Scenes 15 and 16, Summary

Scene 15: This scene takes place in J.S. and Melissa's quarters. Melissa is heard offstage vomiting as J.S. comes in. Melissa comes in shortly afterwards and, embarrassed at being overheard, resumes packing. Conversation reveals that she's on her way to Chechnya; she thinks the research she conducts there will unearth good material for the last chapter of her book. J.S. asks whether Melissa is eating (the implication being that J.S. suspects Melissa's eating disorder has resurfaced). Melissa tells J.S. to not get involved, adding that she used to have nightmares but once she started traveling the world and documenting the stories of other ravaged women, the nightmares stopped. When J.S. asks her what she dreams about now, Melissa says she doesn't dream any more (see "Quotes," p. 109).

Scene 16: In a deliberate echo of Scene 8, Zlata again...