In the refugee hospital, Arn finds out that it is March 1979 and that he has been away from home for four years. He is now fifteen years old.

Americans come to visit the hospital, including the First Lady, Rosalynn Carter. One of these Americans, Peter Pond, begins helping Arn, sitting by his bed and sneaking him medicine and candy. In broken Khmer, Peter tells Arn that when Arn gets better, he will take him to America. Peter burns Arn’s old clothes and cries at how stiff they are with blood, dirt and the smell of death.

One day, Arn sneaks out of the children’s center to find his family. He envies the families he sees playing and cooking together. He sees someone he recognizes from his old town but with horror he realizes it is a Khmer Rouge soldier in civilian clothes. There are former Khmer Rouge soldiers all around, “like whole new Year Zero […] Where even the killer can get food and tent and live right next to regular family” (167).

Mr. Pond sneaks Arn and two of his friends out of the camp to an American party and gives them American picture books to help them learn English.