Summary: Chapter 13

Fox has just spoken with his assistant, Alice Hawbaker, who told him that she has had visions of herself shooting her husband and then herself, and that because of this she and her husband are leaving Hawkins Hollow even earlier than they’d first planned. Fox is upset to see Alice go not only because he’ll lose her help in the office but also because he loves her. Then Fox runs into Layla, who explains her dilemma about whether to stay or go back to New York. Fox tells her that it is her choice, but if she stays in Hawkins Hollow, she needs to commit to staying for a while and helping to stop the Seven. 

Layla returns to the rental house, and Quinn shows her the journals she got from Estelle, including three that belonged to Ann Hawkins. That night, Cal, Fox, Quinn, and Layla gather at the rental house and discuss what they have learned from Ann’s journals. They wonder if Cal, Fox, and Gage are descendants of Giles Dent and Ann Hawkins. Meanwhile, Gage is just outside Hawkins Hollow when another car nearly crashes into him. Gage’s car escapes damage, but the other car swerves into a ditch. A woman gets out of the car and blames Gage for the accident, but he insists it is her fault. The woman explains that as she has no spare tire and doesn’t want to call a tow truck, Gage must drive her to Hawkins Hollow. As they get in the car, the woman introduces herself as Quinn’s friend Cybil Kinski.

Analysis: Chapter 13

As tension builds, the characters exhibit different strategies for dealing with fear. Mrs. Hawbaker, scared that her vision of murdering her husband and killing herself will become a reality during the Seven, is determined to leave Hawkins Hollow. For her, retreating to safer ground is the best option in the face of such terror and uncertainty. In contrast, Layla wants to run back to New York, but something keeps her in Hawkins Hollow. After Fox urges her to commit fully to whatever course of action she takes, Layla decides to go all in on investigating the Big Evil. For Layla, taking decisive action in the face of fear is better than running, an idea that is repeated often throughout the novel.

In this chapter, we see hints that a team will form between the Cal, Fox, and Gage and Quinn, Layla, and Cybil. Each pair forms a connection that mirrors their similar personalities. Cal and Quinn fall into their romance decisively, moving bravely toward love, and decisiveness and bravery are defining traits of both characters. Layla and Fox have a growing, cautious connection, paralleling their quieter, more passive personalities. Gage and Cybil meet dramatically when they almost crash into each other, and though they both acknowledge the other’s attractiveness, their primary attitude towards each other is aggression and irritation. Both prove to be gruff characters. Each pair also shares the same power, with Cal and Quinn seeing the past, Fox and Layla intuiting deeper meaning in the present, and Cybil and Gage with the ability to see into the future. Each character seems stronger in their pair, just as the three blood brothers are stronger together. As a result, these three pairs will be crucial in fighting the Big Evil.