Chapter 12, A Map of the End of the World Summary

The Dreamreader begins to make a map of the Town. In broad outline, the town is surrounded by a wall which divides it from wilderness and bisected by an elbow-shaped river course which runs from the east to the south and is spanned by three bridges. The river passes through the east wall but pools at the south wall where the water exits via a huge whirlpool. The Town used to have an east gate which has been permanently bricked shut leaving the west gate—guarded by the Gatekeeper—as the only exit.

The Dreamreader begins to read old dreams, three or four at a time. The Librarian explains that she is the only Librarian which will be paired with him, and he the only...