In the recent past, Victor, Mitch, and a still-wounded Sydney arrive at the hotel in Merit. After getting Sydney a change of clothes, Victor inspects her wound, giving her pain back just long enough to determine the severity. While Sydney isn’t otherwise wounded, all she feels is a “dull, pervasive cold” (52), and her body temperature is too low. Victor and Sydney trade cryptic answers to each other’s questions, neither sharing much about themselves. After Mitch and Sydney go to sleep, Victor wanders onto the balcony and stares into the night. 

In their dorm at Lockland, Victor and Eli argue about attempting to become an EO via NDE. Victor wants to try, but Eli says it’s too dangerous. If it doesn’t work, they could die, to which Victor says, “that’s a risk everyone takes by living” (57). Victor volunteers to try becoming an EO first, and a half hour later, he lies in bed feeling sick after downing a bottle of painkillers with whiskey. As he fights his growing panic and worsening symptoms, Eli watches with an eager curiosity in his eyes. Eli yells, but Victor can’t focus on the words. Victor’s body goes numb, and he starts sinking “straight through his skin and the bed and the floor, just down into black” (61).