Chapter 4 Summary

In the morning, Jared hears Mallory screaming. She has had her hair tied in little strands in knots to her bed post. Her face is red and there are bruises on her arms. Mother, Helen Grace, comes running in the room and wonders who did it. Simon is there too, and there is a quiet glance between Simon and Mallory as they wonder if the odd so-called squirrel creature had done these acts to Mallory. Then their mother remembers that she saw Jared and Mallory argue last night and suspects that Jared did it. Mom orders the two boys to go to their room. Simon speculates that the squirrel creature did it to Mallory and then wonders why nothing happened to them or to Mom. Jared suggests that the poem that he found may be a clue about the creature and what happened...