Part 1, Chapter 3 Summary

Later that afternoon, Joel joins Zoo and Jesus Fever and watches apprehensively as Zoo stomps the ground and plays the accordion all the while shouting out praise and prayers to the Lord. Jesus Fever joins in on the singing and exhortations and Joel cowers in awe of the spectacle created by the man and his granddaughter. Before long, a thunderstorm approaches and Jesus Fever feels a deep chill, yet Zoo will not end her prayer service.

Joel reverts inward and wonders who has such a grudge against him that his life, which up until now has been a series of huge disappointments, has deteriorated to the point where he is trapped with two crazy people in the middle of a thunderstorm in the swamp. Just as Joel plunges into his own personal misery, he catches sight of the jagged scar ringing...