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This chapter is full of much goo. Good goo and actual good, that is. Jamie wakes up and is confused at all the commotion. Now that he’s awake, the healing procedure is ready to be completed. The process is somewhat graphic and gross with this and that oozing out, but in the end, Jamie doesn’t feel any pain (gotta love that No Pain), and he is healed! He’s back to his usual self, excitedly chattering to Wanderer about the raids. He’s especially excited that Wanderer got to go on a raid, as is mostly everyone else. Except for Ian. He’s extremely disappointed that Wanderer had to cut herself and insists that she shouldn’t be used as a tool. Jared protests saying that Wanderer can and wants to help, so she should. They “fight” over her a bit more, then Jeb intervenes with dinner.
They all feast and by the end of the night, the leftover few find themselves in a really weird…pile of people: “My head ended up pillowed on Jared’s stomach; his hand stroked my hair now and then. Jamie’s face was against my chest, and his arms were around my neck. One of my arms wrapped around his shoulders. Ian’s head was cushioned on my stomach, and he held my other hand to his face. I could feel Doc’s long leg stretched beside mine, his shoe by my hip. Doc was asleep – I could hear him snoring. I may have even ben touching Kyle somewhere.”
The humans and Wanderer start talking about raids again and Ian protests, once again, stating that Wanderer doesn’t even want to go on raids, she’s only doing it because she wants to help. “We stop to think about ourselves. She doesn’t,” Ian says.
The conclusion of his chapter can be likened to the scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in which everyone is offering up their swords and bows and axes to Frodo:
Ian: If she goes, I’m going too. Someone has to protect her from herself.
Kyle: And I’ll be there to protect the rest of us from her.
Jared: And I’ll be there to bring you all back alive.
