Summary

In "The Cottage," Gretel struggles to adjust to Sarah's presence. One day she tries asking Sarah about Marcus, but Sarah feigns confusion. Gretel recalls a night Marcus stays in the boat with Sarah and she sleeps on the roof. She remembers something moving inside, thinking it is the Bonak. In the narrative present, Gretel decides to forget who Sarah was and focus on who she is now. She asks her about Marcus again. Sarah pretends not to remember, but Gretel knows she is lying.

In "The River," Gretel constructs a history of Margot, which begins shortly after she leaves her parents' home. Wandering along the river, she joins four fishermen at their fire. They tell her about the canal thief. Though no one has seen him, he is known to steal things in the night. Feeling frightened, Margot leaves...