Chapter 8 Old Ghosts Summary

It is October 31, 1985, Halloween. Bernhard the newsman speculates on current events while Bernie continues to read Tales of the Black Freighter. In the comic-within-the-comic, the abandoned sailor continues his solitary voyage while he imagines the Black Freighter reaching his hometown, and imagines the rape and murder of his wife and family at the hands of the evil pirates. He finally resigns himself to suicide and steps off the decomposing raft. Instead of sinking into the sea, however, he appears to walk along its surface - he discovers he has finally reached his homeland. Meanwhile, inside prison, a composed Rorschach is being verbally threatened by several other inmates.

Elsewhere Dan and Laurie are happy and joking in Dan's apartment. While Laurie takes a shower, Dan answers the door to discover detective Fine. The policeman walks through Dan's house and notes...