Chapters 18-19

CHAPTER 18
I Learn an
Uncomfortable Truth
 A small passenger plane
I couldn't believe my
developed crippling engine trouble
eyes! The way the lanes
in the sky. As the pilot desperately
just opened up…
searched for unpopulated place to
land, he spotted a stretch of
freeway unexpectedly,
miraculously cleared of cars!

• The trio return Ferocious to his cage and rush back to

Newt's house.
• The five o'clock news headline: 'Breaking news! Airplane
Tragedy Averted!'
• Witnesses mention what Captain Nobody has done in
stopping the busy traffic. They wonder whether he is a
mental patient or a villain or a hero. page 135
 Some little bozo was out there,
waving his arms and dancing
around like he was trying to bring
on the rain. You wouldn't believe
the tribal costume he had on!

page 136

He seemed to be chasing
something, but from my car, I
could not see what it was. I just
assumed he was an escaped
mental patient.
 My Mom and Dad are sick with
worry, and what am I doing?
Wearing a Halloween costume and
pretending I can save the world,
when I can't even…. I can't even
save my own brother….

• Cecil and JJ insist they should go back to the highway and

explain about the whole situation.
• Newt feels that he wants to give up being captain Nobody
but his friends remind him about how he has saved lives.
• Newt is not convinced. He takes off his mask and complains
that he cannot even save his brother's life.
page 137
That night Newt has another dream . He dreams about the
highway incident and the Big Tackle. At the end of the dream, he
learns that it isDarryl Peeps who had clashed his helmet against
his brother and put Chris in a coma…. not Reggie Ratner!!!
page 140
 CHAPTER 19

Reggie Ratner Decides

to End It All
• The next morning, Newt is having breakfast with his Mom. He surprises his
Mom when he mentions that he knows about Chris who only has 6 days to
wake up. He says that he will visit Chris after school that day.
• Although he vows not to wear the costume again, he stuffs the outfit into his
backpack and heads for school. Just touching them makes him feel less
upset about Chris and more powerful somehow.
• When he reaches school, he feels vulnerable without Captain Nobody
costume.
• He feels lonely and ignored again. page 144
 Reggie Ratner has grown
increasingly depressed as
students and fans of Fillmore
High School have repeatedly
harassed him and his family.

• At lunch break, there is news on the

television reporting that the depressed
Reggie Ratner has climbed to the roof of
the Appleton water tower, the tallest
building in town to commit suicide.
• Newt is in dilemma as he knows that he is
the only one who knows the truth about
the Big Tackle incident and someone has
to tell Reggie!!
pages 146-‐148