The Serpent King

Dill and Lydia arrive at school early, where they bump into Tyson Reed and his girlfriend, Madison. Tyson is a bully who picks on them; he calls Dill “Dildo” and Lydia, “Chlamydia,” to which Lydia retorts, “You’ll die an idiot” (58). Travis approaches, and Tyson is intimidated by both Travis’s size and his reputation. 

Everybody in school is angry because Lydia gave an interview to The New York Times in which she called Forrestville a “fashion wasteland.” Lydia’s supposition, that most of the students will still be in the same small town in 10 years, hurts Dill because he believes he will be one of those people. As they go into class, Dill smells the cleaning chemicals and remembers helping to clean his father’s church when he was 12, and how his father’s approval meant “that he’s pleased his father and God” (64). 

Travis works in the lumberyard, lost in thought about his fantasy hero, Raynar Northbrook, with whom he identifies. He exchanges messages with Amelia, who sends him a picture of herself. He attempts to flirt and sends back one of the photos Lydia took, with Travis displaying his staff. His father’s employee, Lamar, tells the story of Dill’s grandfather, “the Serpent King.