Carey is described, as is the fact that she is going to die. Before her move to the city, she lived in the small town of Calamia. Her paternal side of the family has a history of jockeying, and she grew up loving horses and racing. Her mother hates the sport, but her father was once a very promising jockey who had to stop riding when his metabolism slowed down and he could not lose weight. After he retires, he continues to help at the track, bonding with the renowned trainer Ennis McAndrew. When Carey is eight, her father is injured when he is thrown from a horse, but Carey is not swayed in her desire to become a jockey.

The day after Carey’s win, Matthew goes out to Silver, watching Clay and the Murderer (Michael) work on the bridge. He stalls as long as he can, then approaches. He tells Clay that Carey is dead.

Immediately after winning the State athletics competition, Clay, Matthew, and Tommy go to look over the mule. Clay pays for him and Tommy confirms that his new name is Achilles. They wait until the weekend before they bring him home, waking up at four in the morning so to walk him across town before traffic interrupts them.