Summary

In “Sylvias,” Chapter 1, in the town neighboring the Barnes family’s town, a man murdered his family. Cass Barnes and her best friend Elaine were unsurprised by the story, as they hated their hometown.

Cass and Elaine had been inseparable since meeting “in Chemistry class” (3). Both girls were “from well-known families in the town” (3). Cass’s father, Dickie, ran his family’s car dealership. Elaine’s dad, Big Mike, was “a businessman and cattle farmer” (3).

Elaine was obsessed with Cass’s mother, Imelda. Cass disliked the way Elaine idolized her. Over time, Cass began to see how she and Elaine were different. The changes emerged when Dickie’s business started to fail. Dickie blamed the economic crash. Imelda did not handle “the downturn well” (10). She loved possessions and disliked having to sell her jewelry and furniture.

One day, Elaine asked about Cass’s parents...