deck of the ferry, Parker and a trim bearded man with a tie were setting up a card table. Aram was pulling a six pack from the back of the station wagon; another monster, something like a large white weasel with a set of curved, scythe-like claws on its feet, appeared with a couple liters of soda. Teige was unfolding a chair next to the table.

"Do you want to learn more sign language?" Kim asked presently. "I like to teach. My husband can help."

Hawk looked surprised for a moment, and then nodded.