Middle of the Night

Ethan begins the chapter acknowledging his anticipation of The Dream, given the day’s disturbing events. He takes precautions to combat the disorientation it causes by keeping the TV on and the bedside lamp lit. Despite his preparations, The Dream lingers longer than usual, intensifying his fear and leaving him on edge. He wakes up, momentarily panicked, and writes a reminder in his notebook to ground himself: “The Dream is just a manifestation of guilt and grief. It is not real. It cannot hurt me” (96).

Unable to sleep, Ethan goes to the window and notices the light over the Wallace’s garage flickering on again, just like the previous night. He feels an unseen presence moving around the cul-de-sac. Determined to investigate, he dresses and goes outside, where he observes the lights turning on in sequence at different houses, implying that someone or something is circling the area. Ethan approaches the hedge between his yard and the Chens’, and a rabbit suddenly darts out, startling him.

In a panic, Ethan ends up in his backyard, standing where his tent once was 30 years ago, the spot where Billy was abducted. Overcome by memories, he examines the unchanged yard and the peaceful yet menacing forest edge.