Dark Water Rising

Seth comes home from work on Wednesday evening and finds a lot of children playing in the yard. Kate plays with two young neighbor girls and some lightning bugs. Some of the boys play a version of baseball in the road. One of Seth’s brothers, Matt, pauses during the game because he sees a young Black child watching the game. Matt speaks gently and kindly to the boy, Toby, then lets him throw the ball. Seth is surprised but pleased to see this side of Matt. As he walks to work on Thursday, Seth sees the beautiful blonde girl, Ella Rose. She introduces herself as Henry’s cousin, surprising Seth. They talk about how they will probably see each other Saturday night when everyone goes down to the beach and the recreation areas.

Seth does well at work, but something “[tingles] at the edge of [his] senses” that afternoon (57). He notices Mr. Farrell, too, seems to have the same feeling; Seth catches him “looking out over the gulf, his face furrowed with an edgy bewilderment” (58). Seth notices rough water and high tide and a wind from the north that doesn’t cool them down at all.

On Friday, Seth is annoyed when his mother asks him to take Kate to the outhouse again.