In the past, Carolyn is about 11 years old and in her third year of apprenticeship at the Library. She’s learned countless languages, including those that haven’t been used in thousands of years. When she misses an answer on a quiz, Father whips her. He doesn’t provide food for the children, so they’re left to find it for themselves. Sometimes Carolyn gets food from the dead ones—the zombie-like inhabitants of Garrison Oaks, who act as a form of camouflage so that the neighborhood doesn’t look suspiciously empty.

Lately, Father has been murdering Margaret several times a week. He often tortures her with the expectation of it. Carolyn has noticed he brings Margaret back with a two-step process. The second step is required for full resurrection. The first step only reanimates the body. Carolyn suspects Father made the dead ones by stopping after the first step.

Father is angry that Margaret isn’t crying out in pain over her broken arm because only David is supposed to know the skill of gahn ayrial, the denial of suffering. David admits he taught it to Margaret, and Father punishes him by burning him alive inside his grill—the one in the form of a giant bronze bull—for three days.