The novel flashes back to Maire and Samuel’s college days in a section titled “Then.” 

Maire looks over frozen Tanglefoot Lake. Her roommate, Lina, nagged Maire into coming to the cold bluff. They sit drinking with some of their friends, including Figgy, Maire’s previous roommate who stole one of Maire’s papers. When Maire confronted her, Figgy spread a rumor that Maire was having an affair with a married professor. Samuel, Lina’s boyfriend, is also there. Maire is jealous of them.

The group, annoyed that Maire doesn’t want to be there, jokes that they will throw Maire over the edge. Only Samuel tells them to stop. Maire walks along the lake, drinking and wondering if the group’s accusations that she isn’t fun are true. Samuel joins her, urging her back to the fire, but Maire flirtatiously counters that they can “have some fun” instead (118).

The narrative returns to the present.

Fern leads the competitors back to the house. Samuel demands an explanation about the high setting on the Tasers, arguing that one of the older contestants could have been killed by such a strong shock. He refuses to take a turn in the Vault. Fern hurries to Cat’s office to check the viewer response to the first episode; she believes making One Lucky Winner “a runaway success” (121) is her only chance at earning Cat’s forgiveness for locking her in the cellar.