| abstract | - Ted moves into an adjacent apartment on the floor above Bobby Garfield and his mother, who dislikes him even as Bobby takes to him. Ted spends a lot of time discussing books with Bobby and gives him a copy of Lord of the Flies, which makes a huge impression on the boy; he also speaks to Bobby as one would speak to another adult, which makes a great impression on Bobby. Ted offers Bobby a small amount of money to read him the paper daily, claiming his eyes are not what they used to be. While Bobby reads, Ted occassionally "blanks out", and Bobby begins to understand that Ted possesses psychic abilities which he is able to pass on to others through physical contact. Ted places his hands on Bobby's shoulders one morning and later on that day, Bobby is able to win a three-card-monte game at the beach because he could read the mind of the card dealer. As the two grow closer, Ted confesses to Bobby that he is being stalked by "low men" otherwise known as Can-toi, who are evil workers for the Crimson King. The signs of these men include "lost pet" signs, and chalk drawings of stars and moons. Ted asks Bobby to keep an eye out for their signs and to let him know when they are near, and Bobby agrees. Later, Bobby arrives at the apartment with Carol Gerber, a friend who was beaten with a baseball bat by Richie O'Meara, Willie Shearman, and Harry Doolin. Ted has to cut off Carol's blouse to reset her arm, which turns out to be dislocated but not broken; as he does, Bobby's mother, also looking badly injured, finds them and accuses Ted of trying to molest Carol. Ted leaves the apartment, and is later picked up by the "low men" after Liz finds a lost-pet poster asking form information about a dog named Brautigan. Bobby catches up with Ted just before he is taken, and the Can-toi want to take him as well, but Ted offers to work for them if they let Bobby go. The low-men give Bobby the final choice and, faced with going with Ted, wherever that may be, or staying behind, Bobby chooses to stay. Some time after leaving with the low-men, presumably to put his powers to use as a Breaker, Ted again escapes and mails an envelope of rose petals to Bobby by way of Carol.
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