Now
- Shorty gets an idea. He remembers back when he and Marguerite used to pretend they had Marassa magic, that his mom said their blood is special.
- He tries to cut his arm so that some of his blood spills onto his body. Then he sings a song.
- While he's waiting, he wonders whether he will see his dad or Marguerite again when he dies. It must be soon, and he gets ready.
- Rip. Bang. He hears weird noises from above, and sees some rescuers getting closer to him.
- They see him and start talking to him.
- Of course Shorty can't exactly speak, being trapped and all, but this proves he's not a ghost… or a zombie.
- They dig him out and he hears them saying everyone will think there are more survivors, even though there aren't.
- People have been holding vigils for days since the earthquake, they tell him. He's the only one who survived.
- As he is taken to where everybody is waiting to welcome him out from the rubble, he hears screams.
- Oh no, these are not scary screams, but happy ones. It's Manman. She's so glad he's alive that she's screaming and yelling toward him.
- He's glad she's okay, too. Shorty knows he forgives her for what she did and understands why she lied about Marguerite; he wants to tell her right away.
- He walks toward her as fast as he can. And as he does, he realizes he's no longer in the darkness.
- He's now in the light.