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Erik is Paul’s cruel older brother, though his personality is unclear at the beginning of the novel. Erik is the one who tells Paul that Paul was blinded when he looked at an eclipse too long, which turns out to be a lie. Erik gets the lion’s share of his parents’ attention. Mr. Fisher is especially focused on the “Erik Fisher Football Dream” and securing Erik a football scholarship. Erik is a placekicker and was a high scorer in their prior community. He also played soccer but took up football when he realized it would bring him more attention. When Erik is embarrassed on the field in the beginning of the novel, Paul knows that Erik will take his humiliation out on someone else, foreshadowing the novel’s events. Erik recruits Arthur Bauer to be his right-hand man both on and off the field. Arthur, Erik’s holder on the field, robs houses for Erik and defends Erik when Luis comes after Erik for hitting his brother, Tino. Erik and Arthur make fun of Mike Costello after he dies on the field, which is the first sign of Erik’s sociopathic streak. When Erik tells Arthur to strike Luis with a blackjack, it seals his fate and downfall: The murder is eventually revealed, Erik’s football season is forfeited, and the “Erik Fisher Football Dream” is over.

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