Summary

Chapter 8 – Starla is terrified about being out in the country in the middle of the night. She thinks about how her father told her to “whistle past the graveyard,” her father’s expression for doing something to keep her mind off her worst fears. Starla can’t whistle, so she whistles in her own mind. She thinks about how Christmas will be in Nashville, but James starts crying. Starla apologizes to him over and over because she doesn’t have any food. Suddenly, Wallace and Eula arrive in the truck. Eula tries to fight Wallace as he grabs Starla and James. He moves to strangle Starla, but stops. He begins shaking, saying he just can’t do it. He tells her he will, though, if she and James ever run away again.

Chapter 9 – Starla realizes she is now trapped. Eula tells her everything is...