Summary

“Jael” (113) alternates between the narrations of Jael, a teenage girl, and her great-grandmother, who is sometimes referred to as “Granny” (119). The first section is narrated by Jael, who begins by saying that she thinks the pastor’s wife, Sadie, used to be a freak. She says that she knows Sadie’s body is beautiful under her church attire, and that she wishes she could see it.

Granny recounts how she found Jael’s diary, which contained “[u]nnatural things” (116). She bemoans Jael’s departure from God.

Jael explains that a friend of hers, Kachelle, told a 35-year-old man that she and Jael are both 16. In reality, Jael is 14 and Kachelle just turned 15. The man wants the two of them to come to his house for a crab boil and to take them to the beach.

The only way Granny can think of to save...