Dear Chapter 16,

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I kind of hate you right now.

I can tell you’re surprised. You are not, after all, chapters 12 and 13, where the awful things happen, or even chapter 14, where your protagonist has to accept the awful things cannot be undone.

Because you, chapter 16, are the chapter where things stop happening.

Perhaps you can see the problem here?

I’m sure you meant to be well. No one wants terrible things in every chapter, right?

But you, chapter 16, are too close to the end of the book* for such kindnesses. And me and chapter 17 and all the characters the terrible things haven’t happened to are getting impatient.

What’s that you say? Yet?

All the characters the terrible things haven’t happened to yet?

Yes, that would be a fine start.

Thank you,

Me

*We’d better be close to the end of the book, Chapter 16. Otherwise you and I have problems I haven’t even begun to cover.