The Things She's Seen

Isobel Catching, the story’s second narrator, begins telling Michael what she knows about the fire and the murder. In verse, she recalls the night that she and her mother stood watching a sunset. At the time, she wore the green sweater that her mother had made for her. They were on a road trip to give Catching some time away from the “unfair” and “mean” people in their home community. Catching’s mother also taught Catching about the strength of the women in her maternal line and instructed her to recite their names in her mind in order to control her own anger. She emphasized that the strength of these maternal ancestors was an important part of Catching’s inheritance.

An unexpected storm sent them fleeing for the car, but they could not drive fast enough to avoid a flash flood. In the darkness and chaos, Catching’s mother crashed the car in the river. When Catching regained consciousness, the water was up to her chest, and her mother was trying to free her from the car. Just before the water rose above Catching’s head, she saw her mother say one last word but could not understand what it was.