At home, Charlie reads Bradbury and talks with his father, who reveals a multiday retreat starting Tuesday. Charlie considers telling him about the well but decides against it, fearing the secret would spread. He dreams of a giant roach under his bed.

On Sunday, Charlie brings Radar to Bowditch’s wrecked house; she searches for her old master and settles upstairs. Alone later, Charlie cleans, restores the bedroom, and reflects on the vandal’s desecration and his own past mischief. He notices a scholarly book about fantasy’s origins and muses on darker fairy-tale roots.

Monday at school, Charlie secures a community service day for Tuesday, mass-emails an Adopt-A campaign, and skims Grimm’s for original, grimmer versions. Distracted in class, he’s called out by Mr. Masensik. Arnetta invites him to study Wednesday, which he accepts.

Tuesday morning, his father leaves; Charlie senses foreboding. After medicating Radar and leaving her at home, he arms himself at Bowditch’s, enters the shed, and uncovers the well. He descends 185 damp, treacherous steps, glimpses a giant roach, and passes through a lightheaded border into another world.

Charlie emerges to red poppy fields, a road, a shoe-hung cottage, and distant green-glass spires. He meets Dora (Deerie), a gray, deformed woman who communicates by gestures and writing. She recognizes Radar as a former puppy, knew Adrian Bowditch, and writes “danger,” urging quiet in the city. Comforted after he breaks down over Radar, Charlie notices he cannot say certain modern words, implying a language shift. Dora shows “AB” carved above her door.

Charlie retraces his steps through the corridor and up the well. As he replaces the boards, a hard circle presses to his head. The sing-song little intruder holds him at gunpoint, promising no harm if he gets what he came for—then chillingly adds, “Ha-ha.”