Summary

Chapter 21, “Dead Birds” (173) follows Cecelia babysitting Aidan and Zachary for a day while Elliot and Wendy were gone. As Cecelia and Elliot enter the house, the narrator observes key differences between the Big House and Elliot’s house, which he built himself and was what Cecelia’s parents would have referred to as a “McMansion” (174). Elliot showed Cecelia around the house. In the meantime, Aidan and Zachary ran into the glass door leading to the backyard and fell over, with Aidan yelling “Dead birds!” (174). Elliot explained that they had been having problems with birds flying into the windows. Before leaving, Elliot asked Cecelia to watch out for his phone, as he had not been able to find it.

Shortly after Elliot left, Zachary hurt himself while playing outside. Cecelia took him inside and put a Band-Aid on his face, then suggested that they...