On October 30, 1902, Bailey climbs his oak tree before sunset to retrieve the hidden box where he keeps small things tied to the circus. Looking down at Le Cirque des Reaves in the orange evening light, Bailey realizes there is nothing in the box he truly wants to take with him.

Bailey takes only Poppets white glove, slips it into his coat pocket, and returns the box to its hiding place. Back at home, Bailey counts his savings, packs a change of clothes and an extra sweater into a worn leather satchel, and waits until his parents and Caroline are asleep.

When Bailey finally starts to slip out, he stops to write a note for his parents, explaining his reasons for leaving and asking them to understand. Caroline catches him in the kitchen and confronts him, calling his recent behavior childish and ordering him back to bed.

Bailey refuses and escalates the argument, insisting that staying on the farm will never make him happy. He insults Carolines narrow idea of life, takes an apple from the bowl, and leaves her stunned and furious as he quietly walks out the door.

Bailey heads through the night toward the circus, expecting resistance or an alarm, but nothing stops him. Reaching the oak tree under the stars, Bailey looks down and finds the field below completely empty—as though the circus was never there at all.