The Raft

Robie huddles in the raft as it is tossed about in the stormy water. After some time, she tries again to talk to Max, for the first time since accusing him of throwing her into the water, but Max does not respond when she calls his name from her side of the raft.

Robie describes her anxiety, saying, “I had to know that Max was there with me, but I couldn’t bring myself to yell his name. What if he didn’t answer...I would not survive this night if I thought I was alone” (48).

She cannot see him through the rain from the far side of the raft, so she crawls over to his side, relieved to discover him still on the raft with her. She calls out, as is her habit, “Is there anything worse than this?” (48). Max replies that yes, there is, without elaborating. 

Robie continues to cling to the side of the raft as it bobs through the nighttime’s stormy ocean. She gets sick several times and eventually falls asleep, waking again when it is morning. It is cold, and her clothes remain soaked. She removes her socks.