Root Magic

October passes quickly. Jez grows closer to Susie, and they walk home together every day, though Susie never comes to Jez’s house. Jez has more homework, which she works on diligently after school. She feels like she sees Jay less since they’re in different classes, and he sometimes stays after school to hang out with his friends. He wears a root bag around his neck but can’t tell Jez what’s in it. She feels like they don’t know each other anymore. Jez never goes to the marsh but misses it.

In November, Doc has Jay and Jez make bottles of oils to sell in his shop. When he goes outside after teasing her, she follows, and she notices that he’s shaking. He tells her he needs help and instructs her to go to the marsh. He’ll get their mother. His voice quivers, telling Jez that she needs to go to the big oak. Recognizing that something is wrong, she grabs a pitchfork and goes down to the marsh. There, she finds an injured coyote stuck in a trap. She knows that the creature would eat their chickens and that Mama and Doc would kill it. However, she wants to help it.