As quietly as I could, I turned the lever on the dining room door and opened it, then poked my head out into the hallway. Nothing but cold air to the left. To the right, the hanging light at the end of the hallway swung just slightly, which didn't really mean anything on this drafty ship. There was no sign of what had made the footsteps.

A low fog curled up out of my brain, making everything hazy as though I were in a dream. My movements felt like I'd bathed in heavy sludge. ...