Part 1, Chapter 16 Summary

The family lives secretive existences, concealing their lives from each other. There is no drama, no shouting, and no arguments. Silas hides his anger. Mikey walks endlessly around the city and has taken to going to Newclare, where Silas grew up. Yet, the family continues to live together. "The Alis remain together in their middle-class home in Berea, perhaps because they have no choice, perhaps because they realize that for any one of them to move out would require an acknowledgement of the 'thing' that has divided them, for ever. They do not speculate about their fate, they each find a way to deal with the reality of the 'thing'" (pg. 164).

Mikey talks to Vinu Viljoen, a woman from his English class. He tells her that from now on, he wants to be called "Michael." He remembers that Kate called him...