In this short chapter, we are introduced to a number of characters who are introduced for the first time in the novel. The first person introduced is the narrator, who tells us that his name is Stephen and that he is a student at a boarding school in New York City. He has come to New York to see his friend, Peter, who is staying at a friend's house. Peter's mother has not been able to come to pick up her son because of the blizzard, and she is furious that her son is not safe in the storm. The second person introduces us to the narrator's friend, Cloe, who has also come to see her friend. Cloe tells the narrator that she has been sent by the principal of the school to find her friend, but Cloe has already gone to the principal's office to report the disappearance of Peter. When Cloe returns to the school, she finds that Peter has gone outside, and Cloe is very upset that he has not returned home. She tells Cloe that the storm has made it impossible for her to go to school, and that many parents have called to ask for their children to be picked up before the storm gets worse. The third person introduces Cloe's friends, who are also introduced in this short scene. They are, in fact, the same friends Cloe had with Peter, and they are all very upset because they have lost their children in the blizzard. The fourth person introduces the narrator to the other students at the school. He tells them that they have been sent to find their friends, but that Cloe will not be able to do so because the storm is so bad that it will be impossible for them to get to school safely. He also tells the students that they will have to wait until the storm passes before they can return to school.