The Season of Styx Malone

Back at the Franklin home, Styx polishes the metal lunchbox until it is clean while Caleb leads Bobby Gene in telling Styx stories about fun or ornery times. Soon they can see images of Superman on the lunchbox. Styx wants to plan their trip to trade it for the motor, so they agree to go to the pond the next day. Styx stays for dinner again. That night, Mom tells Caleb her concerns about Styx. She worries that he is troubled and that Caleb and Bobby Gene have spent an abundance of time with him. She fears that his difficult life made him “a little rough around the edges” (135). She warns Caleb to be careful. Once in his room with Bobby Gene, Caleb leads a daydream-style discussion on “how great would it be to have no parents” (137).

The next day after lunch, Caleb and Bobby Gene meet Styx in the woods for a trip to the pond. Pixie comes along as well. They sit on the log and talk; Styx says he was named for the mythological Greek river over which one must cross to reach the underworld. Caleb is impressed. The boys discuss the need to get the motor; Styx says they need a complete day, so