After his final meeting with Wagner, Lansdale comes forth with his intention to take an offer to teach at a small community college in California. At the suggestion of his friend Brian (Bruce McGill), Lansdale rents out a cabin in the woods for the time being. While the majority of his students fail to show an interest in comic books, this is not the case with Stella (Annie McEnroe), who also takes a personal interest in Lansdale. Annie insists on staying with Lansdale during the Christmas season, and he begins to have violent hallucinations about the hand strangling her. That night, the missing ring reappears on Lansdale's pillow.