Simon Sort of Says

Agate’s mother wakes the kids up at dawn so that Agate can help with farming. Kevin stays at the farm for the day, and Agate gifts Simon a shirt that reads, “I survived the Eagle Crest school shooting and all I got was this lousy T-shirt” (262). Simon freezes at first but then bursts out laughing and thanks Agate. His mom picks him up, and he goes with his parents to North Platte so that they can do a television interview. They leave Simon at the hotel after ensuring that he’ll be alright, and Simon feels safe and secure with Hercules beside him. He tries watching TV for a while but finds that it no longer interests him. Instead, Simon decides to use his mother’s laptop to look up the church squirrel incident, the missing body incident, and the fake space message. Simon finds out that people all over the Internet are interested in the message, and Simon starts to feel nervous about what might result. He realizes that he can’t wait to get back home to GNB and back to his new friends, who are sending another signal to SETI.

Simon goes back to Agate’s farm and notices that Kevin’s mom is there, along with several other scientists and news vehicles. Kevin’s mom is trying to tell the reporters that there are no definitive data yet and seems pretty upset about the media attention. Simon finds Agate and Kevin in the treehouse, and Kevin complains about having to help goats give birth. Everyone notices that the astronomers seem more stressed than excited now, but Agate still wants to send one more signal. When she gets the sense that Kevin and Simon are hesitant, she cries, but the trio is soon distracted by Mr. Bagshott releasing his emus in an effort to get the scientists and their equipment away from his land. Emus and scientists seem to be everywhere, but the trick effectively gets the scientists to leave. Simon, Agate, and Kevin try to hide so that they’re not exposed as the people behind the message. As people and emus run by, the microwave begins to fall out of its braces and then out of the treehouse. Mr. Bagshott comes up the ladder holding the extension cord in his hand, and Simon and Agate both jump out of the treehouse together. The moment only lasts a second but feels like an eternity.

Simon and Agate are both on the ground as Agate’s mother and several other people gather around them. Simon’s ankles are swollen from landing on his feet, but Agate has a gash in her head and is bleeding profusely. Simon is only concerned about her and focuses on her the whole way to the hospital. Simon overhears Kevin’s mom lecturing him about the space message, and Kevin defending himself for wanting to help Simon. Simon and Agate are both carried to Agate’s mother’s car, and Simon apologizes for jumping out of the treehouse. Agate understands that it was part of his trauma response and doesn’t regret anything except the existence of gravity. Simon starts to cry as he realizes how lucky he is to have a friend like Agate. He muses on the patron saints in Catholicism and wonders if there is a “patron saint of best friends” (290).

Simon is with Hercules in the hospital cubicle and feels surprisingly at ease. When his parents finally rush in, he can tell that they were panicked and knows that they are still healing like he is. Simon thinks about how his parents will always remember the day of the shooting, and he accepts that those experiences shaped him and his family. He is grateful to be who he is. Simon worries about Agate, who appears moments later to announce that she has a concussion and three stitches. Her dad is with her, and Simon meets him for the first time. He notices that Agate’s father has the same kind of strength that she has. Agate’s dad announces that there are several reporters outside waiting for Simon, and Simon decides that he’s finally going to speak to them and answer all their questions. Agate’s dad suggests that Simon keep Hercules as his own service dog, and Simon feels like that was always the plan anyway.

Simon and Agate’s parents leave them alone for a minute, and they sit side-by-side in their wheelchairs. Agate shows Simon how she can make streaks on her hand using a roller pen, and she starts imprinting tiny stars on Simon’s skin. Simon and Agate talk about the past, present, and future and how they all get mixed up together. Simon considers it freeing to know that he doesn’t have to exist in one specific point in time, and he compares the feeling to falling.