Dark Places Chapter 12 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Ben Day—January 2, 1985 12:51 p.m.

  • Ben leaves a note in Krissi's cubbyhole. "It's Christmas Break and I'm Thinking of You—Guess Who?" (11.1). He signs it with a B. Who could it B?
  • Thinking of Diondra, his girlfriend, Ben gets aroused just as the second-grade teacher walks into the room. Awkward.
  • The teacher notices Ben trying to hide his banana in his pocket in front of Krissi's cubbyhole, and she turns away.
  • Mortified, Ben runs away and thinks about what it would be like to shoot himself.
  • Instead, Ben goes to the Compound, an abandoned warehouse where Diondra and all her friends hang out.
  • Been has never been there with Diondra before. The other kids there, who are much older than Ben is, wonder why he's there.
  • Ben says he was in a fight with Trey Teepano, and that's how he got the cut on his head.
  • The others are impressed, because Trey is a scary Satan-worshipper.
  • Ben plays along with it to fit in, saying he's even sacrificed a farm animal. Holy cow. They pass him a joint and a beer, and Ben hangs out until Trey shows up.
  • When Trey finds out that Ben said they fought, he doesn't correct the story. Ben is surprised that Trey doesn't actually beat him up right then and there.
  • Trey tells Ben they can go to Diondra's place. He drives them there, rocking out to Satanic heavy metal the whole way.