Deadly Animals

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness, child abuse, child death, death by suicide, animal death, and graphic violence.

In August, nine-year-old Gary Clarke treks into the woods for a game of hide-and-seek. Gary wants to find a good hiding spot, so he won’t have to buy his friends candy if he gets found first. Gary learned of a hiding spot deep in the woods from a person he calls Somebody, who always gives him sweets. Gary saw Somebody before he and his friends bought ice cream from Pete Ancona on the way to the woods. Gary follows Somebody’s directions and comes to a clearing at Dead Hollow Tree. A twig snaps, and Gary sees Somebody behind him.

Ava and Veronica wake to a commotion in the apartment and learn that Trevor has bought the family a dog named Fizz. The dog approaches Ava, and Ava realizes Trevor wasn’t lying about his late-night excursions.

A new graffiti from Harry Ca Nab appears, referring obliquely to Gary’s disappearance. At the Clarke house, Lines finds a jelly crocodile hidden in Gary’s drawer. Gary’s brother Callum doesn’t know how Gary got it, since kids aren’t allowed in Hardy’s Gifts—the only store that sells extravagant sweets.