"The apostate" is about a boy named Johnny who has been working since he was 7 earning money for his family. He struggles with simultaneously being the “perfect” factory worker and the main provider of his family. Even when one of his siblings became old enough to work his mother made sure he stayed in school laying all the responsibility to Johnny. As this continued one day when he was 16 he had to stay home sick for a couple days after which he decided he was done moving and just wanted to do nothing for the rest of his life he boarded a train and left his family.