Chapter 5 Summary

While the Karr women leave Leechfield, Pete stays and watches the hurricane roll in from a giant tower at the refinery. He sees a twenty-foot wall of water move up the canal toward town, but amazingly the hurricane shifts toward a town called Cameron across the border in Louisiana. The direct hit on Cameron causes severe flooding, resulting in many casualties. Along with the town, the surrounding bayous flood, bringing up all kinds of creatures into the streets. Nurse sharks, snakes and nutria-rats are dangerous and on the loose, making the town an even more hellish place to be.

Grandma Moore passes away during the storm, although Mary cannot recall exactly when. She is actually in a coma at Aunt Iris's house, but she dies shortly afterwards. When the official news comes, a school official drives the girls home, with Lecia sobbing in...