Summary

Tristan follows Gum Baby's trail past the cornfield and towards the forest. He realizes that the sticky stuff Gum Baby produces is sap. He follows Gum Baby into the forest. He finds Gum Baby standing before the strangest tree he has ever seen. bottles of every shape and size glimmer from the ends of its branches. The wind gusts, and the bottles moan. Tristan notices a blue bottle at the top. Something shifts inside like dirty oil moving through water. Tristan, upset about the theft of Eddie's journal, calls Gum Baby a "doll baby" (37). Gum Baby is not pleased. She attacks Tristan and pummels him with her tiny fists. He grabs his backpack from her with Eddie's journal inside, but Gum Baby won't let go, no matter how hard he tries to shake her off. In frustration, Tristan slams the backpack--and Gum Baby--against...