54 pages 1-hour read

Wreck

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2025

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Chapters 23-33Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, illness, and death by suicide.

Chapter 23 Summary

Rocky, Nick, and Willa wait at the train station near midnight to pick up Jamie, a family tradition. Maya is not coming due to her demanding work as director of ocean life at the Museum of Natural History, where she is curating a new exhibit. When Jamie arrives, the family has an emotional reunion. Rocky notices he smells of cologne mixed with his familiar childhood scent. In the car, Jamie shares an expensive Italian sandwich with Nick and quietly thanks Willa for a text. When Willa mentions apple picking went poorly, Jamie asks after their grandfather, expressing concern that his cold might require hospitalization. Rocky reassures him it is minor. Nobody asks Jamie about his work.


At home, Jamie suggests a night walk. They venture into the woods and fields, where he finally addresses his job concerns. He explains that while Dickens let him avoid tobacco and weapons, the railroad work still focuses on maximizing shareholder profits through acceptable risk calculations. He reveals that RCX had already decided on cost-cutting measures before hiring Dickens for $1 million to formalize their plans. The unspoken name of