The Handmaid's Tale, #2
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood
Contents
43
Overview
Jade and Garth sleep rough to strengthen Jade’s runaway persona, avoiding substances and conversation to prevent exposure. After Garth subdues a man and relocates them from a bridge to a church and then a cemetery, Jade’s crush grows. Garth maintains a protective boundary, underscoring the risks of their lure operation.
Summary
Jade and Garth spend a cold, damp night under a bridge with several drifters, including George, who pretends not to know them. Following Garth’s rules to safeguard her cover, Jade refuses cigarettes and alcohol and avoids conversation so no one can test her story or alert the Pearl Girls.
Garth does the minimal talking and performs as Jade’s boyfriend, wrapping an arm around her to maintain their cover and provide warmth. Jade feels a budding crush but recognizes it as part acting, part comfort.
The next night, Garth quickly defeats a man in a brief fight and decides they should move. They sleep in a downtown church filled with signs of other sleepers, using fast-food places by day for meals and bathrooms, which leaves Jade queasy from constant junk food.
On the fourth night, they relocate to a cemetery—good cover but risky due to unstable people. Jade teases Garth about being one of them, and notes he never takes advantage of her feelings. He stays focused on protection and boundaries, reinforcing the seriousness of their ongoing lure operation.
Who Appears
- Jade (Nicole)Undercover as a mute, vulnerable runaway; follows Garth’s rules, strengthens her cover, develops a crush he does not exploit.
- GarthHandler posing as Jade’s boyfriend; enforces silence, defeats a threat, relocates them, protects Jade while keeping boundaries.
- GeorgeAcquaintance under the bridge who pretends not to know Jade and Garth.