Pet: Chapter 10–Epilogue

by Akwaeke Emezi
The town of Lucille is supposed to be a safe place. But when fifteen-year-old Jam learns that there is a monster on the loose, she must join forces with a supernatural creature in order to hunt it down.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–5, Chapters 6–9, Chapter 10–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. wax
    increase, rise, or advance
    Its voice waxed gentle, fingertips light against drumskin. I am not here to hurt you.
  2. concession
    a point that is yielded
    It watched her as she thought, then made a grudging concession. You do not have to do this, it said.
  3. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    Malachite was dancing alone, her robe billowing in satin gusts, the wine in her glass a red ocean.
  4. rasp
    speak in a harsh, grating voice
    She put the phone to her ear, her voice rasped. “Redemption?”
  5. vacillate
    be undecided about something
    Jam could see a whole river of things in his face, currents shifting and swelling, vacillating from grief to fury.
  6. skulk
    move stealthily
    She watched Pet out of the corner of her eye, the way it was skulking around Hibiscus, only a few yards out, sniffing, watching, gauging its prey.
  7. gauge
    judge tentatively or form an estimate of
    She watched Pet out of the corner of her eye, the way it was skulking around Hibiscus, only a few yards out, sniffing, watching, gauging its prey.
  8. rile
    disturb, especially by minor irritations
    “Aight then, boy. Spit it out. What’s got you so riled up that you dragging me out here like this?”
  9. insolence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
    His uncle took an automatic step forward, the back of his hand raised at Redemption’s insolence, but the boy stepped forward as well, his eyes aflame.
  10. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    The creature was watching intently, coiled with eagerness.
  11. pronouncement
    an authoritative declaration
    “I see you,” he said, calm as the dead, his voice filled with the iron weight of a just pronouncement.
  12. barbed
    having or covered with protective points, spines, or thorns
    The word was like a barbed spear to the man’s side.
  13. feral
    wild and menacing
    He turned his head back with a feral smile and clamped one broad hand around Redemption’s neck.
  14. culmination
    a final climactic stage
    This was the culmination of the hunt for it, the final moment, the one it had crossed worlds for.
  15. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    Pet whipped its head around and snarled, an ugly sound, rotten with contempt.
  16. purge
    make pure or free from sin or guilt
    “Humans do not change!” it spat. “Look at your precious Lucille, supposed to be purged, supposed to be safe.”
  17. spare
    refrain from harming
    “Look at this man, this angel of yours. Your angels are monsters, your world is corrupt, and you want a chance? You want me to spare him as an example, as a lesson for the people who forgot how to see, who were careless..."
  18. vigilant
    carefully observant or attentive
    They’ll know that they need to look out, to be vigilant.
  19. defiantly
    in a rebellious manner
    She folded her arms and stared defiantly at Pet, whose face remained still, trained on hers.
  20. perceptible
    capable of being grasped by the mind or senses
    Redemption’s rage became even more perceptible in the room; it boiled loud and furious. “Don’t you ever say his name again!” he yelled.
  21. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    The creature paced slowly in front of Hibiscus, casting an ominous shadow over his body.
  22. sheen
    the visual property of something that shines
    Pet’s face tracked toward her, and she felt a sheen of an emotion coming off it, not quite regret but something bittersweet. “I need both of you to close your eyes and cover your faces with your hands. Look away. Make sure you do not look back.”
  23. bittersweet
    tinged with sadness
    Pet’s face tracked toward her, and she felt a sheen of an emotion coming off it, not quite regret but something bittersweet. “I need both of you to close your eyes and cover your faces with your hands. Look away. Make sure you do not look back.”
  24. chafe
    cause friction
    Redemption turned and covered his eyes. His fascination with Pet was overshadowed easily by his fear of Pet’s power, of the death chafing just inside it.
  25. righteousness
    the quality of adhering to moral principles
    Images of the angels from those old books flashed through her head, and she looked at Pet one last time, while she could, at the hands she knew so well, the torso it had comforted her against, the horns she was no longer afraid of, these new wings loud with righteousness.
  26. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
    She was still there when the grown-ups came into the room, when Glass screamed and ran to her blinded husband, when Aloe cursed at the scene, his voice rough and explicit as he picked Jam up and cradled her to his chest, even as tall as she’d gotten.
  27. projection
    the reproduction of an image from a film onto a screen
    The whole of Lucille showed up for the hearing, spilling in crowds outside on the lawn when the building couldn’t accommodate them, watching the outdoor projections of the indoor proceedings.
  28. guttural
    relating to or articulated in the throat
    Malachite let out a guttural scream and launched herself out of her seat, aiming with violent hands for her sister.
  29. vise
    a holding device attached to a workbench
    Redemption stared at his mother and his aunt, tears dripping down his motionless face, his hand a vise crushing Jam’s.
  30. gesticulate
    show, express, or direct through movement
    Aloe was standing, furious, gesticulating toward Glass as he shouted: “Get her out of here! Can’t you see what she’s doing to the boy’s family? Are your heads not correct?!”
Created on Mon Oct 14 14:20:40 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Oct 14 16:46:53 EDT 2019)

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