Monday, May 27, 1935

As Natalie’s interview approaches, the family, and especially Helen, wonders how much to disrupt Natalie’s routine. The day before Natalie’s interview is also her birthday, but Helen wants it to be just a normal, peaceful day because it takes Natalie a week to recover from her outbursts.

Natalie is contentedly drawing pictures of the different phases of the moon, when there is a knock on their door. Moose tries to ignore it at first but becomes concerned that the knocking will bother Natalie. Piper wants to come in and wish Natalie a happy birthday. She comes in, says happy birthday and leaves.

Natalie returns to drawing the moon phases, but then rips up the paper. Moose senses there is something wrong. He tries to distract her with lemon cake but he “can almost see the battle in her eyes. All at once, the storm seems to win” (183). He yells for Natalie to follow him outside, and she obeys, trying to fight her rising feelings.

They circle the parade grounds twice, and then Natalie takes off on her own in the direction of the west stairs. Moose follows, with Piper close behind. Once they figure out where Natalie is going, Piper believes that Natalie just wants to say goodbye to prisoner 105.