Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

In the hospital, Larry switches through television stations, thinking about how his mailbox is always getting knocked over. Larry knows it’s common for teens to do this as a prank but recalls the day he realized that his was the only mailbox on the street being targeted: “He was tired of buying mailboxes” (231). Larry remembers drawing comic books with Silas when they were children and how Silas drew a Frankenstein comic strip. Larry keeps switching through channels and thinks about Cindy “buried somewhere only Cecil knew” (232). Larry remembers the night of the haunted house and how both Cindy and Silas ignored him. On a news channel, Larry realizes they’re reporting about him as the suspect in Tina Rutherford’s murder. Larry calls out to the guard outside, Skip, and asks to speak to French. French won’t be back until tomorrow, but Larry wants to wait to talk to him.

Larry recalls Wallace coming to visit him one night, drunk, and confiding to Larry, “I done something” (234). Larry offered to teach him mechanics, but Wallace said it wouldn’t work out, “Cause I ain’t worth a shit” (235). Larry wanted to protect Wallace, but after learning the truth about Silas, Larry realizes his so-called friends don’t deserve his protection.