Something Wicked This Way Comes: Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis

Charles walks Jim and Will home from the police station. He doesn’t see the point in waking up Jim’s mother if he promises to tell her everything in the morning. Charles asks if Jim can get in without waking her. “Sure,” he says. “Look what we got.” Jim moves aside the ivy growing on the house and reveals the iron rungs of a ladder running up to his room. Charles laughs and admits he had a similar setup as a kid. As Jim scurries up the ladder, Charles turns to his son. “You know what I hate most of all, Will?” he asks. “Not being able to run anymore, like you.”

As Charles and Will approach their house, Charles looks at the ivy. “Our place, too?” he asks. “Our place, too,” Will says as he moves the ivy, revealing his own ladder. Charles says that Will is “not acting guilty,” and he knows he didn’t steal anything. Will confirms, and his father asks why he admitted to something he didn’t do. “Nobody’ll believe what we say,” Will says. “I’ll believe,” Charles replies. Will begins to tell his father about the carnival but stops. He promises to tell tomorrow. “Mom’s honor,” Will says. “Good enough for me,” Charles replies.