Chapter Seventeen and Chapter Eighteen Summary

In Chapter Seventeen, Alex struggles, but makes the trip dragging the sled with his sister to Port Authority. They fall several times, and are freezing, cold, and nearly unable to move from exhaustion, but they make it. However, when they arrive, they are informed there is no convey on account of a quarantine of the city. Alex realizes that in two weeks, when the next convoy runs, he will be over eighteen, too old to be claimed by Mr. Flynn as a his ward, but that he will be able to bring his sisters back, and save them. After the trip back home, Julie and Alex discover the school is also closed due to quarantine. At home, the family has one can of beans, and a container of macaroni with bugs in it, but as...