50 pages • 1 hour read
J. L. Esplin96 Miles
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter 20-EpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 20 Summary
To cover 23 miles in six hours, John uses a strategy: he walks for one mile, then runs for another. After 14 miles, a sharp pain stabs at his chest, and he stops for a rest on the roadside. The canteen is empty, and a bloody blister throbs on John’s right heel. To push through, John sets small goals for himself; he chooses a spot in the distance to reach, then chooses another when he reaches it. His choice to not say goodbye to Stewart nags at him.
The next thing John knows, he’s waking up in the cool night air. He has no idea how he let himself fall asleep. He judges the time to be 9 p.m.; Stew, Cleverly, and Will would have been expecting him to make it to the truck hours ago. John starts to run, embracing the pain as punishment for his mistake.
He finally reaches the turn-off for Brighton Ranch, and spots the Brighton’s dog, Sammie, as he approaches the dark house. Nate Brighton, Jess’s brother, emerges from the house holding a rifle. Thinking Nate must be confused, John tries to call out in greeting, but Nate cocks the gun and tells John to stop where he is.
Chapter 21 Summary
John can’t understand why Nate is aiming the rifle at him. He is both shocked and confused when Nate says he can’t have any of Jess’s insulin and accuses John of being unprepared. After arguing with Nate, John realizes Jess’s older brother is not in his right mind. He’s relieved to hear Jess’s voice call from the house, and when Nate’s head turns for a moment, John makes a run for it.
Nate soon catches up in the tortoise enclosure. He and John throw punches as Jess, nearby, begs them to stop. Since Nate is bigger than him, John knows he won’t win the fight. He pretends to lose, and Nate pins him, lecturing him about preparedness for surviving disaster. Suddenly, John sees Nate and his brother Stew in sharp contrast; Nate is only thinking of himself and his family, but Stew has been thinking of others all along. He didn’t want to come to Brighton Ranch because he knew that would mean taking insulin from Jess. He also made sure they helped Cleverly and Will, two total strangers, at the journey’s outset. John knows that people do crazy things to survive, but that one has to be able to live with oneself when things return to normal.
Seeing his opportunity, John hits Nate with a flashlight, but it isn’t enough. Just as Nate is about to strike, the electricity flickers on for a moment before going dark again.
Chapter 22 Summary
Jess rouses John and gives him water and pain medicine. John tries to clear his head and explains to Jess that Stew needs insulin. She already has her diabetes shoulder bag with her, and John feels relief wash over him. It’s already 10:48 p.m. John gives a description of Stew’s state as he and Jess make their way out of the tortoise enclosure. Jess explains that her dad drove to Las Vegas to check on their mom, and Nate’s been paranoid ever since.
Nate has a truck they can take, and Jess soon has the keys. John grabs water bottles and cold Cokes from the refrigerator before they go. He asks Jess for food too, and although she doesn’t have burgers and fries, she has potato chips they can bring along.
John has a rocky start getting the truck out of the garage, but once on the road, he speeds up. On the way, he learns that Mr. Brighton has been gone longer than Jess and Nate expected. Just like John, they aren’t sure what’s keeping their dad.
They finally reach the other children’s truck on the roadside, but it appears abandoned.
Chapter 23 Summary
John is convinced something must have happened because he took so long to make it back to the group, but Will soon pops up from the truck bed, and John hears Stew’s voice say, “I knew he could do it” (258). Jess springs to action, giving Stew water and testing his blood sugar. She administers insulin, and patiently explains to Will the process Stewart’s body is going through.
Cleverly spots the Coke John brought and can’t help but smile as she gulps it down. Will explains to Jess about drinking toilet water and offers her membership in their Battle Born club. Stew laughs, slowly returning to his old self, although it will be a while before he feels better. John also announces that the power flickered on for a moment, giving everybody hope that their ordeal may soon be over.
When they have a moment alone, John apologizes to Stew for not listening to him. Stew says he doesn’t have anything to be sorry for, and that he’s lucky to have John as a brother.
Just before the group leaves to go to Brighton Ranch, John leaves a note in Spike’s truck, guessing that Spike will get the truck back before long. He takes the registration from the glove box and writes a message on the same paper that Spike had used to write directions to the Lockwood’s house. His tells Spike that he has Spike’s address and signs it, “Sincerely, The Battle Born” (264).
Epilogue Summary
Jim Lockwood leaves a voicemail for his sons saying that he made it back to Nevada and is almost to Las Vegas, where Mr. Brighton is waiting to give him a ride home. He knows his boys are ok because they have each other, and he remembers the glowing light from the blue flag in John’s room the morning he left. He hopes John has it hanging on his bedroom wall.
Chapter 20-Epilogue Analysis
While John demonstrates grit, his toughness is somewhat driven by fear, pride, and an inability to admit that he isn’t superhuman. As he makes his way to Brighton Ranch alone, John pushes himself too hard. Alternating between walking and running leads to pain and an inability to continue. His body simply gives out. Although John has grown and matured on the journey, he still hasn’t learned to give himself grace and admit when he needs help or rest.
Esplin introduces Nate Brighton, Jess’s brother, as an example of the paranoia and brutality that people may adopt in a crisis. When feeling threatened, Nate loses his of humanity and care for others, even a friend he’s known for a long time. John recognizes that Nate is operating on self-preservation instincts rather than reason. He draws a contrast between Nate and Stewart, realizing that despite facing death, Stewart’s character has remained intact. Although Stew has changed externally, his values have held steady. This recognition on John’s part is a turning point in his coming-of-age and growing awareness.
Nate is a foil for John, or a character who illustrates another character’s personality through contrasting traits. Both Nate and John are men of the house while their fathers are away, but each handle this responsibility differently. Both are afraid, but while Nate allows fear to turn him against others, John maintains his compassion. Esplin also contrasts Jess with Nate. Jess is caring and focused on others, her eyes filled with concern as John explains Stew’s symptoms.
Esplin uses Jess to educate the reader on diabetes as she explains the way it is impacting Stew’s body. Jess also exemplifies the importance of friendship. Without Jess’s intervention, Stew would likely die. Esplin shows that sincere friends are irreplaceable, especially in an hour of need.
The novel’s final chapter and Epilogue bring resolution on many fronts. John brings back sustenance to the group as well as the hopeful news that the power might be coming back soon. Stew and John make amends, apologizing to one another and relinquishing their pride. Finally, the phone message from Mr. Lockwood highlights the bond Stew and John have; he knows they will be safe because they have one another. At the same time, the ending is not perfect. Esplin ends before the power turns back on, avoiding too tidy an ending and highlighting how life itself isn’t perfect.
