The chapter revolves around a character named Gaspery who is in prison, possibly in a time that is not his own, and reflects upon his life and decisions leading up to his imprisonment.
Gaspery carves the phrase "No star burns forever" into his cell wall. This is a phrase from the 22nd century, indicating he might be from the future.
Gaspery spends a lot of time ruminating about the past, particularly the turning point when he went to someone named Zoey’s office with birthday gifts.
Despite being imprisoned and facing death, Gaspery experiences few regrets and reflects that his action of warning Olive Llewellyn about a coming pandemic was the right thing to do.
His cellmate Hazelton, a much younger man, asks about the phrase he carved and misinterprets it as a testament of positive thinking. Gaspery doesn't correct him.
Gaspery has found a sense of calm in prison and enjoys sitting on the edge of his bunk watching the moon through a small window.