The Marrow Thieves

Frenchie’s group and the Council’s group go on the run again. They bury Minerva, at which point Rose “took scissors to her curls” (212). Frenchie then “cut my own braid off to send with Minerva” (212). The group makes a new camp; Chi-Boy and Wab move in together, and not long after, “it became apparent to all of us that Wab was expecting a baby” (213). Everyone sets about the task of trying to recreate as much of their languages as possible, and sharing with the younger generations to preserve as much culture as quickly as possible. 

Rose leaves to go back to the woods. Frenchie avoids her, not wanting to deal with saying goodbye, and assuring himself that he does not want to go on the run again. Frenchie still has Miig’s pouch, which he opens to find a vial inside—the one that Miig must have identified as Isaac’s. After finding his way to Jean’s new living quarters, Frenchie tells him, “I have to go” (217). Frenchie collects his things and starts “running towards an idea of home that I wasn’t willing to lose, not even if it meant running away from the family I had already found” (217).