Chapter 4
The Hamptons Getaway
The trip to the Hamptons immediately shatters Remy and Alicia's carefully constructed image of Jen. When they arrive at her apartment, they find it humid and messy, with beers and ashtrays scattered about. Jen herself has changed - her voice now drawls "like a podcaster's," and she seems sleepier and more relaxed than Remy remembers. Most shocking is the revelation of her boyfriend Horus, who is nothing like they imagined - "impossibly handsome with mint-colored eyes" and a carefree demeanor that makes Remy simultaneously uncomfortable and intrigued.
At Horus's luxurious family beach house, complete with nautical decor and a pool, the power dynamics between all four characters begin to shift. Horus acknowledges his privilege while crediting "amazing" Juana who cleans weekly, establishing himself as wealthy but supposedly self-aware. Meanwhile, Remy hides in the bathroom, reflecting on his time working with Jen at Belasco's restaurant, particularly remembering their shared moment mocking a Halloween-obsessed child with fake wounds. The memory of their connection - how they could silently communicate and share dark humor - makes his current situation feel unbearably distant from what they once had.
On the beach, Remy struggles with surfing while Alicia unexpectedly excels, catching nearly half her waves on her first try. This success transforms Alicia, who begins confidently introducing herself to everyone and adopting surfer lingo, irritating Remy who texts that she's using her "fake voice." The surfing experience becomes a metaphor for their relationship with Jen - Remy fails to recapture his past connection with her, while Alicia begins to embody aspects of Jen herself.
The group dynamics grow increasingly complex during dinner at an expensive pizza restaurant. Remy and Alicia sit with Carla, another friend of Jen's, at the far end of a long table, isolated from the main conversation. When Jen briefly sits across from Remy, they share a moment of connection mocking Hamptons people and restaurant authenticity, though it sours when Jen makes cutting remarks about Remy still working in service at his age.
Throughout the trip, Remy and Jen's past relationship is gradually revealed through their interactions. During a late-night conversation when everyone else is asleep, Jen admits feeling self-conscious about her "palate" around Horus, revealing insecurities beneath her confident exterior. Their discussion of Jen's relationship with Horus exposes complicated power dynamics - she confesses he "basically owns" her business, creating a situation where she has financial freedom but limited autonomy.
Chapter 5
The Philosophy of "The Apple Bush"
Throughout the narrative, characters repeatedly reference a self-help book called "The Apple Bush" by A.B. Fisketjon, which becomes increasingly significant to the story's supernatural elements. This fictional book introduces concepts like "Signifiers of Flow" that supposedly guide one toward their "Consummate Result" - essentially one's ultimate destiny or purpose.
When Remy first hears about the book from Alicia, who attempts to connect with Jen by mentioning it, Jen describes it as simultaneously "garbage" yet "life-changing." This contradictory assessment reflects the book's role in the story - it's presented as new-age nonsense that nonetheless contains dangerous truths about reality. During a beach conversation, Jen insists the book teaches how to recognize "Signifiers of Flow" that guide one toward their "Consummate Result." When Remy dismisses it as privileged thinking, Jen touches his arm and suggests cynical people underestimate the power of positive thinking.
The philosophy of "The Apple Bush" takes on greater significance after Alicia's death, when she begins her transformation into "Alicia-as-Jen." She embraces the book's teachings, telling Remy that Jen is "a Signifier of Flow" leading to her "Consummate Result." This transformation is both psychological and physical - Alicia starts speaking with mystical confidence about her creative process, builds a mysterious wooden structure she calls a "Spod," and adopts Jen's mannerisms and style.
Later in the novel, we discover that Andrea from the grief therapy group is actually A.B. Fisketjon, the author of "The Apple Bush." She explains that the monstrous creature attacking Remy is a "Fully Manifested Toxic Antagonist" or "Paranormalagus" that appears when "Signifiers towards a Consummate Result" are strong. According to her theory, these entities are projections of someone opposing one's destiny, and identifying who the creature resembles might reveal one's true "Consummate Result."
The book's philosophy becomes increasingly central to the narrative as Remy begins to experience supernatural phenomena. After Alicia's death, he receives messages from what appears to be her ghost, often containing phrases from "The Apple Bush" like "The obstacle is the occasion." These messages convince Remy that killing Horus will create an opportunity to bond with Jen through grief - a misinterpretation of his "Consummate Result" that leads to the novel's horrific climax.
Chapter 6
The Transformation of Alicia
After the disastrous beach trip, Alicia undergoes a remarkable transformation, shedding her insecure persona to become "Alicia-as-Jen." This metamorphosis begins subtly when she stands up to her coworker Cassie at the Hungry Goat cafe. When Jake Gyllenhaal enters and Cassie tries to push her trash duties onto Alicia, she refuses and deliberately smears Cassie's hand lotion on Gyllenhaal's water bottle, causing it to slip from his hands. When he looks at her in confusion, Alicia makes a snide Zodiac Killer reference, briefly experiencing the power of being Jen-like.
This small act of defiance catalyzes a complete identity shift. Alicia begins visiting skincare stores to buy products she's seen in Jen's photos, telling associates she needs moisturizer for surfing. At Home Depot, she purchases wood for an art project, speaking with mystical confidence about her creative process. When Remy questions her spending and new behaviors, she responds with Jen-like philosophical statements: "Maybe I'm refusing to allow money to hold a tyrannizing position in my life."
The physical manifestation of her transformation is the "Spod" - a makeshift hot tub enclosure she constructs in their apartment. This shoddily built wooden structure covered with tarp and duct tape becomes her sanctuary, a place where she can fully embody her new identity. When Remy calls for her, she responds from within the dark enclosure: "Alicia isn't here right now."
Alicia's transformation extends to her professional life as well. She begins working at a skincare store, introducing herself as "Jen" despite her ID saying Alicia. She steals money from her coworker's till, only to "find" it later, earning gratitude and an invitation for drinks. At her barista job, she dramatically quits after telling off her coworker Cassie with Jen's exact words from the beach trip: "Just in general? You touch me too much. We do not have that kind of relationship."
The ultimate confrontation comes when the real Jen unexpectedly visits the skincare store with Horus. Jen notices Alicia wearing earrings from her store and her stolen sweater. Their confrontation escalates until Jen threatens a restraining order. After this encounter, Alicia feels transformed - no longer imitating Jen but becoming something new and potentially more dangerous.
Alicia's transformation represents the dark side of admiration - when appreciation becomes appropriation and ultimately consumption of another's identity. Her journey from insecure girlfriend to confident impostor shows how obsession can lead to a complete dissolution of self, replaced by a distorted reflection of the object of desire.
Chapter 7
The Supernatural Turn
What begins as a psychological drama about obsession takes a sharp supernatural turn after Alicia's sudden death in a bicycle accident. Remy's grief manifests in increasingly bizarre ways, beginning with strange noises in his apartment - knocking sounds, footsteps like someone wearing heels, and eating sounds from the kitchen at night. When he investigates with his roommate Jake, they find nothing, but later discover deep indentations in the kitchen counter "like a giant claw scraped it."
These supernatural occurrences intensify after Remy downloads an app that simulates texts from deceased loved ones using AI and their old message history. The app, saved as "Alicia New," begins showing typing bubbles before responding with cryptic messages that seem to go beyond its programming capabilities. When Remy asks if Alicia is in the bathroom after hearing strange noises, typing bubbles appear with the response: "You're not going to believe me."
The horror elements fully emerge when Remy is attacked by a monstrous creature with an insect-like face and translucent blue exterior. Using martial arts moves and Alicia's letter opener, he fights the creature, which leaves black goo everywhere before disappearing in bright light. This encounter leads him to contact Carla, who introduces him to Andrea - revealed to be A.B. Fisketjon, author of The Apple Bush.
Andrea explains the creature is a "Paranormalagus" that appears when "Signifiers towards a Consummate Result" are strong. She reveals her husband was killed by such a creature that resembled herself, suggesting these entities are projections of someone opposing one's destiny. This revelation transforms the novel from psychological thriller to cosmic horror, suggesting the characters' obsessions have manifested physically in reality.
The supernatural elements reach their peak when Remy experiences visions of multiple versions of Alicia glitching in and out of reality beside him. These versions appear and disappear, changing in appearance - sometimes healthy, sometimes bloody, sometimes older - unable to speak except through text messages on his phone. Through cryptic messages like "The obstacle is the occasion," Remy becomes convinced he's received a sign about his destiny - that killing Horus will create an opportunity to bond with Jen through grief.
This supernatural turn elevates the novel's exploration of obsession to a metaphysical level, suggesting that our fixations can literally reshape reality. The Paranormalagus becomes a physical manifestation of the toxic dynamics between the characters, a monster born from their unhealthy desires and distorted perceptions of one another.
Chapter 8
The Horrific Climax
The novel builds to a shocking climax as Remy's misinterpretation of his "Consummate Result" leads him down a path of violence and destruction. Convinced that killing Horus is his destiny, Remy returns home to retrieve Andrea's hatchet, only to discover his roommate Jake lying on the kitchen floor with his throat cut open and parts of his body missing. Despite Remy's attempts to help, Jake dies, becoming the first human victim of the Paranormalagus.
When Carla arrives, they call Andrea, who warns that if the creature has moved on to human prey, they're in serious danger. Still believing the Paranormalagus is a projection of Horus trying to prevent his own death, Remy convinces Carla to accompany him to Jen's apartment. Their journey becomes increasingly nightmarish as their cab is struck by the creature, which kills the driver in a gruesome spray of blood and flesh.
After discovering that bright lights repel the creature, Remy and Carla make their way toward Jen's apartment building. When they reach the door, Remy enters but deliberately leaves Carla outside with the creature, which attacks and kills her while he watches through the glass door. This betrayal reveals how far Remy has fallen, willing to sacrifice others to achieve what he believes is his destiny.
At Jen's apartment, Remy discovers she's alone - Horus isn't there as he expected. As the Paranormalagus begins violently striking Jen's door, Remy receives a call from "Alicia New." Through the phone, Alicia's voice tells him, "This is exactly where you're supposed to be." When the creature breaks through the door, Remy has a crucial realization - the Paranormalagus resembles Jen, not Horus as he believed. Her mouth, cheekbones, and hairline are visible in its form.
This revelation triggers Remy's most horrific act - he attacks Jen, strangling her and dragging her to the bathroom where he drowns her in the bathtub. As he does so, the Paranormalagus mirrors Jen's injuries and dies alongside her, suggesting they are somehow connected. This twist reveals that Jen, not Horus, was the obstacle to Remy's "Consummate Result" - though not in the way he imagined.
After killing Jen, Remy escapes as mysterious SWAT-like figures enter the building. He returns to his apartment with Jen's body in a suitcase, placing her corpse into Alicia's Spod. The horror reaches its surreal conclusion when Remy is awakened by knocking sounds from the Spod, and the parrot mimics "Hello, Alicia. I love you, Alicia." Then he feels someone sit beside him on the couch - it's Jen, but without injuries, appearing as she always did.
Chapter 9
The Blurring of Reality and Fantasy
Throughout "A Touch of Jen," the boundaries between reality and fantasy gradually dissolve until they become indistinguishable. This blurring begins with Remy and Alicia's obsessive role-playing, where they attempt to incorporate Jen into their relationship through imagination. Their fantasy version of Jen exists alongside the real woman, creating a disconnect that becomes apparent when they actually meet her at the Apple Store and discover she's nothing like the perfect image they've constructed.
The novel's exploration of social media contributes significantly to this theme. Jen's carefully curated Instagram posts create a version of herself that doesn't match reality - her freckled boobs, adult braces, and glamorous vacations form a digital persona that Remy and Alicia worship from afar. When they finally experience the real Jen during the Hamptons trip, the dissonance between her online presence and actual personality creates cognitive dissonance, particularly for Remy who can't reconcile this new Jen with his memories.
Alicia's transformation into "Alicia-as-Jen" represents another level of reality blurring. She doesn't simply imitate Jen but believes she's channeling some essential quality of her, following "Signifiers of Flow" toward her "Consummate Result." This transformation is so complete that when she encounters the real Jen at the skincare store, there's a sense that two versions of the same person are colliding - the authentic original and the distorted copy.
After Alicia's death, the boundary between life and death itself becomes permeable. The app "Alicia New" begins as a technological simulation of her texts but evolves into something that seems to have genuine agency, showing typing bubbles and responding with information the AI couldn't possibly know. When Remy experiences visions of multiple versions of Alicia glitching in and out of reality beside him - sometimes healthy, sometimes bloody, sometimes older - the novel suggests these might be glimpses of parallel realities rather than hallucinations.
The Paranormalagus represents the ultimate manifestation of this reality blurring. According to Andrea/A.B. Fisketjon, these creatures are projections from parallel dimensions, physical manifestations of obstacles to one's destiny. When Remy realizes the creature resembles Jen rather than Horus, it reveals his misinterpretation of his own "Consummate Result" - his obsession with Jen was actually preventing him from achieving his true purpose.
The novel's final scene brings this theme to its disturbing conclusion. After killing Jen and placing her body in the Spod, Remy encounters what appears to be her uninjured ghost sitting beside him on the couch. When she touches his hand, it feels "as intimate as the taste of his own saliva," suggesting this might not be a supernatural occurrence but rather Remy's complete break from reality. The line "what's there is really there" ironically underscores how thoroughly Remy's perception has detached from objective reality, leaving readers uncertain whether anything in the final scenes can be trusted.
Chapter 10
The Monstrous Potential of Desire
At its core, "A Touch of Jen" explores how desire - particularly obsessive desire - can transform into something monstrous. The novel begins with relatively familiar forms of obsession: Remy and Alicia's unhealthy fixation on Jen manifests in role-playing, social media stalking, and fantasizing. But as the story progresses, this desire literally transforms into a monster - the Paranormalagus that attacks Remy and ultimately kills multiple characters.
The novel suggests that objectification is the first step toward this monstrous transformation. Remy and Alicia don't see Jen as a complete person but rather as a collection of desirable attributes - her freckled boobs, her adult braces, her seemingly perfect lifestyle. By reducing her to these fragments, they create a version of Jen that exists solely to fulfill their fantasies. When they encounter the real Jen, with all her complexities and flaws, the dissonance between their fantasy and reality creates a rupture that ultimately manifests as supernatural horror.
Alicia's transformation into "Alicia-as-Jen" represents another aspect of desire's monstrous potential. Her attempt to become the object of her obsession leads to a complete dissolution of her original identity. She doesn't simply imitate Jen but believes she's channeling some essential quality of her, following "Signifiers of Flow" toward her "Consummate Result." This transformation is so complete that when she dies, it's unclear whether the entity communicating with Remy through the "Alicia New" app is Alicia, some version of Jen, or something else entirely.
The Paranormalagus itself embodies the novel's central metaphor - desire transformed into a literal monster. According to Andrea/A.B. Fisketjon, these creatures appear when "Signifiers towards a Consummate Result" are strong, suggesting they're manifestations of obsessive desire. When Remy realizes the creature resembles Jen rather than Horus as he believed, it reveals that his fixation on her has become so distorted it's taken physical form.
The novel's climax, where Remy drowns Jen in her bathtub while the Paranormalagus mirrors her injuries and dies alongside her, represents the ultimate consequence of objectification. By killing the real Jen, Remy attempts to preserve his fantasy version of her - the one that exists solely to fulfill his desires. The appearance of Jen's uninjured "ghost" in the final scene suggests he's succeeded in a disturbing way, replacing the complex, autonomous woman with a projection that perfectly matches his desires.
Through this progression from obsession to supernatural horror, "A Touch of Jen" offers a powerful metaphor for how unchecked desire can consume both its object and subject, transforming both into something monstrous and unrecognizable.
