19.z (Interlude; Emma)

Worm, Chapter 19.z (Interlude; Emma) Summary:

Emma’s dad suggests she pick an extracurricular activity: ballet, horseback riding, modeling, or violin. Emma suggests moving out of Brockton Bay, but her dad refuses, citing his dislike of moving. Emma complains about the city’s decline, mentioning a friend’s birthday party. She receives a call from Taylor, who excitedly recounts a story from summer camp about a girl’s bikini mishap. Emma is relieved to hear Taylor sounding happy after her mother’s death a year ago. Their conversation is interrupted when their car stops in an alley, blocked by a dumpster and approached by ABB gang members.

Emma’s dad tells her to call the police, but she freezes. The window shatters, and a gang member grabs her hair. She manages to undo her seatbelt and is dragged out of the car. The gang members, dressed in red and green, take her jacket and discuss selling her. One of them cuts her hair. Emma, terrified, pleads for them not to harm her face. She is overwhelmed by fear and adrenaline but feels strangely calm.

A one-eyed gang member named Lao threatens to cut her face, offering a choice: one eye, nose, mouth, or both ears. A girl named Yan is tasked with the cutting. Emma sees a figure in a black cloak and mask on top of her father’s car. Lao hands the knife to Yan, who shoves Emma’s cut hair into her mouth. Emma thinks of Taylor, who lost her mother, and resolves not to become like her. She fights back, clawing Lao’s eye.

The cloaked figure attacks, breaking Yan’s arm and taking the knife. She injures Lao and defeats the other gang members. One escapes with Emma’s backpack, but the cloaked figure stops him, impaling his hand to a door with the knife. Emma’s father asks if she’s hurt, and the cloaked figure disappears.

Emma is in her room, ignoring her sister Anne. Taylor calls, but Emma refuses to talk. She imagines Taylor’s happiness before the attack and tells her mother she’ll never come out if she tells Taylor. Emma’s dad suggests a therapist, but she stays in her room, hugging her knees. He tells her they’ll be out, leaving her food and the therapist’s number. Emma stays put until they leave, then makes coffee and cereal.

She showers, leaves the house without locking the door, and walks to the alley where the attack happened. She worries about being seen as a victim. She waits, hoping to see the cloaked girl, but leaves when the sun is overhead. Emma realizes the world is filled with tragedies that shape people. She encounters the cloaked girl, who reveals herself as Sophia. Emma asks why she waited to help. Sophia explains she wanted to see who Emma was: someone who gets stronger or weaker after a crisis.

Emma wants to be stronger. Sophia explains her philosophy of winners and losers, predators and prey. Emma’s family watches her as she prepares to go out. Her mother mentions Taylor returned from camp. Emma says she’ll talk to her. She meets Sophia, and they see Taylor approaching. Taylor is happy to see Emma, but Sophia is rude. Emma tells Taylor to go home, ending their friendship. Taylor leaves, and Sophia trips her.

Emma’s phone vibrates. She gets a tackle box and goes downstairs. Her dad is at the kitchen table. She asks for his help without questions. They drive downtown and find Shadow Stalker injured. Emma and her father provide first aid.

Taylor confronts Emma about her stolen flute, a memento from her mother. Emma says Taylor shouldn’t have brought it to school. Taylor accuses Emma of trying to make a point. Emma calls Taylor a loser. Taylor says it says more about Emma. Emma asks Sophia about the flute, telling her to damage it.

Emma and her father are in a meeting. Her father attests to Shadow Stalker’s probationary membership in the Wards. Shadow Stalker is angry about the stipulations. Emma remembers an incident where Shadow Stalker accidentally killed someone. Shadow Stalker compares the Wards to prison. Emma tells her to fake it until she makes it.

Emma, Sophia, and Madison laugh as they leave a bathroom where Taylor is drenched in juice. Emma thinks about how Taylor has become a victim and how she has become someone who can laugh at such things. Emma visits Sophia, who is detained. Emma talks about moving back to Brockton Bay. She says things are better in the north, but downtown is still damaged. Sophia doesn’t care, saying the world will end in two years.

Emma says Brockton Bay is at the center of hope, with Arcadia High as the center of the city’s hope, and the heroes and winners at the center of the school. She intends to be a winner. Sophia says it’s sad. Emma hangs up and waves goodbye to Sophia, who is cuffed. Emma decides not to visit Sophia again, realizing she has become prey.

Emma asks her dad to detour to Taylor’s house. They see Taylor and her dad unloading a box from a new car. Taylor looks different, stronger. Emma realizes Taylor stayed in Brockton Bay and is doing well. She feels unsettled, remembering Sophia’s words about survivors being the strongest.