Now Is Not the Time to Panic

Frankie drives back to Coalfield and drops Zeke off at his grandmother’s house. When she returns home, Frankie’s mother and brothers tell her of an altercation that has taken place between a group of teen boys putting up the posters and the armed “Poster Posse” (145). One of the teens—Casey Ratchet—has been shot and killed. Frankie’s brothers discuss Casey, considering whether he is the possible author of the posters. Their mother says Hobart broke his leg while attempting to report on the incident. She heads to the hospital to be with him, instructing Frankie and the boys to remain inside the house.

Frankie, instead, walks back to Zeke’s grandmother’s house. She tries to get his attention through a window but cannot. She returns home and sleeps until noon the next day. Frankie waits for Zeke to arrive, but he does not. Frankie takes out the original poster and makes copies. Then she copies the palm of her hand and studies it, wanting to know what the future holds.

Mazzy calls again, and Frankie agrees to speak with her. Mazzy is curious why Frankie has finally agreed to talk. Frankie admits to not precisely knowing her reason but says she has been bothered by the event since Mazzy’s initial call. She ends the call, however, before Mazzy can arrange a meeting.

The next morning, Frankie goes to Zeke’s grandmother’s house, hoping to convince him to join her in putting up the posters as usual. He tells her he and his mother are returning to Memphis, as his father is fearful that Zeke is in danger due to his role in creating the poster. Zeke, too, fears that he may be arrested and, though Frankie protests, insists he can do nothing but abide by his parents’ wishes. Zeke maintains that they can remain friends, but Frankie is certain they cannot. She threatens to reveal their authorship of the poster, but Zeke makes her promise not to. Zeke’s grandmother hears them talking outside, and in her hurry to leave, Frankie falls down the porch stairs, breaking her arm. Zeke is upset and apologizes, but Frankie curses at him and leaves in her car.

Frankie drives away in pain, crying and attempting to formulate a story to explain the cause of her injury, not wanting to reveal that she was at Zeke’s grandmother’s. As she approaches her house, she drives her car into her neighbor’s tree to provide an explanation for her broken arm, immediately blacking out. She awakens to a voice telling her that he has called an ambulance and realizes it is Mr. Avery. He peers into Frankie’s car and sees the posters scattered about. Frankie admits that she is the creator of the original. Mr. Avery is stunned but insists the poster is “absolutely lovely” (159). Frankie asks him to help her keep the posters from being discovered, and Mr. Avery agrees. He collects the copies from her car, places them inside her backpack, and promises never to tell anyone. He praises Frankie, assuring her that she is not a bad person, as she insists.

Frankie awakens in a hospital room with her mother beside her, relieved that Frankie is not more seriously injured. She recalls hitting the tree and tells her mother that Zeke is returning to Memphis. They talk, and her mother cautiously asks Frankie if she intentionally caused the accident in a suicide attempt. Frankie admits to being upset about Zeke but is adamant that she did not intend to end her life. Her mother reassures her that the summer and its events will be forgotten by Frankie and not matter one day.

The poster’s influence continues to spread in the weeks following. Frankie and Hobart spend time together as their respective broken bones heal. Hobart has quit his newspaper job, and Frankie comes to enjoy his company. He tells Frankie that it is okay to feel she does not fit into the world, and Frankie is reassured by this.

During the day, Frankie takes walks through her neighborhood, waving to Mr. Avery. She wants to forgive Zeke for hurting her but wants him to be the one to initiate contact. She works on the novel, finishes it, and shows it to her mother; both she and Hobart love it. Frankie continues hanging the poster and occasionally uses the original to make more copies. Summer ends; Frankie returns to school and, though she occasionally chats with a girl who gets suspended for wearing a T-shirt depicting the poster’s images, does not really socialize at all. Her brothers head off to college, Hobart moves in with Frankie and her mother permanently, and Coalfield resumes its pre-Panic life. Yet Frankie still repeats the words from the poster to herself, certain that she will never forget them.

Two weeks after Mazzy Brower’s initial call, Frankie meets her at a restaurant in Bowling Green. She has never told her husband, Aaron, that she is the author of the poster, though she often wears a T-shirt with the image and Aaron is aware that she is from Coalfield. She recalls meeting Aaron, now a dentist, in college, and then worries that his knowledge of the poster would end their marriage.

Mazzy explains her background as an art critic to Frankie. She wrote a book about a lesser-known New York artist named Henry Roosevelt Wilson who became a close friend to Randolph Avery. In letters to Wilson, Mr. Avery revealed the secret of the poster’s authorship, mentioning her by name. Mazzy shows one of the letters to Frankie, who admits that she is indeed the Frankie Budge detailed in it. She shows Mazzy the original poster as proof, pointing to the drops of her own blood on the page. Mazzy asks Frankie to tell her about the creation of the poster, but Frankie is reluctant, insisting the backstory is “complicated” (183). Mazzy suspects another person may be involved in the poster’s origin, and, though she does not speak of Zeke’s involvement, Frankie agrees to speak on the record about the poster. Mazzy provides her contact information, and Frankie arranges to reach out soon.