Summary

In Chapter 7, Caroline takes a bus to Boise. Though the area has changed, she easily finds her way back to the place she and Father camped that first night. She finds the flat stone where the stove sat and a heavy metal pipe that still bears the “scratches of the handcuff” (195). Caroline wishes she could start her time with Father over so she could try to keep them out of the situation in which he died. She has used some of the money for a bus ticket, and made some purchases, including an expensive sleeping bag and some food. She is not worried someone will recognize her. She continues to read Father's notebook, looking up unfamiliar words. She realizes that her current problems are from believing things that are not true.

Caroline spends the night at that camp, careful to have fresh batteries in...