Journal Entry #3

During this third quarter of the book, Miles, The Colonel, Alaska, Takumi and Lara were still hiding in the barn after they did their prank to get back at the Weekday Warriors who flooded Alaska’s room. They started playing a drinking game called Best Day/Worst Day which was made up by Alaska. Alaska recounted the night where her mother told he to go do her homework so later she could watch TV, and during this time Alaska heard her mother scream and fall and Alaska saw her convulse on the floor and moments later fall silent. In Alaska’s mind, she thought she had fallen asleep, but when her father came home, he was extremely angry because Alaska failed to call 911. Alaska said that her father blamed her for the death of her mother. On one hand, I understand why Alaska’s father blamed her for letting her mother die, but on another, I don’t know how he was able to blame a child for being scared and not knowing what to do. I really don’t know how I’d react in this situation, but I can understand both Alaska and her father’s reaction to the situation.

After this people hookup, blah, blah, blah, but the most important thing is when Alaska gets a phone call from a mystery person and comes back into the room hysterical, saying she needs to get out of the school and Miles and The Colonel must distract the Eagle while she does so. Alaska succeeded in getting out, but the next morning there is an assembly announcing the death of Alaska and obviously the whole school is devastated, but most of all Miles and the Colonel. They both are grieving, and after the funeral, Miles finds the book “The General in his Labyrinth” with a quote highlighted saying “How will I ever get out of this Labyrinth” and next to that was written by Alaska was “Straight and Fast”. Later on the Colonel comes up with a theory for why Alaska died; he thinks she committed suicide and Miles and the Colonel try to figure out if that’s true. Personally, I think this theory is very plausible in relation to the quote Alaska wrote in her book, but I don’t see how that makes any sense with the phone call Alaska received right before she left. I think there was another reason Alaska left and later died and someone wanted to hide it with the excuse of suicide. I’m excited to read what happens next and to find out the real reason for Alaska's death.

~ Amanda