As S approaches the newspaper bin, he ponders whether a resident of Winter City will raise his head and meet S’s eyes, but soon dismisses the idea. “They may share a destination–the newspaper bin–but they will return to their sad, quiet domiciles and read of distant events that they have no power to change”, writes VMS. S reaches in the bin and picks up a copy. On the front page prints a photograph of another city lit by incendiaries.

Jen expresses her surprise about Eric’s yet another, unnoticed visit to Standefer Hall. Eric replies that he visits because of “desperate time etc”, and says “it’s amazing how easy it is to be invisible.”