Bess and Maureen trade back and forth to one another the stories they write, judging one another’s characters. They were tutored and homeschooled by their mother, until she passed away. After her passing, they attend school. At the same time, an old neighbor returns to live next to the girls. He was sent to jail for decades for serial rape, attacking women in the neighborhood, and even the girls’ aunt. They enter school and are viewed as eery witchy girls to be avoided. Bess’s teacher has her stay after school and begins to have a sexual relationship with her. She realizes that he chose her because she resembles her aunt, who killed herself. Though Bess and Maureen begin to drift apart, they continue writing their stories.