Credence

Tiernan asks Noah to accompany her on her search for Kaleb. They take out a snowmobile in the approaching storm, leaving Jake a note. They carry a map of the area. Tiernan tells Noah about the description of a place she read in Kaleb’s journals: a glen enclosed by rock walls. Noah recognizes the description. Noah and Tiernan ride through the worsening storm and approach a glen, on top of which is a cabin. When Noah goes out to get some food, Tiernan finally finds Kaleb. Kaleb hugs her, and Tiernan tells him that she loves him. Kaleb carries Tiernan to the cabin and they make love.

Noah returns with food. The three sleep off their exhaustion. Tiernan wakes up and reflects that Kaleb never told her that he loved her. She reads the tattoo on the back of Kaleb’s neck. It says “Credence” (406), which Tiernan knows means “belief as to the truth of something” (406). Tiernan thinks that the tattoo means that she should love Kaleb because it makes her happy, rather than expect him to love her back. Kaleb wakes up and brings a book called The Sirens of Titan to Tiernan, indicating that she should read it to him.