He nodded quickly, swallowing. “Yeah. Claustrophobia, I guess. Or maybe the darkness.” It sounded flimsy even to his own ears. Rose’s expression didn’t ease, but she didn’t press him. The boat moved on. Lucas sat still, heart pounding as if he’d just escaped something unseen.
Outside, the sun felt too bright. Rose held his hand tighter than usual. “You scared me,” she said. Lucas smiled weakly. “Sorry. Must’ve just been a weird moment.” But he couldn’t stop thinking about it. The ocean. The gangway. That doll. It felt… real.