Molly knew to whom the footsteps belonged before she heard Becky's voice call out, "Hello? Is someone in there?"
"We've got to hide somewhere," Molly whispered to Veronica. Molly stood up with little Veronica still draped around her. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine." She didn't know if she said that for herself or for Veronica.
She looked around the cavern for a place to hide, but there was nowhere. An opening in one wall had been sealed with bricks. They didn't have anywhere to go. She took a handful of Veronica's loose clothing and then got an idea. "Come on. We've got to hurry, but be careful. We don't want to set off any of those traps," she whispered.
Veronica nodded and followed Molly's lead as she crept away from the Fountain of Youth into a darkened corner. Molly instructed Veronica to lie down on the ground and then used the loose clothing to conceal them both. "Don't make a sound. We have to be very, very quiet," Molly said.
Becky reached the entranceway at last. "Hello? David, are you in here? You shouldn't leave the door open. Someone else could get inside. You know what Samantha said about people having access to the fountain. Where are you?"
Molly peeked out with one eye through Veronica's empty sweater, watching as Becky picked her way through the chamber. Maybe she won't think to look here and let us go, Molly thought. "Great. It's bad enough Molly's run off again without having to worry about this too," Becky grumbled. "I swear I don't know what I'll do with that child. She used to be so well-behaved and now I can't turn my back on her for a second."
Becky came closer to where Molly and Veronica hid, close enough for Molly to smell perfume. Perfume? She must have come here to meet David. Molly cringed at the image of them kissing and hugging and whatever else grownups did.
"I guess he's not here," Becky said. "I'll have to go by myself up to Pryde's cabin. God, please don't let her crawl into the safe this time. I know she's been a bad girl recently, but there's goodness in her heart. She's only confused and why shouldn't she be after everything that's happened to her? To go through babyhood again, that would play havoc with anyone's mind. Please let her be safe and I promise I'll try to do better to keep her out of trouble."
Molly's body grew cold as she listened to this prayer. Go through babyhood again? What did she mean by that? She thought back to her dream in the cabin, but what if it hadn't been a dream? What if it had really happened?