Swift River

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism, child abuse, physical abuse, graphic violence, bullying, and death.

Diamond has saved $250 for driving lessons and hides it from her mother, all the while knowing that her mother needs $250 to file the petition in court. However, Diamond is nervous about seeing her classmates at driver’s ed; it is midsummer, and she typically forgets during the break how much she stands out among them. A girl named Shelly Ostrowksi sits next to her. Shelly has failed driver’s ed twice before and flirts with the instructor, Mr. Jimmy.

Despite not having her license, Shelly offers to drive Diamond home. As they drive, Shelly explains that she sleeps in her car or outside because her house is full up to the windows with things. She tells Diamond that she plans to leave Swift River and go live with her mother in Florida. Diamond says she too wants to leave town, although she does not have a destination in mind.

The girls stop for snacks, and some boys at the store watch Shelly. As the girls come out of the store, they see that there are two dead deer in the back of a pickup truck.