S. wonders whether the ornate S symbol that appears everywhere might be on the walls of the cave. Both he and Jen “suspect” it is, if only he had the chance to slow down and find it. FXC connects this to the S drawings that have been appearing in the “real” world since Straka’s first book came out. She notes that the person/people behind these drawings is unclear and “Straka never showed any sign that he was even aware of the phenomenon.” The S symbol is a recurring image throughout the novel an apparently throughout other Straka novels. The significance behind it is unclear; it seems to carry with is a degree of mysteriousness.

As he speeds through the cave, S. tries to take note of each thing he passes. He sees “an outcropping that looks like a face with a long, pharaonic beard” which is an oddly specific image.