Chapter 1

Summary

• The book chapter is about a character who has moved into a house, which is unusual and quirky in many ways, including a significant problem with water pressure and a strange door placement that faces the woods. The house is leased, not owned, and aside from a few personal items, everything in the house comes with the rental.
• The character's last dwelling was a small apartment in the Prudential Center of Boston that seemed to have few personal touches. The character owns few pieces of furniture and mentions that moving them would be more expensive than buying new ones.
• The character, who doesn't seem content with the changes, implies that this transition was driven in part due to feeling trapped, alongside a desire to make a significant life change. It picks up the theme of escaping something, focusing on the anxiety the character feels towards a stagnant life or an impending threat.
• Before moving to this house, the character had a conversation with her mother about the decision to leave Boston and teach high school in western Pennsylvania. Emmy, who is described as the character's friend since college, convinced her to take the life-changing decision and has moved with her.
• Despite her mother’s doubt, the character defends her decision and insists on her ability to be useful and make a positive impact as a teacher outside the privileged neighbourhoods of Boston or NYC. The character thinks that her mother, who raised independently successful daughters, sees this move as a step backward.
• Lastly, the chapter indicates that Emmy has been missing for a while, which is causing some concern. The character is also worried about the overdue rent and finds a series of notes behind a furniture piece that Emmy never got to read. Because Emmy does not own a cell phone to avoid her ex being able to contact her, the main character feels frustrated and lonely, and is worried about Emmy's disappearance.