How the Penguins Saved Veronica

After four days on the island, Patrick isn’t sure what to do with himself. He sits by Veronica’s bedside, but she remains unconscious most of the time. Finally, Terry suggests that Patrick should come with her to visit the penguin colony. He says, “They were awesome, those birds. Thousands more than I was expecting, so you could hardly see the ground between them. Making a right old racket, too [...] I swear, you couldn’t not like those guys” (255). When he gets back to the field center, Patrick still feels useless and offers to cook for the group. His culinary creations are far better than anything the crew has made for themselves, so they are all grateful for his skill as a chef.

Meanwhile, Veronica’s mind is drifting as she sees a vision of her dead parents dancing together. Then, she sees her unkind schoolmates and nuns, who turn into penguins. She stirs toward consciousness and finds Patrick bending over her with an air of concern. Patrick worries as Veronica seems to be taking a turn for the worse. He thinks, “I don’t want Granny to die. I’m feeling feelings I haven’t had in years.