We . . . screamed not because something was heinously, improbably wrong but because Saturday nights made us excitable and slaphappy.
-- Narrator (Pamela, Tallahassee, Florida, January 14, 1978, Seven Hours Before)

Importance: Pamela's linguistic usages in this passage foreshadow the events of January 14, 1978. Because Pamela is narrating her experiences in the past from the narrative present, she is able to reflect on what happened to her and her friends at The House decades prior. The construction of these lines captures Pamela's complex relationship with The Defendant's crimes. At the same time, Pamela's references to screaming and horror portend The Defendant's actions in the coming scenes.

I followed the officer downstairs, fevered with hope.
-- Narrator (Pamela, January 15, 1978, 3:39 a.m.)

Importance: Because Pamela is the only one to see the perpetrator on the night of January 14, 1978, she is convinced that her testimony will bring the man to justice. Her hope in this scene conveys her naivety and lack of awareness. It is not until she meets Tina Cannon that she realizes no...