At the beginning of chapter twelve, Devon has a meeting with Dom, in which she tells her for the first time that she never knew she was pregnant. Dom has Devon tell her more about this boy. So Devon tells her the story about where they met: Devon had been babysitting some kids and took them swimming at a swim club, where she met for the first time this boy. He had been swimming and had come to dry off, for his stuff was next to Devon. He noticed the book she was reading and they started to talk about books and other things they had in common. Devon internally reflects things about him-he lives in Denver, his eyes are green. Dom asks her when she last saw him. She doesn't say aloud but she remembers him driving her home, the car full of awkward silence, the night they had sex. She does tell Dom about how he called and texted her numerous times, but she never answered.
In all of this, Devon is reluctant. She doesn't like talking about her sex life, because she doesn't want to become her mother, who has frequent affairs. And then, Devon says it; "I hate her", an anchor that has been tied around her heart is lifted. She resents her mother for neglecting her, for making her raise herself, for causing her fear when she left her alone as a child, for putting expectations on her, for the crappy apartments, for simply not being a mother to her, for not being by her now. Dom makes Devon promise she will cooperate with the psychiatrist later. She obliges.
His name is Conner.
Devon had to give out this bit of information. Dom said he had the right to know. I'm not sure if he will come back into the picture yet.
In the classroom, a guest speaker-Allison- comes in to talk about Growing Up. They talk about adults invading privacy. I think a lot of teenagers feel this way. When an adult monitors your social life by reading your texts or messages. It is an invasion of privacy, even if the adult is only trying to make sure their child is safe. They need to trust their child. If they can't trust them, then they need to get some help. The class makes a list of things that happen when you get to a certain age. When they get to age twelve, someone says you can stay home alone, and Karma whispers beside Devon "Did that when I was five." and Devon thinks so did I. I start to see a connection between these two. Not like they are friends, but they have some similarities. Then, Devon gets called out to see the psychiatrist Dr. Bacon, and Devon tells her everything.
At dinner, Devon is eating lasagna and Karma comes over to provoke her. Karma starts to eat Devon's food, and when she is done, breaks off the end of the sporks and tucks it away in her bra. Devon remembers that she saw Karma's arm once, all cut up and scarred. Karma says that the dead can't bleed and the living can, and sometimes she needs a reminder that she is still alive. Devon watches as Karma walks away, she sees the girl push into another girl-Jenevra- and Jenevra shoves back and they both laugh. And Devon knows what Karma wants. "She just wants someone to push back."
In this next I start to notice Devon having more interaction with the other girls, she can get along with them, which I think she will need, since she is all alone.
It's Saturday morning. A girl named Macee is jumping around telling everyone that her mom is coming. She asks Devon if her mom is coming, and Devon says she really doubts it. Devon has been having trouble not thinking about her mom. She is trying to accept that she will probably never see her again. She spends most of the day reading, but someone calls her name. It's Jenevra, flanked by two other girls. They ask if Devon wants to play basketball. Devon isn't sure if she is cleared by a doctor yet but she goes anyway. Devon has a good time. She has missed being athletic and likes the adreneline and sweat. Though her thighs are aching, she is glad she played. When they break, the girls talk. Devon learns the names of the other girls-Evie and Sam. Jenevra asks Devon if she plays much and Devon says no, but Evie says she plays soccer. Devon has no idea how she knows this, but Evie says she goes to the same high school as Devon. Devon feels with a pang of fear that she is not anonymous here.
They go inside and hear a scream. It's Karma. She is making a fuss, being chased down by some security men. Everybody is sent to Lockdown in their cells.
Devon wakes up, realizing she had fallen asleep in her cell. She sees Karma being wheeled by through her window, strapped to a gurney, her arms bleeding. Just like Devon had bled. Devon sees the black straps tying Karma down. Devon too had been strapped down and confined. Then Devon has another memory.
She remembers That Night. She remembers cutting the umbilicol cord, the screaming little creature, the blood. And she remembers the screaming stopping, swallowed by a black bag.
A woman comes to get her in her cell, saying Dom wants to see her. Devon doesn't want to go. She knows she will have to tell Dom what she remembered. But she goes anyway.
So, now we know that Devon did put the baby in the trash bag. Does that mean she, herself, put the baby in the trashcan? That could have been someone else right? Now, I want to know why this happened.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Picture This...
You walk, handcuffed and escorted by a polices man with brown eyes, through a parking lot into a large white building, sort of the highway. You feel bloated, gross, heavy, dirty. You wait in a room with several other teenagers, girls in bright orange jumpsuits, boys in blue. All of you wear leg chains, bolted across your ankles, sitting in chairs, bolted to the floor, all in a line, facing a large wooden desk about seven feet in front of you. When you are called into the court room by a scary, erect, strict woman, your heart starts to beat a little faster. You meet a temporary lawyer, and you are surprised by his disheveled appearance. You don't get very far into the hearing, because while you are sitting at the stand, looking out at the dim room with three talls windows to the left and several seats out front, your chest starts to ache and release fluid. You start to cry and blubber up, embarrassed. You are taken away, and given a pile of white, scratchy bedding to carry. You walk down a white with flourescent lights and stale air and a number of doors on either side of you. The hallway leads to a set of double dark green doors. You enter and, with much force, drop the bedding which reveals your soiled jumpsuit to a dozen or so teenage girls in neon jumpsuits, sitting around circular tables doing various activities. You are rushed through and brought to your cell. On the inside, there is a twin sized bed with peeling white, metal railings and a toilet in the far right corner. You are left there until other notice, no information or explanation. The door clanks shut behind you, and your ears ring with the finality of the sound.
After- to page 147
Devon sits at breakfast the next morning, near the shelf of books-she loves to read, like me. Ms. Coughran comes in and announces that they will be having P.E. today. Devon starts to work out with the other girls but Ms. Coughran pulls her aside and tells her she has not been cleared for physical activity by a doctor, and she has a meeting with her lawyer. She heads toward the conference room, enters, and hears the door click shut-like always. Dom is sitting there, dressed more casual than usual. While she talks to Dom, Devon wonders how Dom knows so much about soccer. I have a prediction for this one also:
Dom stated earlier in the book that she wanted Devon's case. I think she wanted the case because she has something in common with Devon, maybe soccer, maybe the innocent school girl thing was going for her.
Devon tells Dom that she can't remember anything. Dom doesn't quite believe this, so she has Devon tell her what she does remember, starting at the beginning.
Devon remembers waking up and having to vomit. Her mom comes in, reminding her that she has an appointment for a sports physical today. Devon goes, nervous about being prodded-she doesn't like people touching her privately, even if it is a doctor. They go to a local clinic and a doctor begins his examination. Devon's mom (Jennifer), being a huge flirt, is chatting at this man, throughout the physical, bragging about her daughter, teasing him. When he examines her private area and abdomen briefly, he seems suspicious afterward. Like he knows something, he wants to talk to Devon alone. She doesn't want to do that. She explains to him that she isn't having sex (lie). He wants her to bring in a urine sample but she never does.
I feel like Devon is holding back just a little bit. She doesn't to have witnesses talk about how good she is in court, and she seems reluctant to give information, though she can't remember much of what happened.
Dom stated earlier in the book that she wanted Devon's case. I think she wanted the case because she has something in common with Devon, maybe soccer, maybe the innocent school girl thing was going for her.
Devon tells Dom that she can't remember anything. Dom doesn't quite believe this, so she has Devon tell her what she does remember, starting at the beginning.
Devon remembers waking up and having to vomit. Her mom comes in, reminding her that she has an appointment for a sports physical today. Devon goes, nervous about being prodded-she doesn't like people touching her privately, even if it is a doctor. They go to a local clinic and a doctor begins his examination. Devon's mom (Jennifer), being a huge flirt, is chatting at this man, throughout the physical, bragging about her daughter, teasing him. When he examines her private area and abdomen briefly, he seems suspicious afterward. Like he knows something, he wants to talk to Devon alone. She doesn't want to do that. She explains to him that she isn't having sex (lie). He wants her to bring in a urine sample but she never does.
I feel like Devon is holding back just a little bit. She doesn't to have witnesses talk about how good she is in court, and she seems reluctant to give information, though she can't remember much of what happened.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
After-32 pages later...
Just a heads up-I will most likely be posting for every time I put down the book for any period of time, just so I don't get overwhelmed with information. This book is "action"-packed.
I left off when Devon was talking to her lawyer Dom, for the first time. She wasn't sure how she was feeling about this woman but now she learns that Dom is her future. All of her hopes and goals for the future are now relying on Dom to help her get out of jail. Devon finds herself frantic. She has never felt this way before, she has always been calm. She paces around the white, cement room in panic. She receives some frightening information; everybody already knows about the crime she has committed, it has been all through the media, whispered in the hallways off her school. She is given some newspaper articles to read in her cell. "Then she sees the pictures. A sharp pain slams into her chest, seizes her breath. One of the couch-the blood-soaked cushions, the crumpled blanket. And another of the bathroom-the blood smeared across the linoleum, a pile of soiled towels in the corner. And still another- a torn open trash bag, revealing the garbage contained within."-page 86. She studies the photo of the trash, and realizes that it is her trash. She starts to remember a few things- like what she was doing "That Night" as it is put. But when she starts to wonder about other things like the blood, she suddenly can't remember anymore.
I have a theory for this, a prediction, if you will. I believe that Devon's mind has repressed "That Night". Before, in the book, Devon claims she remembers somethings like the sex, and pain of "That Night"...though she never actually remembered a baby. She may not have known what was going on, in the daze of the birth. Devon may have been in shock. She may have done these things-such as putting the baby in the trash-subconsciously, or possibly even unconsciously. I don't doubt that she did it herself.
So, after she sees the pictures. It is the next morning, and Devon gets assigned to a chore for the first time. She is determined to do her job superbly, her lawyer said that if she is a "model" resident, the judge will be less harsh. Devon feels the need to prove herself, since she has always been the good, smart girl. I can relate to her because of this. We both always do the right thing, because we want to.
She goes to the school in juvenile detention, with fourteen other girls (the boys are kept separate). She is forced to sit next to a freaky girl with braids and pale skin, named Karma. The teacher- Ms. Coughran- goes through all the rules. All the while Devon is receiving snide comments from Karma. Ms. Coughran begins the first assignment- to write a poem that uses specific words. Devon realizes how utterly dim-witted some of the girls are, for not knowing the meaning of twilight or sail. Devon doesn't write a poem, because poetry reminds her of him. She briefly thinks about-most likely-the first time they ever went out. This is one of the first glances that we, as the reader, seen him (the father of the baby, for those of you who haven't figured it out...). She snaps back to the present, where the classroom walls are surprising colorful with pictures and maps. Some girls share their poems. Devon is distracted when Karma slides her paper over to her. It reads: "She can paint a lovely picture/BUT.../This story has a twist./Her paintbrush is a razor/and her canvas is her wrist." Karma smirks at Devon and then whispers to her. "Yeah, you are a devil. Deep down inside. So am I. So are all of us." She kicks Devon's chair. "Get over it."
That is exactly where I have stopped for now. More will come next time. :)
I left off when Devon was talking to her lawyer Dom, for the first time. She wasn't sure how she was feeling about this woman but now she learns that Dom is her future. All of her hopes and goals for the future are now relying on Dom to help her get out of jail. Devon finds herself frantic. She has never felt this way before, she has always been calm. She paces around the white, cement room in panic. She receives some frightening information; everybody already knows about the crime she has committed, it has been all through the media, whispered in the hallways off her school. She is given some newspaper articles to read in her cell. "Then she sees the pictures. A sharp pain slams into her chest, seizes her breath. One of the couch-the blood-soaked cushions, the crumpled blanket. And another of the bathroom-the blood smeared across the linoleum, a pile of soiled towels in the corner. And still another- a torn open trash bag, revealing the garbage contained within."-page 86. She studies the photo of the trash, and realizes that it is her trash. She starts to remember a few things- like what she was doing "That Night" as it is put. But when she starts to wonder about other things like the blood, she suddenly can't remember anymore.
I have a theory for this, a prediction, if you will. I believe that Devon's mind has repressed "That Night". Before, in the book, Devon claims she remembers somethings like the sex, and pain of "That Night"...though she never actually remembered a baby. She may not have known what was going on, in the daze of the birth. Devon may have been in shock. She may have done these things-such as putting the baby in the trash-subconsciously, or possibly even unconsciously. I don't doubt that she did it herself.
So, after she sees the pictures. It is the next morning, and Devon gets assigned to a chore for the first time. She is determined to do her job superbly, her lawyer said that if she is a "model" resident, the judge will be less harsh. Devon feels the need to prove herself, since she has always been the good, smart girl. I can relate to her because of this. We both always do the right thing, because we want to.
She goes to the school in juvenile detention, with fourteen other girls (the boys are kept separate). She is forced to sit next to a freaky girl with braids and pale skin, named Karma. The teacher- Ms. Coughran- goes through all the rules. All the while Devon is receiving snide comments from Karma. Ms. Coughran begins the first assignment- to write a poem that uses specific words. Devon realizes how utterly dim-witted some of the girls are, for not knowing the meaning of twilight or sail. Devon doesn't write a poem, because poetry reminds her of him. She briefly thinks about-most likely-the first time they ever went out. This is one of the first glances that we, as the reader, seen him (the father of the baby, for those of you who haven't figured it out...). She snaps back to the present, where the classroom walls are surprising colorful with pictures and maps. Some girls share their poems. Devon is distracted when Karma slides her paper over to her. It reads: "She can paint a lovely picture/BUT.../This story has a twist./Her paintbrush is a razor/and her canvas is her wrist." Karma smirks at Devon and then whispers to her. "Yeah, you are a devil. Deep down inside. So am I. So are all of us." She kicks Devon's chair. "Get over it."
That is exactly where I have stopped for now. More will come next time. :)
Just Can't Help Thinking...
...that the author of my book has gotten her ideas from somewhere else. One of my favorite books is "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (guilty is charged...). When you read a great book, sometimes you have a hard time finding another book as good as that one. Usually, I would just think of this connection as a coincidence, but it seems a bit too similar. Not that the story line is the same, because they are not at all. But there are little things, here and there, such as the fact that the book takes place in the state of Washington, as does "Twilight". There is a girl named Bella (though she isn't the main character), the way the mother behaves is similar-some what eccentric and immature. It even gets down to things like the similarities between word choice and writing styles. Maybe it's in my head, but I can't be sure. I hope it's in my head. I just can't help thinking it is so.
After-to page 78
Today, in After, the main character Devon experienced her first day in juvenile detention. While she goes about, in the court room, through the halls and in her room, she is experiencing post-birth. The bleeding, the milk, and the emotions have caused her much embarrassment. Devon is scared. She has never done anything wrong in her life, she has perfect report cards, the teachers love her, she helps her mother around the house, and now she could possibly be facing five years of prison. With the possibility of being tried as an adult with the charges of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Abandonment of a Dependent Person in the Second Degree, Criminal Mistreatment in the Second Degree, and Assault in the Third Degree, she has no recollection of any of it. She has met her lawyer and her psychiatrist, who are both willing to help her, but Devon is to confused to function in all of this.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
After-Amy Efaw (pre-reading)
I chose this book because I like a good, intense, mysterious book. I always tend to lean toward that sort of riveting book. Just within the first few chapters, After battles the changes and differences of innocence, justice, fear and the psychological state of mind.
The story is about fifteen-year old Devon, who-so far- has been pregnant. Down the street from her house, a baby was found in the trash, still alive. Some police officers came to her house to ask some standard questions about any suspicious behavior. They find her sick, clammy, and suffering from excessive blood loss of the vaginal area. Of course, the police take her down as a suspect. She is taken to the hospital, and then to a juvenile detention center.
I am hoping to unravel this mystery as I read along, to find out what happened prior to the day the police showed up at her house. This is going to be a good one-I'll keep you posted.
-Sam
The story is about fifteen-year old Devon, who-so far- has been pregnant. Down the street from her house, a baby was found in the trash, still alive. Some police officers came to her house to ask some standard questions about any suspicious behavior. They find her sick, clammy, and suffering from excessive blood loss of the vaginal area. Of course, the police take her down as a suspect. She is taken to the hospital, and then to a juvenile detention center.
I am hoping to unravel this mystery as I read along, to find out what happened prior to the day the police showed up at her house. This is going to be a good one-I'll keep you posted.
-Sam
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