What Night Brings

Marci is worried that Eddie will know she has been using his shaving cream to practice shaving, but Eddie is preoccupied talking about his cousin, Danny, who is coming home from the Vietnam War. Danny lost an eye in combat, and when he visits the family, “He smiled, but […] Even though his good eye was smiling, it seemed different, like there was something inside” (48). This is Marci’s interpretation of PTSD.

Corin lifts Danny’s eye patch, and Marci sees that underneath “was a hole with no eye in it” (49). Marci climbs off Danny’s lap after seeing the wound. Marci senses that something about his personality has changed.

Enticed by the promise of candy, Marci and Corin go to a neighbor’s prayer meeting without Delia’s permission. They sing songs with other kids and listen to the group leader, Miss Patt, tell stories that keep Marci’s attention. Miss Patt tells the children in attendance, “those of you who want to go to heaven must come up to me now and accept Jesus in your heart” (53). When none of the other children show interest, Marci agrees to be saved.

After the meeting, Marci and Corin are disappointed by the stale candy.