Among the Hidden Chapter 8 Summary

  • One morning, the entire family is in such a rush to get to school and work that they forget to raise the window shade in the kitchen. Oh snap, this could be Luke's chance!
  • He peeks around the corner and sees that all the window shades are down.
  • In a daring move, Luke puts one foot on the kitchen floor and hears a squeak.
  • Aaaand that's enough of that. Even though the squeak failed to set off any alarms or sirens and the sky didn't start falling, Luke heads back up to his room.
  • Where he makes a plan.
  • Looking out his vent, Luke surveys his now familiar neighbors. In a very Hunchback of Notre Dame-esque way, he affectionately nicknames them: the Big Car Family, the Gold Family, the Birdbrain Family, and the Sports Family. He meticulously counts every person who leaves the street until he's positive they're all gone.
  • Party time!
  • Luke is ecstatic to be able to retreat from the confines of his attic-room and finds excitement in doing simple things like household chores.
  • But then he gets just a little too confident and decides to bake bread and turn on the radio just a teeny bit.
  • Everything is going swimmingly until Luke hears someone coming up the driveway. We don't think Fear Factor could ever top what Luke must have felt in that moment.
  • He dashes up the stairs to hide and then hears someone enter the house.
  • Next thing he hears is his father yelling for him. Yeah, he's not supposed to be home this early. But nothing like a midday surprise, eh?
  • Mr. Garner is, how do we put this gently? Super ticked off?
  • He runs through all the potentially disastrous scenarios that could have occurred and orders Luke to stay hidden.
  • Up in his room, Luke looks out at his neighbors' empty property. He's certain that he accounted for every person's departure.
  • Okay, so whose face does he see in The Sports Family window?