Daniel introduces himself as a “gangly, eccentric thirteen-year-old social oddity” (1) and believes that he is “crazy.” He is the backup kicker for the school football team and is writing an adventure story called The Last Kid on Earth. He has a best friend named Max and a crush on a girl named Raya. Daniel believes that he is “crazy” because of what he calls “zaps”—feelings of profound anxiety triggered by the appearance of certain numbers or taking a certain number of steps. For example, he gets zapped by the geography teacher writing the date of a test, which is the 19th of October. Further, these feelings can only be assuaged by immediate action. In this instance, they are only dealt with by stopping writing, or scratching out, the number 19.

In geography class, Principal Frost announces over the loudspeaker that there will be a dance two weeks from today. This causes much excitement; there is a discussion between Max and Daniel whether they will go, and whether they will ask one of the girls to go with them. Daniel notices Sara in the corridor with her teaching assistant. He recalls how she hasn’t spoken in eight years, and that she screamed during her last appearance in a regular class.