Chapter 4 Summary

Waiting for the bus on a blustery November morning, Muncie tries to carry on a conversation with Nyle. Nyle is lost in thought about Ezra and does not even hear Muncie ask her a question. When Muncie finally breaks through Nyle's trance, Nyle realizes that Muncie is asking her a question about a book that they just finished for their English class. The book is about death and belonging, which brings up the topic of the nuclear accident. Nyle asks whether or not the people nearby should have stayed or left. Muncie replies nervously that she does not know. Muncie does admit that she does not want the "affected" people near her.

Muncie also inquires about why Nyle did not come up to do homework the day before. Nyle does not want to tell her about Ezra and Mrs. Trent, and so she...