In the shelter, Scott’s mother has recovered the ability to sit up and eat food, but she continues to stare blankly ahead without responding to stimuli. Scott’s father urges Scott and Sparky to speak to her, but she still doesn’t respond. The resentment that Scott felt for Ronnie after their fight has mostly passed, and the two boys have become close again. When Scott’s father suggests that everyone exercise to maintain their strength, Mrs. Shaw disagrees, asserting that the world has been completely destroyed and that everyone will inevitably die when they leave the shelter.

Later, Mr. McGovern complains of hunger and states, “Maybe we shouldn’t be feeding all these mouths” (124). Scott’s father responds angrily, for he understands that Mr. McGovern is talking about his wife. Mr. McGovern insists that to save the food, they should stop feeding Scott’s mother and Janet. Mr. McGovern justifies his perspective by quoting Charles Darwin’s principle of the survival of the fittest, but Scott’s father manages to make him back down.