A List of Cages

Julian narrates the first section of this chapter as Adam pushes him in a wheelchair to group therapy session for teenagers at the hospital. Delores Carter, his legal guardian, walks beside them. Julian is the only one in the group wearing pajamas because the members of the group have already graduated from the psychiatric ward and are now in outpatient care.

As Julian arrives at the group, two boys with tattoos are yelling at each other. A girl with a shaved head looks at Julian sympathetically. Julian panics and calls Adam's name. He says he can't breathe, but Carter shows him how to breathe from his diaphragm. Julian keeps saying he wants to leave, but Carter tells Julian that Adam is not going to be with him today because he has to go to school. Adam offers to stay one more day, but Carter pulls Adam aside and tells him not to drag things out.

Adam now turns to Julian, saying that the group therapy will be fun, and he grabs some Play-Doh off a shelf telling Julian it will be like art. When Julian says he really doesn't like art, Adam reminds Julian that he likes writing, and that after the group therapy session, he should have a lot of great story ideas.