The Fort

Mitchell picks up the narrative and registers resentment that newcomer Ricky gets to tag along with the rest. He is even more incensed when he learns that Ricky is so smart that he skipped a grade while Mitchell himself struggles academically because he has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When the group arrives at their makeshift fort, they are dismayed to find that it has been demolished by the hurricane. As they pick through the rubble to try to salvage what they can, Ricky discovers a large metal plate that the storm exposed.

Ricky continues the story and describes his efforts to dig around the curious object. He believes that if he finds something valuable, the rest of the group might accept him. The metal plate turns out to be a hatch door that leads to an underground structure. Ricky discovers, “It must be almost thirty feet long, clad in metal, lit by bulbs in the ceiling. There’s a full kitchen, complete with a sink and running water, and, in a small alcove behind it, a chemical toilet” (20).

After investigating the furnished bunker, the boys find a videotape made by its owner, a deceased factory owner named Bennett Delamere. He explains that he expects the outbreak of World War III any day. An eccentric, Delamere never married or had children, but he furnished the bunker luxuriously. The boys realize that no one knows the structure is here, so they take possession and swear each other to secrecy. “WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, PROMISE TO KEEP OUR FORT A SECRET UNTIL THE VERY LAST ONE OF US IS AS DEAD AS BENNETT DELAMERE” (27). Ricky is pleased with himself for having found a new fort that is 20 percent his.

C.J. now picks up the tale. He explains that he has a reputation as a daredevil who executes risky stunts with his skateboard or bike. However, these antics are meant to cover up the injuries he receives from his abusive stepfather, Marcus. To everyone else, Marcus seems like the perfect father. He buys C.J. expensive gifts to compensate for his violent temper, but C.J. never tells anyone about the abuse. “My friends all think I’m weird because I’m not his biggest fan,” C.J. comments. “To them, Marcus is the coolest, nicest guy in the world. And he is—ninety percent of the time. It’s the other ten percent you have to worry about” (29).

The most important aspect of Jason’s life is his relationship with his girlfriend, Janelle. He is racked with guilt that he must keep the secret of the fort from her. His friends agree that she can’t be told because her father is a cop and might start asking questions. Jason’s only other concern is his parents’ messy divorce: “My parents are in the middle of the divorce of the century, with me right in the middle. They really don’t like each other, and the only weapon each one has against the other is yours truly” (31).

At the fort, the boys uncover a large supply of canned foods. They speculate about whether the canned goods are safe to eat. After Mitchell nervously inspects every can for damage, they start sampling the contents. Fortunately, nobody gets sick. They also discover a large collection of movies from the 1970s on videotape. In addition, they find vinyl records dating from the same period and figure out how to play them on a turntable.

Evan wishes that he wasn’t stuck in three classes with Ricky, who quickly gets a reputation as a know-it-all. He restlessly waits for the end of the school day because the boys have found a copy of Jaws in the bunker and intend to watch it that evening. Just as Evan leaves the school building, he gets flagged down by Jaeger and Luke, who insist that he go for a ride with them. In a local diner, Jaeger explains that he wants Evan to raid the cash register while the owner isn’t looking. He threatens that if Evan doesn’t cooperate, Jaeger will drive him 15 miles out of town and make him walk home.

Evan is unwilling to steal but can’t see a way out of his dilemma. As he stands indecisively by the open cash drawer, Ricky walks into the diner. Evan uses his appearance as an excuse to duck out before the older boys can follow. They look for him everywhere, but he is safe underground in the fort, where they can’t find him.

Ricky finds himself wondering how electricity is piped into the bunker. One day, he follows the conduit from the underground structure all the way into town. It appears to be connected to the town library.

When he returns from his investigation, he sees that the other boys are holding some silly competitions they’ve dubbed the Fort Olympics. Ricky is dismayed that he was once again excluded from their plans. “I realize that if I hadn’t walked in on the guys this afternoon,” he thinks, “they would have been just as happy to do all that fun stuff without me” (51).

Mitchell is called to a meeting in the principal’s office with his mother. His obsessive-compulsive behavior is distracting the other students. Mrs. Worth no longer has health insurance to pay for Mitchell’s therapy sessions with a psychiatrist. She got laid off from the DelaCraft Auto Parts factory, and now she has to work three part-time jobs to make ends meet. Mrs. Worth assures the principal that Mitchell will try to behave better in class.

After the meeting, Mitchell attempts to forget his cares by going to the fort. The only person there is C.J., who is now sporting several more injuries. He grabs one of the black forks from the silverware drawer, intending to use it to pry a rock out of the wheel of his rollerblades. Mitchell trails along to a park near C.J.’s house. When he uses the fork to pop the rock out, it nearly strikes an old woman who lectures them about using a fine silver dinner fork to fix a skate. Both C.J. and Mitchell realize that the black fork is simply tarnished and that Delamere’s cutlery drawer contains solid silver dinnerware. “‘There must be some way to figure out how much it’s worth,’ C.J. muses. ‘We’ll call a meeting tomorrow—see what the other guys say’” (58).

Evan gets chosen to take the fork to a pawnshop to appraise its value. The other boys know that his parents were drug addicts who often pawned stolen merchandise. Their parents eventually ran off, leaving Evan and Luke in the care of their grandparents. Evan used to feel that he and Luke would always have each other, but now that Luke is hanging around with Jaeger, Evan feels completely alone.

He takes Ricky with him to the pawnshop. Much to Evan’s amazement, Ricky is able to force the pawnbroker to pay more than 50% of the actual value of the fork. The boys receive $85. Their friends are overjoyed to realize that they now have a windfall in Delamere’s silverware. Ricky cautions them not to try selling everything at once, or people will get suspicious. They all agree to use the money to get Mitchell’s broken phone repaired. Even Ricky thinks it would be a good idea for all the owners of the fort to be able to stay in touch.

When Mitchell exits the phone shop with his newly repaired phone, Jaeger and Luke drive up. Jager senses that the threadbare Mitchell has come into some money. Before Mitchell can say anything that will tip Jaeger off, Ricky creates a diversion by throwing a can of soda under the wheels of a bus that screeches to a halt behind Jaeger’s Mustang, boxing it in. The younger boys take flight before the teens can follow them. Evan thinks, “Maybe it’s not so bad that Grandma works with Ricky’s mom” (65).

Jason goes over to Janelle’s house to give her a present. He’s bought her a locket with some of the silverware money because he feels guilty about not spending enough time with her. Even though he tries to avoid texting his friends on date night, he receives urgent messages that C.J. has been taken to the emergency room. He fell off his skateboard and may have broken some ribs. Janelle urges Jason to go to his friend but observes that C.J. appeared to be in pain all day at school, long before his supposed accident. Jason dismisses the notion as a coincidence.