Summary

The first-person narrator begins by describing his physical surroundings in an unspecified location near London, England, focusing on the autumn weather. He mentions that he spent so long taking notes on the falling leaves that he missed his appointment with Doctor Baxter.

The narrator hears on the news that a baby's corpse has been found in the wreckage of a house destroyed in an area called Coldbarrow. Hearing about Coldbarrow prompts the narrator to reflect on his own experiences there 30 years ago. He states that something happened that “wouldn’t stay hidden forever, no matter how much I wanted it to” (1).

The narrator contemplates calling a man named Hanny, who is involved in the church, to talk about the current flooding and whether it brings back any memories. The narrator removes a book written by Hanny from his shelf and looks at the picture...