The Changeling: A Novel

After the cops leave, Apollo runs away from the bus stop to take shelter at the women’s restroom of the neighborhood visitors’ center. He briefly considers going to the forest to find Emma, but he figures it will be safer to search for her in the daytime.

Apollo calls Patrice, who cautions him against being tracked by Kinder Garten through his phone. He reports that Dana had gone to work only to find that all her employment records had mysteriously been erased. He directs Apollo to the address of Jorgen Knudsen, the man who owned the boat William claimed to have rented.

The following morning, Apollo sets out for Jorgen’s house. He waits for hours outside before he sees the same old man from the day before enter the house. Jorgen leaves the door open. Apollo thinks better of this and enters through the back door. He goes to the dining room, where the old man brandishes a boning knife against him. Thinking quickly, Apollo reaches for a newspaper to defend himself. Jorgen begins to tell him a story.

Jorgen narrates his story, saying that several brothers have been traumatized by something they’ve seen in the woods. Each one was attempting to collect wood to earn the family keep, but they all cannot speak about what they saw.