Travis is quite courtly toward Alia as they navigate through the staircase, taking her hand to guide her across water on the steps. She is aware of the hordes of frightened people surrounding her, the narrowness of the stairs, and the incessant blaring of sirens; paradoxically, “[…] everyone is pretty calm” (273). People calm one another when panic breaks out. The two hold hands for support, and Alia wonders how her parents would react to meeting Travis.

Travis tells Alia the story of his grandfather’s death. Travis accompanied Gramps to a weekly music session with a group of old friends, noting that “They’d known each other since ‘Nam” (274). As they left to go home, a young man started punching Gramps, who tried to calm things by talking to his assailant. Another member of the group pulled out a knife, and Travis ran to find help. Upon his return, Gramps was “[…] almost dead” (275). Travis’s father never forgave his son for the incident, characterizing his actions as cowardly. Travis agrees, noting that he had nearly abandoned Julia and Alia when he explored the building for an alternate staircase. Alia reminds him that “[…] you came back” (275), assuring him that he was not responsible for Gramps’s death.