Lizzie's Groceries
- Mrs. Murdo takes care of the girls the day after Granny's death, giving them good meals and a chance to rest.
- As Lina gets ready to go to work the next morning, she and Mrs. Murdo talk about the Singing, which is coming up soon. Both of them are looking forward to it, this time once a year when all the people of Ember gather to sing the three great songs of Ember. Sounds fun enough.
- Before Lina leaves, Mrs. Murdo tells her that she and Poppy should come live with her, since they can't be on their own, and she has an extra room anyway.
- That sounds good to Lina.
- Lina delivers messages for the next few days, and is grateful for her new home and her plum job.
- One afternoon, she sees Lizzie coming out of the Supply Depot. Weirdly, when Lina calls out to her, Lizzie doesn't stop or slow down. How rude.
- When Lina catches up, Lizzie is acting strange: she says she got groceries after work, even though Lina saw her come straight out of her job. And she seems too distracted to care that Lina's grandmother died. So much for friendship.
- Instead, Lizzie starts talking about her new boyfriend. Then she trips, and a bunch of cans spill out of her bag.
- Lina helps her gather them up—but then she notices that the cans are full of special foods, and things she's never heard of (like applesauce). Lizzie says she found them in a backroom in storage, and she tells Lina to keep the cans she'd picked up.
- That night, Lina brings home creamed corn and peaches, which are a rare treat. Mrs. Murdo asks where she'd gotten them, and Lina just says "from a friend."
- The next day, Lina decides to ask Lizzie where she got the cans. Lizzie finally says that they're from a storeroom worker named Looper, who found small stashes of the rare things.
- Lina remembers Looper from the time she delivered a message for him. Lizzie seems to like him—and he must like her back, since he's sharing the loot with her.
- Lizzie offers to share some of these things with Lina, like pineapple (which she's heard of, but never had before). Lina is totally tempted. but then she realizes that it's unfair to keep the nice things for only a few people to enjoy.
- Since it's wrong, in Lina's mind, to hoard the good things and keep them from the rest of the city, she tells Lizzie that she doesn't want any of Looper's stuff.
- The conversation is over.