The Skeleton Tree

At the seaside overlook in the present day, three chairs surround the wooden saint, and Chris fantasizes about what it will be like when the rescuers find them. He recalls his second-grade teacher saying he had trouble making friends and then laughs because he has befriended Frank.

In a flashback, Chris and Frank climb down to a sandy, trash-strewn beach and find shoes, buckets and other helpful items among the debris. Chris calls to Frank after finding a human footprint in the sand. They follow the footprints to a trail and then follow the trail through the woods to a small, abandoned cabin.

A dead raven hangs by red twine in the open doorway. A living raven flies in and watches from above. Frank whacks the dead bird down, while the living bird howls. Although disturbed, Chris does nothing in the face of Frank’s cruelty.

In the cabin is a radio. They call in a mayday, and a woman from the Coast Guard answers, but the radio dies before they can answer. In a rage, Frank throws the radio against the wall, sending pieces and dials flying. Chris is angry that Frank can’t control his rage and worries about what this will mean for them.