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Chapter 1
The book starts out with David being rescued from his mother. When he comes to school, the nurse has had enough with his injuries so she informs several teachers and the principal, who in turn call the police to take David away from school and his mother.
NONFICTION: 1-14 pages; total (711) -
Chapter 2
David explains how his life was before his mother turned abusive towards him. David's mother cleaned and kept the house neat; she also made good dinner nearly every night, even dressing up for the meal sometimes. The family would take summer vacations to a cabin by a river, where they made many good memories.
15-26 pages; total (722) -
Chapter 3
About this time, David's mother starts turning abusive. As soon as David's father left, David's mom would hit him for no actual reason. This attitude left David scared of her every move. One day, David's mother held his arm over the gas burner and burnt his arm.
27-43 pages; total (738) -
Chapter 4
David's mother starts starving him. David resorts to stealing food at school but soon he is caught and cannot continue with that. David's mother even tries to make David eat his little brother Russell's feces, but he manages to push it off. David's mother starts feeding David spoonfuls of ammonia to keep him from stealing food.
44-79 pages; total (773) -
Chapter 5
David is now able to anticipate how his mother will punish him, but one day, when his mother is too intoxicated, she stabs David with a sharp knife. David is never taken to a hospital, but he manages to survive through the injury and the infection in it.
80-98 pages; total (791) -
Chapter 6
David's mother's new way of torture is to make him lie down in a bathtub full of cold water and he is only allowed to keep his nostrils above the water. She repeats this several times, but David manages to find ways around complying. David's mother makes up to David and lets things return to normal, but only to keep suspicions from social services away. David accidentally lets a little bit slip, so he pays severely.
99-128 pages; total (820) -
Chapter 7
By this time, David starts to give up hope that his life will ever change. He starts believing that his brothers are no longer his brothers as sometimes they even join in Mother's cruel games. David truly gives up when his father is kicked out of their house permanently. The books ends when David, now called Dave, takes his own son to the cabin by the river and actually accepts that he is free finally.
129-180 pages; total (871)