Summary

In Chapter 4, Cameron “portioned out the perishables” and put Lily in charge of distributing the food, “mostly because of Tariq’s accusations” (35,36). Cameron orders Malathi to collect all the office’s party dishes to fill with water from the sink in Mangalam’s private bathroom.

While everyone slept, Uma and Mr. Pritchett kept watch. He told Uma that his birth name was Lancelot, but he was always embarrassed by it. He didn’t tell her that “he was afraid of dying in a slow, drawn-out way, from starvation or maybe lack of oxygen” (45). Uma realized that water is slowly seeping into the building and told Mr. Pritchett “because it was too frightening, knowing it all by myself” (46).

In Chapter 5, “they awoke to dampness” (47). Cameron said a prayer, and Tariq, Mangalam, and Mr. Pritchett tried to open the door again. A voice in Cameron...