At 12 years old, Vanessa MacLeod decides not to attend the Remembrance Day parade, disappointing her mother, Beth. She feels guilty over this decision, as if in making it, she is betraying her father, Ewen, who marches with other veterans. Viewing the soldiers as imposters, she returns home and slams the door, disturbing the carpet and prompting Grandmother MacLeod’s reprimand. In a conversation with her father, she accidentally mentions that the soldiers looked silly, which hurts him.

The family’s financial struggles due to the Depression are evident as Beth returns to work at Ewen’s medical practice, and they hire a maid, Noreen, whom they can barely afford. Noreen’s intense religiosity and personal hygiene habits create discomfort in the household.

Noreen shares her beliefs about heaven and hell with Vanessa, who is intrigued despite her skepticism. Vanessa’s interest in the supernatural is shown through her use of a Ouija board and table talking, which predicts that her aunt will not recover from an illness, leading Vanessa to stop using it.

In her room, Vanessa notices a sparrow trapped between the panes of her window. She opens the window to free it, but it violently flies around the room. Vanessa is primarily concerned about having to look at the bird if it injures itself.