Part 1, Chapter 4 Summary

Alex wakes up the next morning at exactly 8 o'clock. He is still tired from the night before, and has no desire to go to school. His father reminds him to get up before he heads off to work at the dyeworks. A little bit later, his mother comes in to get him up for school, but he tells her he has a headache. She reminds him that it is law that she cannot miss work at the Statemart, a local grocer, and tells him it is fine if he wants to sleep it off.

Alex falls back asleep and begins to have a disturbing dream about standing in a militaryesque line with some other boys while an older Georgie, in a uniform with stars, yells orders at him. He tells Dim, who also appears older, to begin whipping Alex, who runs...