- Roy buys Jack a Winchester rifle after Easter. Jack had been giving him a full-court press about it and he'd finally given in.
- Mom protests and Roy takes the rifle away, but promises he'll bring her over. He does this by whining at her until she agrees.
- She makes Jack promise never to take it out unless he's with her and Roy. He keeps his promise for awhile, but slowly starts breaking it.
- It goes slow. First he takes the rifle out and cleans it, then strikes poses with it, then loads it and draws beads on the passersby from the window.
- He feels power at aiming his gun like this, but is bugged by the fact that none of his targets are afraid of him.
- One day, he just has to shoot: killing a squirrel on a telephone wire.
- He tells his mother that there's "a dead squirrel" in the road. They bury it together and he cries.
- That night, he keeps crying until he imitates the act of confession. This makes him feel better. Oh, the power of insincerity!
- He avoids the apartment, scared of getting at the rifle again. Temptation proves too much to resist, however, and he starts going back to the apartment.
- One day, he draws a bead on a blue car. Then it stops and Sister James gets out. Again with the nuns and the divine shaming.
- He stays silent while Sister James knocks on his door, filled with shame and guilt and shame-y guilt, but also wanting to open the door to her.
- Sister James leaves a note asking his mother to call her. He burns the note and the envelope.