Life as We Knew It: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

November 7. Miranda finds Mrs. Nesbitt dead when she goes to visit her. Miranda kisses her cheek, then follows the directions Mrs. Nesbitt had given her about taking her supplies. While ransacking the house, she finds a box of old baseball cards to put aside for Jonny for Christmas and chocolates for Laura. More importantly, she finds food, medicine, and others supplies. She realizes that Mrs. Nesbitt has likely been going hungry to save supplies for them, and that Mrs. Nesbitt’s well hasn’t run dry. Miranda fills a bag with supplies and walks home through the woods to avoid being seen—and stops to give Matt the news.

Matt, Jonny, and Miranda make a plan on how to transport the supplies from Mrs. Nesbitt’s house to their own. They need to do so quickly before anyone else catches on and begins raiding. Matt drives Laura’s van over, while Miranda fills up Mrs. Nesbitt’s car and drives that to her house, despite never having driven before. Jonny takes firewood in a wheelbarrow.

While Jonny and Matt bring Mrs. Nesbitt’s body to the hospital, Laura and Miranda reminisce about Mrs. Nesbitt and the special items she had bequeathed to each of them. Then they get to work organizing supplies.

November 8-10. Miranda finds Laura crying in the pantry over Mrs. Nesbitt. Peter also stops by to comfort her.

November 11-15. Miranda thinks it’s funny that the Post Office is closed for Veteran’s day, but is less amused when she weighs herself and realizes she’s down to 96 pounds. She doesn’t think any of them are in danger of starving yet, but realizes they’re unlikely to get any more supplies and need to be careful.

November 18-26. On two consecutive Fridays Matt brings exciting things home from the post office. The first is letter from Hal. Unfortunately, it’s an older letter than the latest they’ve received. While it doesn’t contain new information, it still feels hopeful to know that mail is at least being delivered. Miranda debates whether she should miss the people who are alive more than those who are dead—but they’re all gone from her life, so it doesn’t make much difference.

On the second Friday, Matt brings home Peter and a small black market chicken to celebrate Thanksgiving, which had been the day before when they hadn’t been feeling thankful, but now Miranda is almost delirious with the joy of having had real food.

The next day even Laura’s spirits seem revived and for the first time in months, she hassles her kids about their neglected schoolwork. They each choose a subject to study, and though Miranda grumbles, she’s grateful to have something ‘normal’ to do.

November 30-December 1. Miranda avoids schoolwork by going for a walk to Mrs. Nesbitt’s—where, despite it having been ransacked, she finds a set of colored pencils to give Matt for Christmas—and by going skating at Miller’s Pond. Miranda enjoys the time alone, and questions whether or not Brandon Erlich was ever really there. She notices the lake surface has been hacked for drinking water. They still have water at home, thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt’s well, but she, Matt, and Laura are down to one meal a day.