Summary
Highlights
The narrator is consumed by the fear that Otis, believed to be dead, might return, fueled by Alex's words and the mysterious appearance of towels. The thought of Otis being alive and a potential threat intensifies a desire for him to be dead. This internal conflict is juxtaposed with the accepted reality of Pauline's death and the inability to change that fact.
Downstairs, the narrator's father plays a sad tune on his guitar, and their mother lies on the couch. A phone call brings news of the incident being reported on TV. Grandpa, who is elderly, is mentioned, and it is revealed that Otis has not yet been found. Mrs. McCandless is still searching the river for him. The family watches the news report about a tragic accident in Sonoma County involving the Blackwater River, showing the pond and Toadstool, which deeply impacts the narrator.
The narrator's mother checks on them, and the narrator feigns sleep. The night is marred by horrible dreams of choking in the river and seeing Otis and Pauline alive, only for Otis to appear with menacing, river-weed-filled teeth. Waking at 5 AM, the narrator quietly dresses and heads out in the cold, damp morning towards the river, compelled to return to the scene, feeling like a murderer revisiting a crime.
The narrator walks towards the river, searching for Pauline's other flip-flop. The fear of encountering Otis, dripping wet and smiling, lingers. Arriving at Dead Man's Island and passing the Batman's house, the narrator sees a woman on the beach, who is identified as Otis's mother, Mrs. McCandless. She is visibly distressed, her face smeared with makeup, and has been searching all night. She thanks the narrator for trying to save her son.
Mrs. McCandless refutes the rumors that Otis made Pauline fall, stating they had met there before and Pauline liked Otis. The narrator feels a pang of jealousy despite Pauline and Otis both being dead. Mrs. McCandless expresses her belief that Otis will come home, scaring the narrator with her conviction, yet also sparking a shared hope. As she shuffles away, a soccer ball charm on her shoe reminds the narrator of Otis, and the narrator genuinely expresses hope for his return.