Summary

In "Rugaroo," Tookie began spending all of her time in bed. She told her family she needed space "to wrestle with [her] demon" (315). In her voluntary confinement, Tookie thought about Budgie, her crime, and the way Danae and Mara had betrayed her. One day, Hetta barged into her room and demanded she get up. They argued about ghosts. Hetta started crying. Laurent had told her he had some "heritable illness . . . that would affect Jarvis" (318). Realizing Hetta and Jarvis needed her, Tookie swung out of bed. Laurent said he was a rugaroo, or half man and half wolf. He said his whole story was in the book he had written in his "ancestors' language" (318).

Tookie arranged a reading. They would sit "outside in the yard" and listen to Laurent read his text (319). Shortly after Laurent began reading, Tookie interrupted and told...