Dark Water Chapter 39 Summary

  • Pearl and Amiel hang out all summer. It's the end of August now, and she has to go back to school soon.
  • She spends the whole day with Amiel, talking and swimming.
  • They catch crayfish together and boil them over the fire; she follows his lead of how to eat them.
  • When she asks him about the accident, he tells her that his grandpa was hurting his mom. According to Amiel, his grandpa tried to make his mom (a.k.a. his own daughter) his wife. Yikes.
  • Amiel warned him that he better stop or Amiel would tell his uncle what was happening, so his grandpa got some rope, tied it around Amiel's neck, and yanked hard until he couldn't talk anymore.
  • Pearl is shocked and saddened for Amiel that his own grandpa would do such a thing.
  • She snuggles into him and he doesn't pull away, then she kisses him for the first time since the day he walked away from her.
  • He tells her that she's of two worlds.
  • Bang. There's a loud noise in the sky, and Pearl realizes it's a helicopter.
  • Amiel freaks out—he doesn't want border patrol to see him in the woods since he's undocumented—but Pearl reassures him that he's safe. He's worried all the same, though, so he kisses her goodbye and tells her to go home.