Messenger: Chapter Sixteen Summary & Analysis

When Matty and Kira stop for the night, Matty explains that Kira should eat as much as she wants, since he'll be able to catch fish further along. Kira takes off her sandals. Matty comments that she was able to keep up really well, but Kira points out that the bottoms of her feet are bleeding. As she blots them with the hem of her dress, Matty says she'll be able to borrow clothes from Jean in Village. Kira perks up at Matty's mention of a girl, and Matty is relieved it's dark—Kira can't see him blush. Kira explains that her shoes are fine, but it seemed like twigs were trying to poke her. Matty is privately concerned that this is a warning and agrees that wrapping cloth around her feet is a good idea.

After they curl up to go to sleep, Matty stays awake and listens. He hears normal animal sounds and smells the rotting stench of Forest's center. He's surprised to smell it from such a distance. In the morning, Kira bandages her feet and declares that she'll be comfortable. Matty asks her to say something if she feels twigs poking her again. As Matty prepares to lead her on, he discovers that he can't find the path. He searches, puzzled, and finally finds it. The brush has grown across in the last few days. Kira begins pushing thick vines aside, but Matty takes over with his knife. When he cuts the first ones, however, acidic sap drips onto his arms and burns them.

Kira and Matty finally make it past the thick vines and stop to rest. Matty inspects his arms, which are now covered in oozing blisters. He says it doesn't hurt much, but in truth, Matty is in excruciating pain. He considers using his gift, but he remembers Leader's warning. Matty knows they have to keep going and does his best to keep it from Kira that what’s happening is unusual. Frolic refuses to go further, so Matty picks him up and puts him inside his jacket. Kira comments on the decaying smell and asks how Matty usually deals with the stench. Matty wants to tell her the truth—that he's never smelled it before this time—but instead, he says that they'll wrap cloths around their faces and use a salve to block the smell. Though Matty's body feels weak, he leads them on and thinks of Jean.

That evening, Leader tells Seer that all is going well. Seer is cheerful and happy to hear that Kira and Matty are on their way. Leader doesn't say that he saw Kira's bleeding feet and that now, Forest is attacking Matty. He knows that the worst is yet to come.