The House in the Cerulean Sea

It’s raining in the city when Linus arrives. His bus is late, so he gets soaked. When he gets home, he discovers that his beloved sunflowers have been removed. Mrs. Klapper intercepts him with her usual grouchy admonitions and gossip. The return to the mundanity of his life makes it clear to Linus how sad and lonely it had always been. He finds a photograph Zoe took of the group on their first adventure. Linus realizes that what he’s feeling is grief. He finishes his report—only one sentence this time—and goes to work on Monday as usual. He’s short with his coworkers and defiantly puts the photograph in a frame on his desk. His manager criticizes him, but Linus doesn’t back down.

The next day, Linus reports to another meeting with EUM. They are astonished by and disapproving of his most recent report, which consists of a single sentence: “It is my recommendation that the Marsyas Orphanage remain open, and that the children therein continue under the tutelage of Arthur Parnassus” (355). Linus speaks sharply back to them, arguing for the orphanage to remain open and insisting that each child is worthwhile and worthy of love; in a marked change from his previous subservient demeanor, Linus is vigorous and unflinching in his defense of Arthur and his challenge of DICOMY’s ideals. After he’s dismissed, Linus considers quitting but does not. He goes back to work, defiantly replacing his framed photograph on his desk.

For the next several weeks, Linus moves through the routines of his days, missing the island and everyone on it. Every day, he smuggles out a few of his past reports, eventually moving on to smuggling out those of other caseworkers. On his 23rd day back, the EUM receptionist brings him a file with his report inside; it has been approved by every member of EUM, meaning that the orphanage will stay open and continue as it has been. He stands and asks the room what they’re doing, arguing that it’s wrong and that the system will destroy them all. He packs up his few things and walks out. The next day, he puts on his adventurer’s outfit and gets on the train back to Marsyas. He walks to the village, where Helen offers him a ride.

At the house, he addresses everyone, reciting some of Sal’s beautiful poem and delivering the news that DICOMY has approved his recommendation. He tells them how much he cares for and missed them and asks if they’ll allow him to stay now and forever. They confer and then agree, though they have some demands: He has to help Talia in her garden, spend a day each month with Phee and Zoe in the woods, allow Chauncey to do his laundry, give Theodore every button he can find, let them call him Linus, dance with them, and comfort Lucy when he has nightmares. Arthur asks him a few more probing questions; when he realizes Linus intends to stay, he kisses him. 

A year later, Helen arrives unannounced at the house. Since the children’s first visit to the village, she has taken down the “See something, say something!” posters and worked to position Marsyas as a place that welcomes visitors of any magical status. During the past year, every member of EUM resigned after an investigation revealed the discriminatory treatment of magical youth. Linus spoke with a reporter anonymously to help spread the story further. Helen tells them that she’s found a new, undocumented child, aged 11 and named David. He is a yeti with no family to be found. Linus immediately begins making arrangements to house him; Arthur suggests that they can convert the cellar into a cold room. As Helen leaves, she and Zoe briefly speak; they have begun their own romantic relationship in the last year. Arthur and Linus briefly worry over the question of whether their new child will interfere with their petition to jointly adopt all the children but decide they will handle any issues if they arise.