Demon hitchhikes and is picked up by a muddy preacher returning from a lakeside camping trip. The preacher talks fishing and faith, and Demon considers the risks and hopes of finding his grandmother, Betsy Woodall, in Murder Valley. After dark, the preacher drops him at a busy truck stop to improve his chances of another ride.

Under harsh lights, a drug-seeking prostitute propositions Demon and follows him into the men’s room. Hiding in a stall, Demon counts his peanut-butter-jar savings, planning to impress his grandmother with proof he can work. The woman peers over the stall and then accuses him in the store of stealing “her” change jar.

The clerk, suspicious of Demon and unmoved by his protests, demands identification he doesn’t have. He punches Demon, seizes his backpack, finds the jar, and gives it to the woman as customers look on in silence. The woman, who hadn’t known about the bills, rejoices at the windfall.

Shaken and enraged, Demon lashes out verbally but gets no support. He walks into the night and down the highway shoulder, stating that this is how he left Virginia—penniless again—still heading toward his grandmother with nothing but his determination.