Kathy drives around Britain as part of her job as a carer. The time alone gives her plenty of time to think. She remembers how the guardians encouraged each of the students to write a long essay on a subject of their choosing. Kathy wanted to write about Victorian novels. The students leave Hailsham and move to a place known as the Cottages, which is where they write their essays. The writing process can take “anything up to two years” and helps the former Hailsham students focus on something in their new home (71). Kathy still gets nostalgic for her essay, but she viewed it very differently at the time when she first arrived at the Cottages.

Eight former Hailsham students from Kathy’s year group are sent to the Cottages while the others are sent to similar facilities around the country. The Cottages are the remnants of a bankrupted farm that have been repurposed for the donors to live in. The residents have chores to maintain the building, but many parts of the houses are falling apart. The area is cold and wet, but the residents are excited to leave Hailsham. The only regular contact with the outside world is a grumpy old man named Keffers who delivers supplies.