Gray After Dark

Brent learns there are hundreds of alpine lakes in the Frank Church Wilderness.

Miley’s feet are badly infected, and she becomes feverish, refusing the food Mary brings. Mary declares, “Rayna is dead” (129), and she treats Miley’s feet with a homemade salve. Miley does not argue when Mary calls her Ruthie Sue.

Mary’s salve heals Miley’s infected feet, and her fever breaks. She remains in shackles, but whenever Mary leaves the room, she exercises within the limits of her chains, visualizing Brent’s face.

Mary admits that it took a long time for Fred to “tame” her, but she says it was a relief when she finally left Rayna behind. Mary asserts that they live off the land as God intended and that their captors are “the last real men” (136). She declares that she and Miley are important in the “new society” Fred and Hamish plan to build. Mary reveals that she has had 13 miscarriages, admitting that she secretly named each child, although Fred instructed her not to. She states that a baby would make her life perfect. Miley suggests that resuming her life as Rayna would be even better. Mary slaps Miley, declaring she will stay shackled until she learns her “place.”

Brent and Wes take an ATV further into the forest to join the search party at an alpine lake.

Miley realizes that she must pretend to be “tame” to survive. She asks Mary to teach her how to be happy with Hamish. Mary refuses to remove the shackles but bathes Miley and braids her hair. She makes Miley promise to stay away from Fred. Then, she brings her a long dress that is identical to her own.

The search party finds Miley’s blood-drenched clothing by an alpine lake. Seeing the bloody clothing, Wes states his fears are confirmed: Miley has been killed by a bear. Brent punches Wes and then begins to cry. A police officer tells Brent that the search will be called off. Brent insists he must find Miley, even if only to retrieve her body. Wes offers to help him, and they shake hands.

Brent shows Wes his biathlon rifle, asking if he has ever hunted. Wes admits his father wanted to take him hunting, but he refused to kill living creatures. Consequently, his father named him his “flower child.”

Brent spots Miley’s fitness tracker in the alpine lake. Wondering why Miley lost the tracker so far from her bloody clothing, he feels a flicker of hope.

When Fred and Hamish return from their hunting trip, Hamish observes that Miley looks pretty. However, Fred declares she is not ready to be unshackled. When Hamish wipes a tear from Miley’s cheek, Fred hits his son.

Fred takes Mary into a bedroom, and Miley hears bed springs squeaking, accompanied by Mary whimpering. Miley tries to be seductive, hoping Hamish will release her from her chains. However, he asserts they cannot have sex until they are married. Emerging from the bedroom, Fred sniffs Miley’s freshly braided hair. Mary looks furious, and Hamish gets angry with his father.

Miley tries to convince Hamish to unshackle her, saying she wants to help them with winter preparations. Hamish says she is not tame yet and must be more like Mary.

Wes notices disturbed undergrowth by the alpine lake, suggesting signs of a struggle. He also discovers large boot prints, accompanied by smaller barefoot prints. Wes suggests they return to the resort, report their findings to the police, and fetch extra supplies. However, unwilling to waste time, Brent wants to abandon the ATV and follow the trail on foot. When Wes agrees to accompany him, he is relieved, recognizing that his companion’s tracking skills and knowledge of edible plants will prove useful.

Hamish has taken to sleeping on the living room couch to guard Miley from Fred. Miley is frustrated that she can no longer exercise at night. Thinking of how Brent always says “I got you” on the last leg of a race (178), Miley tries to psychically communicate with him, begging him not to give up on her.

While Miley’s new, demure manner seems to convince Hamish, Fred knows she is playacting. When Miley again asks to be unchained, Fred shackles her to Mary at the wrist and ankle, as if they are competitors in a three-legged race. Mary protests, but Hamish agrees with the plan. Mary and Miley perform chores together with their one free arm. Although the arrangement is awkward and uncomfortable, Miley is glad to move around.

Miley struggles to keep up with Mary’s movements and realizes how weak she has become. Mary takes her to a shed where they painstakingly pick out weevils from barrels of flour. When Miley points out the futility of the task, addressing Mary as Rayna, she receives a slap. However, Mary brightens when she talks about the chickens, revealing how much she loves them. For a moment, Miley glimpses the young woman Mary once was.

Mary and Miley discover they both kept chickens during their childhoods. Mary confesses that she has secretly named the chickens, although Fred forbids her from treating them like pets. Consequently, she is careful not to show emotion when the time comes to kill them. When Miley asks about her missing eye, Mary admits she was once “just like” Miley. She tricked Fred into believing she was tame and then ran as soon as she was released from her chains. However, on her third night of freedom, she realized she was running in circles. On the fourth night, Fred “rescued” her, claiming he had tracked her movements with a scope all along. Relieved to be found, Mary realized she needed Fred. Miley is skeptical, reflecting that a scope would not penetrate the dense foliage of the forest. She wonders if Mary was close to safety when Fred finally found her. Mary explains that, as a consequence of her actions, Fred cut out her eye with a pocket knife. When she looks in the mirror, she remembers “the price of disobedience” (190).

Miley points out that it is unsanitary to handle flour with dirty hands. Mary checks to make sure the men are not around and then urges Miley to run with her toward the back of the cabin. Miley is tempted to keep running but knows the time is not right. They wash their hands with soap at a water pump and run back together. Mary giggles when they reach the safety of the shed.

Brent and Wes spend the night in a cramped two-person tent and breakfast on rosehips. As they walk, Wes periodically tears strips from his neon-yellow T-shirt, which features a botanical drawing of a dandelion. He ties the strips to trees to mark their way back. Brent thinks of Miley’s mom, Jane, and hopes her spirit guides them. Suddenly, he notices strands of Miley’s long blond hair tangled in the undergrowth.

Miley and Mary sleep fitfully as they are both chained to the living room wall each night. One day, as they approach the dinner table, Mary trips, spilling hot stew over Fred’s lap. Fred knocks Mary to the floor, causing Miley to land painfully on top of her. He continues to brutally assault Mary until she is covered in blood and goes motionless. Miley appeals to Hamish to intervene, grabbing his pant leg. However, Hamish turns away, and Fred punches Miley in the face. When Hamish gently touches his father’s arm, Fred calms down, as if waking from a dream. Hamish carries Mary to the couch, bringing Miley water, soap, and salve to clean her up.

Hamish sleeps in the bedroom that night while Miley tends to Mary. Addressing Mary as Rayna, she tells her they should run. Mary says she cannot see as her good eye is swollen shut. She also refuses to leave the chickens. Miley promises to guide her and points out that Mary can have many more chickens once she is free. Mary confirms she is ready to run.

Miley and Mary sneak outside and almost reach the woods when they hear the cabin door open.

Miley tries to keep running, but Mary resists, insisting they should hide. Fred and Hamish’s flashlights move past them, but Mary remains paralyzed with fear. When Hamish comes closer, Mary shouts to him for help. She claims that Miley took advantage of her injuries and dragged her along.

Brent and Wes have been walking for days, following the trail of Miley’s hair. Wes notices a dead doe, pointing out that the animal was shot and then left to die. He speculates that survivalists may be living nearby and suggests returning for help. However, when Brent insists on continuing, Wes agrees without complaint.

Miley wakes in agony, chained to the living room wall. Mary is sitting at the table with a piece of cornbread; Fred explains that this is her treat for being good. He then repeatedly punches Miley. Miley feels a rib break and curls into a ball, looking to Hamish for help. Hamish tells Fred to hit Miley anywhere but on her face as he does not want an “ugly” wife. The assault continues for so long that Miley is grateful when she passes out.

Fred throws cold water over Miley to revive her and instructs Mary to eat the cornbread. As Mary eats, a tear slides from her swollen eye. Miley begs Fred not to hit her again, offering to do anything he asks. Fred observes to Hamish that they are finally making progress; he reflects that he went through the same process with Mary.

Miley stops speaking and eating, although Fred hits her with each refusal. She gives up controlling her breathing and no longer fears death. One morning, Hamish intervenes when Fred approaches Miley with a rusty-buckled belt. Hamish asserts that Miley belongs to him, and he will not let his father kill her. Fred hands Hamish the belt, challenging him to show that he can handle Miley. Miley screams as Hamish hits her repeatedly across the neck, the buckle striking her ear.

Miley refuses food for another week. One day, Mary brings her freshly made cornbread, unsuccessfully coaxing her to eat. Hamish sends Mary away and holds a switchblade to Miley’s throat, offering to put her out of her misery. He observes that he and Fred can find new wives if Miley refuses to be tamed and Mary cannot produce a child. Miley eats Mary’s cornbread.

Miley is released from the living room wall and chained to Mary again. Mary is talkative and friendly, often pointing out the wonders of nature. One day, Mary recalls how her friend Kari gave her a rabbit pendant for luck in a race. Miley asks Mary why she betrayed her when they had the chance to escape. Mary says she must fulfill her purpose and have Fred’s baby. Miley reveals that Fred is considering replacing Mary. However, when Mary becomes upset, Miley realizes that she is moving too fast. Recalling Brent’s advice to pause and breathe before taking a shot, she resolves to wait and avoid undertaking another “penalty lap.”