The Compound

“T.S. Eliot was wrong. My world ended with a bang the minute we entered the Compound and the silver door closed behind us.

The sound was brutal. Final.” 

Eli sees the moment his father closed the hatch as the moment his world ended. Rex recreates much of the family’s former world in the Compound, but it is only a representation of the life they had, and the things they cherished. Rex chose to end his family’s former lives aggressively, lying to them about the reasons. 

“I worked hard at getting my physique to that level. The outside was a lot easier to perfect than the inside.”

Eli talks about his obsessive exercise regimen, and hints at his inner turmoil. He believes that he is a bad person who was responsible for his brother’s death. He punishes himself through rigorous weight training and running, but knows that he can’t make up for his mistake. His powerful physique is at odds with the fragility of his inner life.

“In the old world, Eddy and I were so close that I never made a point of reaching out to our sisters. The reason was simple: I didn’t need them.” 

Terese accuses Eli of not caring about her, and of not playing with her when they were younger. Eli knows she is telling the truth. His reliance on Eddy robs him of a concrete identity after Eddy is gone. Once he is in the Compound, Eli realizes that his weak relationships with his siblings make him feel alone, even with his family.