Iya lives in a shared house in a neighboring village named Agan. Adunni arrives after dark, and when Iya does not answer the door, she worries where she will spend the night. Realizing that Iya’s door is open, she enters the old woman’s room. Adunni discovers that Iya is frail and sick, but they greet one another warmly. Iya has been forced to sell all of her possessions. They sit on the cold floor as Adunni explains her predicament. Adunni begs for help, but Iya is too sick to shelter the young girl. However, she has a brother named Kola who “is doing the job of helping girls” (70) like Adunni. They go to sleep in Iya’s room but Adunni is woken by the sound of her father’s voice outside. 

As Adunni’s father hammers his fist against the door of the room, the old woman tells Adunni to pass through another door and hide in the filthy bathroom. Adunni listens to her father question Iya. He orders Kayus to search the room. Kayus enters the bathroom, stares at Adunni, and then tells their father that she is not there. Adunni listens as her father complains that