User blog comment:Mikel6718/Crazy Old Phil/@comment-28171460-20191222003154

The first chapter is a prologue, a hook. The protagonist foreshadows weird things that'll be explained later.

The "first" chapter most likely "takes place" between chapters 29 and 30. Technically, it could take place at the very end of the book (i.e. the protagonist is expecting Phil to try and come up with a backup plan).