Chapter 2 – Raphael (continued)
Raphael talks more about life on the dumpsite. He explains that most people there die young because of sickness and accidents. That night, the police come to his shack. They demand the missing bag and start to beat and threaten him to make him confess. Even though he’s terrified, Raphael refuses to tell them anything.
He’s almost killed during the interrogation, but the police eventually give up and leave, believing he knows nothing. Raphael realises that the bag must contain something very valuable or dangerous, and he becomes determined to find out what it really means. This moment is when the story truly begins — when the boys move from surviving in the trash to uncovering a secret.
Questions:
- How do we know that Raphael and Gardo are close friends? PQE
- Why do you think Gardo is mean?
- Describe what the boys found.
- How do you think they felt when they found it?
- Has the author used a sense of mystery again? Explain your answer.