Summary

This section begins with a man awakening in the north and watching the five white spruce around him. The spruce pours out messages and the man think that they are all doomed. The trees answer that they have always been doomed but it is different this time. The man knows he must rise and finish his work but he wishes that the growing green would take him up and become all he needs.

The aftermath of Olivia's death is chaotic, with the agreement to put Olivia's body in the fire and send her into forever. The four return to Portland and agree to protect each other and to split up. Nicholas camps on the stump of Mimas and laments not being able to hear Olivia's voice and the voices of the forest. Mimi and Doug strip and clean the van. She informs him...