Free Lunch

Content Warning: The Chapter 22 Summary describes the removal of a glass eye.

Luciana and Sam are going away for a few days, leaving Rex and Ford at home alone. This is something they do often, the first time being when Rex was only nine years old. He was left alone with Ford for four days, and not only did they run out of food, but experienced a near break-in. Rex cried and yelled at his mother when she and Sam finally came home, and she hit him for doing so. Rex reflects on how he used to cry a lot but doesn’t anymore—instead, he buries his sadness. Nowadays, Rex is used to being left alone, but hates the feeling of being left in the dark. He wonders when his mother will return, and his heart wrenches as Ford screams as their parents leave.

Rex makes meals, watches Ford play in the courtyard, and has nightmares about something happening to his brother. One night, Benny comes over to watch a scary show, and Ford watches in secret, but begins crying from behind the couch. Benny starts laughing at Ford, and Rex hits Benny in the arm.