Boone, a powerful Black staff member, takes Robert from Haddock’s office to the schoolhouse while threatening him with absolute obedience. Boone says Robert’s only chance of ever leaving is to satisfy Boone and warns that any trouble will bring Boone’s full attention. Robert decides the adults are trying to frighten new boys into submission, so he resolves to act scared if necessary but never truly give in to fear again.

As Boone marches him across the field, Robert is suddenly overwhelmed by a supernatural vision. His skin burns, the air turns into choking heat and smoke, and he hears boys screaming in agony as if trapped in a fire. He briefly sees burning boys pounding at a wall before Boone jerks him forward and the vision vanishes. Boone’s reaction makes the moment even more frightening: Boone seems to know what Robert experienced, warns him not to listen to the haints, and implies that boys die here and do not all go home.

Inside the classroom, Robert struggles to steady himself while Mrs. Pournelle resumes her lesson. He notices the other boys sizing him up, with some looking hostile and some looking frightened or sad. To regain control of himself, Robert begins writing down the lesson, and the familiar work helps pull him out of the fire vision. When Mrs. Pournelle discusses The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Robert answers correctly and earns her approval.

That small success immediately creates a problem. Mrs. Pournelle uses Robert’s answer to rebuke Cleo, and Robert realizes too late that showing his intelligence has marked him as a target among the boys. He stays quiet for the rest of class, but when he leaves, four bigger boys ambush him behind the schoolhouse and beat him badly. Cleo threatens to cut Robert if he tells anyone, making clear that violence from other inmates is part of the reformatory’s system of control.

After a whistle stops the attack, Robert joins the line of boys while trying to hide his injuries. Boone notices his condition but does not help or investigate; instead, Boone takes Robert’s soiled clothes away to be burned, including Papa’s work shirt that Robert had hoped to keep. Robert forces himself not to cry and obeys. When Boone orders him to pick up his fallen tie and threatens to send him to the Funhouse, the fearful silence of the other boys shows Robert that even worse punishments still lie ahead.