Challenger Deep

Caden describes how little his father knows about cars and how the automobile industry preys on the ignorance of people like his father. He thinks about the “check engine” light that comes on in cars, and believes that it is modeled on the human brain: “There are many ways the ‘check brain’ light illuminates, but here’s the screwed-up part: The driver can’t see it” (107). Eventually the problem grows so great that the car catches on fire. 

The Captain now wears a woolen uniform more modern than his former pirate outfit. One day, while observing Caden, he slashes one of the sails with a knife. As Caden watches, the sail repairs itself. The Captain says that the ship is alive, and that it can both hurt and heal. Caden asks if the pain belongs to Calliope. The Captain wants to know how Caden knows her name and says that it would be a good thing to know whether she feels the ship’s pain or not. 

Calliope tells Caden that she feels not only the ship’s pain but also everything. Caden believes that he understands and tells her, “Sometimes I feel inside of people around me.