Before...
The reader is introduced to the main character named Dylan. His father goes on a hunting trip and exhibits strange behaviour when he returns. It was unusual for him to take this trip as he was not an outdoors type of man. A freezer was ordered prior to this hunting trip in preparation for when the meat was caught. When the father returns, we discover that no meat goes to the freezer.
Chapter 1:
The chapter starts with Dylan's Dad. He wasn't usually "normal" and so this was "abnormal" for him and so Dylan felt that something must be going on. Dylan's Mother decides to go to Egypt for five months. Dylan's father goes to a church for a meeting of the BFI club where there was going to be a special speaker. We meet Joe West who is the president of the club. At this meeting there was a slide presentation where an image was shown. Dylan thought it was a gorilla. Upon seeing this presentation, Dylan's father teared up. Clyde Smith, who was also at the meeting, said that he tried for half an hour to catch up to the creature, but couldn't move as fast and nearly broke his leg on the rocks. He called it Sasquatch. This made Dylan's mind go back to months ago when his father came back from his hunting trip.
Chapter 2:
The reader discovers in chapter two, that Dad had been hiding his new-insanity by moving all his research things to his office at the real estate agency. His father did this because he didn't want his wife (Dylan's mother) to know about it and change her mind about going to Egypt. In this chapter, Dylan's father decides to move back all his stuff to the garage at his home. Dad was convinced at this point that he had found Bigfoot (aka Sasquatch). It is discovered that Clyde and Dad had both seen the creature at the exact same place. Dad recalls that when he feel (after seeing Sasquatch) and woke up that he had been placed in a shelter made of branches. It is assumed that the creature put him there.
Dylan watched a film of Bigfoot in 1967 and felt it looked fake, yet he also felt that the pictures Clyde took seemed to be likely real. Dylan however, had a theory that Dad's friends had played a hoax on him. Dad proved him wrong because Clyde took pictures of Bigfoot in the exact same spot.
Dylan watched a film of Bigfoot in 1967 and felt it looked fake, yet he also felt that the pictures Clyde took seemed to be likely real. Dylan however, had a theory that Dad's friends had played a hoax on him. Dad proved him wrong because Clyde took pictures of Bigfoot in the exact same spot.
Chapter 3:
Dad was not in the greatest of moods in this chapter because the article about the BFI meeting was placed in the back (possibly as punishment for not allowing the news people to take photographs). Dylan knew his Mother would not like Dad's shopping trip because the Dad had traded in her beloved VW Bug for a truck. After a disagreement, Dad finally let Dylan go back up to the mountain with him. Late a night, Dylan and his father went to the church for another BFI meeting, as Dr. Flagg was now there. Dr. Flagg suggested not to make any public announcements about Bigfoot because they didn't want a lot of people going up there. He thought that Clyde's photos were real but that there should be additional proof so there would be no doubt. During this meeting there was an argument between an old man and Dr. Flagg. The old man thought Sasquatch should be left alone, and Dr. Flagg thought that it should be captured so that people would then believe it was real and that would ensure its survival as a species.
Chapter 4:
On the way home in the truck after the meeting, Dad told Dylan that the old man at the meeting was one of Dad's renters - his name was Buckley Johnson. Both Dylan and his father were shocked to find that in Mr. Johnson's backyard there was a life-sized carving of Sasquatch. Dad felt this carving was very accurate and he thought that Mr. Johnson must have seen the Sasquatch before. Dad and Dylan felt it odd that there was a camera aimed at the window of Mr. Johnson's house. They soon realized it was a stakeout, keeping track of Mr. Johnson. To make sure, he phoned Mr. Johnson's house, and sure enough, the tape recorder went on. Upon searching on the computer, they discovered that Mr. Johnson had worked for Fish and Wildlife Service and his wife had died years ago. The house across the street was rented by someone named Peter Nunn for the last 18 months. After finally speaking with Mr. Johnson, we discover that he disproves of Dr. Flagg's approach and that felt he was only in it for the fame and the money. When Dylan's father told Mr. Johnson about the expedition, he just stared - no emotion. Mr. Johnson tells Dylan and Dad about Zona. Clyde was taken there and got married and had a son. He was forced to leave when he got into an argument. His brothers - clones of him - were a gift from his father-in-law for a wedding present. Clyde believed there was supposed to be a gate to Zona on Mt. St. Helens and he wanted to go back there and get his son.
Chapter 5:
Doug, Dylan's friend, noticed Dylan was distracted. Dylan was not perfectly honest or dishonest with Doug. He did not lie, but did not tell him the facts either. Dylan noticed his Dad's odd behaviour, such as sitting in a chair for three days straight. Dad even had guests over - Dr. Flagg, Joe West, Clyde and the clones, etc.
Dr. Flagg kept using the word harvest - it sounded like he wasn't facing the fact that he was going to kill a creature, and talked like it was a fruit or grain that was being harvested. Dr. Flagg was interested in no publicity yet - and felt Dylan was being cooperative (whereas it was really that Dylan didn't want to be embarrassed by what his father was doing/said he'd seen). Flagg had even disconnected the house phone and collected cell phones and wouldn't let anyone go anywhere except in twos. Dylan's Dad was going to contact Buck Johnson; Dylan was going to be his messenger because Dr. Flagg would know that Dylan had to go to school, so Dylan would be alone. Dylan would go down a back alley and approach Mr. Johnson's house from the rear so anyone in the house across the street would not see him in order to keep this meeting secret.
Dr. Flagg kept using the word harvest - it sounded like he wasn't facing the fact that he was going to kill a creature, and talked like it was a fruit or grain that was being harvested. Dr. Flagg was interested in no publicity yet - and felt Dylan was being cooperative (whereas it was really that Dylan didn't want to be embarrassed by what his father was doing/said he'd seen). Flagg had even disconnected the house phone and collected cell phones and wouldn't let anyone go anywhere except in twos. Dylan's Dad was going to contact Buck Johnson; Dylan was going to be his messenger because Dr. Flagg would know that Dylan had to go to school, so Dylan would be alone. Dylan would go down a back alley and approach Mr. Johnson's house from the rear so anyone in the house across the street would not see him in order to keep this meeting secret.
Chapter 6:
In this chapter Dylan tells Buck about the survaillance cameras outside the house. Buck didn't act surprised, and only asked about what was inside the house. Details are learned about Buck and his family - his wife and Gary had passed away, Buck takes care of himself health wise, etc. Buck would not, however, disclose why he was being watched. Also in this chapter expedition teams (for tracking down the Sasquatch) are made. There are 3 total.
Dylan firmly believes that Buck has seen the Sasquatch, even though he claims he only saw it in his dreams (and Buck even called Dylan's father crazy for thinking he saw a real Sasquatch). Buck made it clear that he wanted a map to see directions to the location where Dad had seen the Sasquatch as well as a device - one that Dylan thought would not be safe to have. At the end of this chapter Dylan's Dad broke his agreement with Dr. Flagg as he told Buck about the expedition.
Dylan firmly believes that Buck has seen the Sasquatch, even though he claims he only saw it in his dreams (and Buck even called Dylan's father crazy for thinking he saw a real Sasquatch). Buck made it clear that he wanted a map to see directions to the location where Dad had seen the Sasquatch as well as a device - one that Dylan thought would not be safe to have. At the end of this chapter Dylan's Dad broke his agreement with Dr. Flagg as he told Buck about the expedition.
Chapter 7:
At the beginning of this chapter, Dylan prepares himself to lie to Joe West. This lie is avoided as the television news came on talking about Mount Saint Helens. On the mountain there was rumbling, earthquakes and steam. According to Dr. Smailes, there was no eruption coming anytime soon, but simply the mountain letting off pressure. There was two zones now being established around the mountain. One (red zone) no one could enter and the second (blue zone) only those with permits were allowed in. The news report cautioned people to stay away from the mountain. Dr. Flaggs, however, thought they'd better go now before the barriers were put up. That night Dylan was shocked to find Dr. Flagg in his father's bed. He had a gun on him and could have easily shot Dylan, but luckily didn't.
In this chapter it is decided that Dylan will stay at Doug's house during spring vacation. Dad receives an e-mail from Buck (ask Uncle John) asking him for the two items. We are also introduced to Kurt Skip who is a tracker.
In this chapter it is decided that Dylan will stay at Doug's house during spring vacation. Dad receives an e-mail from Buck (ask Uncle John) asking him for the two items. We are also introduced to Kurt Skip who is a tracker.
Chapter 8:
In this chapter Dylan discovers the sleeping bag and backpack in an unusual spot - the crawl space. He was scared when he heard a voice speaking to him when he was doing so. Dylan then meets Peter Nunn (aka Agent Steven Crow) FBI agent who rented the house across the street from Buck. Agent Crow had been following Dylan and his father around without their knowing. Agent Crow is very interested in Dylan's Dad's map because of the X marking the Sasquatch spot. Dylan was able to convince Agent Crow that his father was coming home soon - which was untrue. Agent Crow knew that Dylan's father had been to his house because of pictures found.8. He would have been hesitant to come to Dylan's house because Agent Crow might still be watching Dylan's house. When Buck contacted Dylan later on, Buck revealed that Agent Crow was no longer part of the FBI (as he retried). Agent Crow believe that Buck had stolen something, hence the reason he was still keeping tabs on him. Dylan continues to sneak in and out through his own backyard as to not be seen by Agent Crow.
At the book store, Dylan convinced Buck to take him along up the mountain as he had the map and radio that he used as a bribe (which his father had left with him).
At the book store, Dylan convinced Buck to take him along up the mountain as he had the map and radio that he used as a bribe (which his father had left with him).
Chapter 9:
As Dylan and Buck were going up the mountain the road was covered in a thick layer of ash. The Earth began to shake and Dylan found it was very difficult to stand and had to crawl. On the radio, the three expedition groups all talked briefly about the shake, so Dylan and Buck knew they were indeed up there. They could no longer continue driving without a key to open a chain across the road. The pair ended up going to the cabin that was built over a hundred years ago (which shows that it survived the erupting of Mount Saint Helens). We discover that Buck had also survived by staying in the cabin. This cabin had no electricity and not much furniture. We discover pandora's box that is padlocked. It contains supplies and it was locked to keep the bears out of it.
During the middle of the night, Dylan hear a loud scream/roar that Buck said was a mountain lion and Dylan did not believe him.
During the middle of the night, Dylan hear a loud scream/roar that Buck said was a mountain lion and Dylan did not believe him.
Chapter 10:
In this chapter, Dylan followed a trail going down hill and then ended up going back up when he realized that Buck could not have gone that far for water.Dylan saw tracks - that didn't belong to a cat - over 20" long and 8" wide. Buck confesses to Dylan that Sasquatch was real and that he, Buck, had seen it many times. Buck said he'd tell him more over breakfast if Dylan would get the water now - and showed him the correct direction. Billy Taylor allowed Buck to stay in his cabin because Buck's hip was damaged from a fall and couldn't walk. We discover that Buck was now the one who communicated/associated with the Sasquatch when it appeared.