Chapter 12 Summary: '1:33 p.m.'

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

n n## Summary

n nRowan is still buzzing with adrenaline after eliminating Spencer from the Howl game. Spencer, grumbling about his early exit, hands over his target: Madison Winters, a classmate known for writing an excessive number of shape-shifting fox stories. Rowan sends a photo of her coffee cup to the juniors running the game and receives a green check-mark emoji almost instantly. She then studies the list of clues, immediately recognizing that “the big guy at the center of the universe” refers to the Fremont Troll, a statue under the Aurora Bridge in a neighborhood nicknamed the “Center of the Universe.” She decides to hit downtown first, starting with Pike Place Market, which she considers one of the top three Seattle landmarks after the Space Needle and the combined tech-coffee giants.

n nOn the bus, Rowan hears her name called. Savannah Bell, a classmate who consistently ranks third behind Rowan and McNair, waves her over. Bus law, as Rowan notes, dictates that if you run into someone you know on public transit, you are obligated to sit by them. They exchange small talk, but Savannah’s tone is strained. She admits she never really stood a chance against Rowan and Neil, and then reveals her Howl target: Neil McNair. Rowan’s stomach drops. She realizes that if Savannah kills McNair, she won’t get the chance to take him down herself, and she’ll have no way to accomplish her tenth goal. Without thinking, she texts McNair a warning: Savannah has his name and is out for blood. McNair replies skeptically, but Rowan convinces him by pointing out that he wants to win as badly as she does. She also tells him Savannah is on the same bus, heading south from Cinerama.

n nSavannah continues venting about how hard she worked, how she never got the attention Rowan and McNair did, and how she was wait-listed at Stanford. Rowan offers sympathy, but Savannah scoffs. When the bus reaches Pike Street, Savannah pulls the cord, and Rowan reluctantly follows her off. Inside the market, vendors hawk produce, flowers, and crafts. Rowan notes the first Starbucks with its perpetual line, and the fishmongers tossing halibut and salmon—a sight that has always disturbed her as a vegetarian. Savannah heads toward Starbucks, while Rowan turns left into Post Alley, her real destination: the gum wall.

n nThe gum wall is a sticky mosaic of thousands of tourists’ chewed gum, dripping from windows and doorways. Rowan loves it despite its grossness. A tourist family asks her to take their photo, and she obliges, then adds her own gum to the wall and snaps a photo for the juniors, earning another green check mark. She’s now two down, thirteen to go. As she examines the clues again, someone bolts past her—a reddish blur. It’s McNair, panting and frantic. He tells her Savannah spotted him and he barely escaped. Rowan points out that Savannah ran track, and McNair glares, acknowledging he can’t outrun her. She suggests he hide in the Market Theater, tucked away in Post Alley, and the door is unlocked. McNair hesitates, but follows her inside. Rowan shuts the door just as Savannah comes barreling down the alley. When Savannah asks if she saw him, Rowan points down the alley and says he ran right by. Savannah flashes a smile and leaves. Rowan waits a minute, then opens the door for McNair, and they race out of the alley together.

n n## Key Events

n n- Rowan eliminates Spencer and inherits his target, Madison Winters.

n- Rowan identifies the Fremont Troll as a clue and plans to visit Pike Place Market.

n- On the bus, Rowan encounters Savannah Bell, who reveals her Howl target is Neil McNair.

n- Rowan texts McNair to warn him, despite wanting to beat him herself.

n- Rowan visits the gum wall, takes a photo, and earns a check mark from the juniors.

n- McNair flees from Savannah and runs into Rowan.

n- Rowan hides McNair in the Market Theater and misdirects Savannah.

n- Rowan and McNair escape the alley together.

n n## Character Development

n nThis chapter deepens Rowan’s internal conflict. She is fiercely competitive, but her decision to warn McNair—and then physically hide him—shows that her rivalry is more complex than simple hatred. She wants to be the one to eliminate him, not because she wishes him harm, but because she needs to prove something to herself. Her willingness to help him, even at the risk of losing her own advantage, reveals a protective streak and a sense of fairness that undercuts her cutthroat exterior.

n nSavannah Bell emerges as a more sympathetic figure. She has worked hard, sacrificed sleep, and still feels overshadowed by Rowan and McNair’s “cute” rivalry. Her bitterness about being wait-listed at Stanford and her determination to get revenge through Howl make her a credible threat, but also a reminder that the game has real emotional stakes for everyone involved.

n nMcNair, usually confident and composed, appears frazzled and vulnerable. His panic when Savannah chases him humanizes him, and his willingness to trust Rowan—despite their rivalry—suggests a mutual respect that goes beyond competition. The chapter ends with them running out together, hinting at a possible alliance or at least a temporary truce.

n n## Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

n n- Rivalry and Competition: The Howl game intensifies the existing rivalry between Rowan and McNair, but also introduces Savannah as a third competitor. Rowan’s desire to beat McNair personally, rather than see him eliminated by someone else, underscores how much of her identity is tied to their contest.

n- Helping an Enemy: Rowan’s decision to warn and hide McNair, despite wanting to defeat him, complicates the notion of enemies. It suggests that the rivalry is a game they both want to play, and that losing to each other is preferable to losing to a third party.

n- Seattle Landmarks and Tourist vs. Local: The chapter uses Seattle’s iconic locations—the Fremont Troll, Pike Place Market, the gum wall—to ground the story in a specific sense of place. Rowan’s attitude toward the gum wall (she loves it despite its grossness) and her disdain for the touristy Starbucks line highlight the tension between being a local and performing for tourists. The gum wall itself becomes a symbol of the messy, communal, and slightly absurd nature of the game.

n- Bus Law: The unwritten rule about sitting with acquaintances on public transit is a small but telling motif. It forces Rowan into an uncomfortable encounter with Savannah, showing how social obligations can disrupt even the most carefully planned strategies.

n- Valedictorian Speech: McNair’s joke about dying before giving the valedictorian speech ties the game to their academic rivalry and the high stakes of graduation. It reminds readers that Howl is not just a game, but a final showdown before they leave high school.

n n## Why This Chapter Matters

n nChapter 12 is pivotal because it shifts the dynamics of the Howl game. Rowan’s choice to help McNair, rather than let Savannah eliminate him, sets up a potential alliance or at least a more nuanced relationship between the two rivals. It also introduces Savannah as a serious contender, raising the stakes and reminding readers that the game has consequences beyond Rowan and McNair’s personal feud. The chapter deepens Rowan’s character, showing that her competitive drive is tempered by a sense of fairness and a desire to control her own victory. Finally, the Seattle setting—from the bus to the gum wall—anchors the story in a vivid, authentic place, making the game feel both playful and grounded.

n n## Study Questions and Answers

n n1. Why does Rowan warn McNair about Savannah, even though she wants to beat him herself?

Rowan warns McNair because she wants to be the one to eliminate him. If Savannah kills him first, Rowan loses the chance to achieve her tenth goal and the satisfaction of winning the rivalry on her own terms. Her warning is both strategic and personal—she needs him alive so she can defeat him herself.

n n2. How does Savannah’s character challenge the idea that Rowan and McNair are the only ones with something at stake in the Howl game?

Savannah reveals that she has worked just as hard as Rowan and McNair, but has never received the same attention. Her bitterness about being wait-listed at Stanford and her determination to get revenge through Howl show that the game is not just a fun distraction—it’s a way for her to prove herself and push back against being overlooked. Her presence complicates the narrative that the rivalry is only between Rowan and McNair.

n n3. What does Rowan’s reaction to the gum wall reveal about her character and her relationship to Seattle?

Rowan loves the gum wall despite its grossness, and she willingly participates in the tourist ritual of adding her own gum. This shows that she is not a snob about her city; she embraces its quirky, messy traditions. It also contrasts with her earlier disdain for the touristy Starbucks line, suggesting that she values authentic experiences over clichés, even when they are objectively strange.

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