Residuum--Prologue continued

“You were able to find a spot somehow, and to grab hold?”

“Somehow,” he agreed. He began to strum his fingers on the arm of the couch intermittently, as if typing out a message using Morse Code.

“And you’ve no idea how long you were there, you say?”

“No.” The answer came quickly, unlike all of the other words that refused to form coherent sentences.

“Do you remember being plucked from the water, then? When the lifeboats finally returned?”

“No.” Equally as easily accessible. “I don’t remember anything again until after I awoke on Carpathia.” He was quiet for a very long time again, before he reconsidered his statement. “That’s not true. I do remember something else.” His voice was soft now, just above a whisper, and the man across the room leaned forward in his chair, straining to hear. “It’s the true reason I’