Scythe

Scythe Goddard writes that gleanings should be iconic so that they achieve immortality in the collective memory. He says that this is why scythes are here: to connect people to their mortal past. He feels he owes people a "spectacular end."

Rowan can feel himself growing numb. He remembers Scythe Faraday telling him to not “lose [his] humanity,” as losing that would turn him into a "killing machine," and now he gets it. He believes that gleaning becomes just killing once a person is desensitized to it. One afternoon, after Rowan gleans five dummies with a samurai sword, Goddard reprimands him for "attacking like a bot." Goddard says that Rowan needs to embrace his predatory nature and enjoy killing. Though Rowan wants to hate this, he does find that there's something attractive about honing his skills. Goddard gives Rowan a knife and sends him back at the dummies.

Rowan spends his days training with Goddard, Chomsky, Volta, and Rand. Rowan often disagrees with what Goddard says, but he never argues. Because of this, Rowan begins hearing Goddard's voice in his head. Some days, Goddard throws parties that seem to start out of nowhere. Rowan notices that more and more scythes come to the parties over time.

Rowan grows strong and muscular. He writes thoughtful things in his journal, but it's not genuine—Goddard reads everything. Rowan sometimes ignores his vow to let Citra win the scythehood, and he wonders if he'd be like Faraday or like Goddard. He wonders if it'd be a tragedy to enjoy gleaning. Volta is the only person who seems aware that Rowan doesn't fully buy Goddard's philosophy. Rowan likes Volta the best, as Volta seems genuine and explains why Goddard beat Rowan. He insists that feeling pain allows them to experience more joy, which Rowan thinks might be correct.

Esme lurks around Goddard's mansion and continues to perplex Rowan. She seems to like Rowan and tells him to stay with Goddard after he becomes a scythe. One morning, she follows Rowan into the weight room and tries to convince him to play cards with her. Rowan has no choice but to agree. After their game, Volta reminds Rowan that they need to keep Esme happy and be nice to her.

One day, Rowan arrives for training to find Chomsky, Volta, and Rand there with Goddard and a bunch of people. Rowan realizes with horror that he's going to practice gleaning on real people. Goddard assures him that the people will be taken away by ambudrones; he's not going to actually glean them. He says that the people are being paid and tells Rowan to do his job. Rowan wants to refuse, but he's terrified to discover that he knows how to do this and can do it if he ignores his conscience. Goddard asks Rowan to kill all but one person. Rowan takes a deep breath and flies at the volunteers, leaving the last girl alive. Goddard praises Rowan, and Rowan smiles. Half of him is disgusted; the other half is euphoric.