Unplugged

Grace bemoans the behavior of her fellow campers this year. All the kids are hooked on candy, so their energy is lackluster, and they aren’t deriving any cleansing benefits from being at the Oasis. However, she can’t protest because Needles must be fed, and the candy bars are buying Brandon’s silence.

Grace goes to visit Needles and finds being in his presence soothing. As she practices her breathing exercise, she sees a field mouse scamper across the shed floor. In an instant, Needles grabs the rodent and eats it. Grace is horrified because she realizes that Needles isn’t just a carnivore; he’s a predator, and he seems capable of taking care of himself. She thinks that maybe it’s time to release him into the wild.

Jett proudly talks about his gradual ability to tolerate the hot water in the spring. He also participates in group activities with a less surly attitude now. One day, after meditation, Ivory calls him aside for a private word. She is sure that Jett is the candy supplier because empty wrappers have been found all over the property. Jett denies this until Ivory starts waving a penlight slowly in front of his eyes. The effect is hypnotic.

As she continues to question him, Jett feels compelled to tell the truth. The only thing that stops him is repeating his father’s favorite mantra, “Deny!” When he’s about to succumb, Jett bites his tongue hard enough to draw blood. This snaps him out of the trance, and he runs back to his cabin. Inside, he finds Matt meditating euphorically. Jett claims that Ivory tried to hypnotize him, but Matt seems unconcerned and slightly dazed himself. Jett grows suspicious that Ivory might be hypnotizing the adult guests at the Oasis too.

Brooklynne confides that she’s enjoying this summer at the Oasis for a change. She likes the members of Team Lizard and is especially fond of Tyrell. Needles is also a big reason for her involvement with the group. One day, she and Tyrell are walking toward the shed when they meet up with Grace. She is upset and tells the others about how Needles devoured a mouse. Grace says that it may be time to let him go, but Tyrell argues that this must be a group decision and that Jett will need to be consulted.

When the three of them arrive at the shed, they find the door open a crack, and Needles is gone. Everyone searches the interior of the shed and the woods around the building. Just then, Jett arrives and finds out what happened. He is more upset than the others and blames Grace: “‘You made me care!’ he thunders. ‘And now I’m supposed to turn it off just like that’—he snaps his fingers” (207-08). Jett declares that he’s done with Team Lizard and storms off.

After Needles disappears, everyone is despondent, and Team Lizard drifts apart. Tyrell’s hives and rashes get worse. One day, after ziplining, he is confronted by Brandon, who brags that he let Needles escape because Jett didn’t get him his candy on time. Tyrell points out that Brandon now has no leverage to demand any candy at all since there’s no lizard secret to protect.

Tyrell immediately tells Jett to stop blaming Grace, but Jett doesn’t care if she didn’t release the lizard herself. Her self-righteous attitude still annoys him. Jett then tells Tyrell of his plan to spy on Ivory. After Matt’s odd behavior, Jett is convinced that Ivory is doing something to the adults during their one-on-one meditation sessions with her. The two boys sneak into an air duct that leads into Ivory’s office. They get a clear view of her session with Tyrell’s father. Ivory begins waving her penlight and convinces him that he must act to save the Oasis. Tyrell’s father breaks down in tears. The boys can’t hear what Ivory wants Mr. Karrigan to do. Afterward, Tyrell’s father seems completely normal, with no memory of what has just happened.

Jett is soaking in the hot spring when he happens to notice a partially eaten chipmunk near the pool. He concludes that Needles is prowling in the vicinity and is managing to find prey on his own. Jett also notices that Ivory has just left the camp on her bicycle. Whenever she goes riding solo, he knows that she won’t be back for hours. This is the perfect opportunity to break into her cabin and snoop around.

After picking the lock, Jett searches for something out of place. He soon finds it. Ivory has a closet full of designer evening gowns. She also has a cell phone, even though this is forbidden for staff too. In addition, Jett finds a receipt from an expensive restaurant where Ivory dined on steak. In a desk drawer, he finds a stack of checks for thousands of dollars made out to Friends of the Oasis. Tyrell’s and Grace’s parents have contributed handsomely even though they are struggling financially. Matt has also contributed, even though he has little money. Jett hears someone entering the cabin and barely manages to dive out through the bedroom window before Ivory arrives.

Grace is feeling the loss of Needles just as the other campers do. She also misses Team Lizard, except for Jett, whom she still considers to be the person responsible for ruining the Oasis. In the past few days, she has noticed small, partially eaten dead animals and birds. This is a hopeful sign that Needles is still around and is finding food.

Grace goes to join Tyrell in the hot spring when Jett arrives, clearly agitated. He tells the other two about what Ivory has concealed. Grace dismisses his evidence as nonsense. Tyrell admits that Ivory behaved suspiciously with his dad, but he doesn’t buy Jett’s story about some terrible secret. Jett leaves angrily, saying, “You guys are blind! […] You can’t see what’s staring you in the face!” (240).