Contents
Third Interlude: Gwen, Under the Shadow
Overview
Gwen’s 2001–02 interlude spans 9/11, a fracturing group debate over who King Sorrow should kill next, and Donna’s unilateral choice of Francine Trout. Gwen reconnects with Arthur, who pursues mythical means to end Sorrow. On Easter, Black Cricket prison is obliterated; Gwen and Reverend Erin Oakes nearly die trying to save Wendy Arthur, who perishes. Afterward, evidence points to Amos Finch as Cady Lewis’s true killer, while Daphne, alive in supermax, hallucinates Jayne and awaits a violent “return.”
Summary
In 2001, EMT Gwen rushes a head‑injured student to the ER, where the TV switches to the first 9/11 crash. Months later, the friends reunite at The Briars. Colin urges using King Sorrow on Bin Laden; Arthur rejects more killing; Donna claims it’s her turn and has already chosen a woman—Francine Trout—hinting at “fish.”
Gwen later meets Arthur at a Gogan sledding hill. They share warmth and candor; Arthur describes seeking occult aids—the Surrealist’s Glass, giants, and a troll’s soul‑forged Sword—to kill Sorrow. Gwen, recalling Sorrow’s curse about her kiss, rebuffs a tender moment; they plan to meet the others later.
As Easter nears, Donna refuses oversight. Allie secretly texts Gwen: “Francine Trout. Confession.” Research shows Francine’s dubious confession to the Cady Lewis murder. At dawn on Easter, news breaks: a catastrophic “gas explosion” has leveled Black Cricket prison. Gwen deploys with her crew to Vermont and reunites with Reverend Erin Oakes at the disaster site.
Days into the dig, Gwen detects clanking—an inmate, Wendy Arthur, alive, waist‑deep in foul rising water with a crushed leg. Gwen, Erin, and rescuers work by hand; a non‑water‑cooled stone saw is used despite spark risk. Wendy describes a screaming entity inside the prison during the blast. As cutting continues, chemicals ignite below; the destabilized east wing collapses. Gwen drags Erin clear as the pit is buried; Wendy is lost.
That night, Erin recounts the accident that sent her to prison and her guilt. At dawn, Gwen confronts Donna by phone: four hundred are dead for Donna’s choice. Donna coldly defends Sorrow’s “justice.” Months later, Amos Finch’s stash ties him to Cady’s killing, undermining Francine’s confession. In supermax, Daphne Nighswander, spared by transfer, hallucinates Jayne promising her “resurrection,” foreshadowing renewed turmoil.
Who Appears
- Gwen Underhill (Underfoot)EMT and narrator focus; detects a survivor at Black Cricket, leads rescue push, saves Erin, confronts Donna over mass deaths.
- Donna McBrideUnilaterally chooses Francine Trout as Sorrow’s target; defends mass killing as justice; rebukes Gwen and Allie’s concerns.
- Arthur OakesScholarly dragon‑fighter; sleds with Gwen; reveals Surrealist’s Glass, giants, and a troll’s sword quest; near‑miss intimacy.
- Reverend Erin OakesLeads prayers and comforts Wendy; nearly buried in collapse; later confesses past that sent her to prison.
- ColinPresses to target Bin Laden; bristles when Donna overrides the group; emblem of systems and control.
- Wendy ArthurInmate survivor pinned in rising toxic water; speaks of a screaming entity; dies when the east wing collapses.
- Julius RothAmbulance driver; joins Vermont deployment; helps quiet equipment and support rescue efforts.
- Ben HammermillEMT partner; assists Gwen at the site; helps mobilize live‑find dogs and debris work.
- Mark RuffnerRescue lead; authorizes risky cutting to reach Wendy; tries to balance speed against structural danger.
- Tana NighswanderCalls Gwen as Black Cricket news breaks; bitter about her mother Jayne’s survival elsewhere.
- Francine TroutDonna’s chosen target; her disputed confession triggers the Easter strike; later implied innocent of Cady’s murder.
- Amos FinchRetired coach exposed posthumously; evidence links him to Cady Lewis, reframing Francine’s confession.
- Daphne NighswanderIn supermax; hallucinates Jayne on Easter night; anticipates her own ‘return’ and judgment.
- Jayne NighswanderAppears as a burned hallucination to Daphne, promising resurrection and vengeance.