Demon Copperhead: Chapter 45 Summary & Analysis

Demon starts keeping his clothes and drugs at Dori’s house. He also starts sleeping there more often. He doesn’t keep up his connections with most of his other friends, including Angus and Maggot, and he starts skipping school more. After Angus confronts Demon about not following through on what he says he’s going to do, Demon plans a trip for the ocean. He needs a ride, so he calls Fast Forward. He invites Maggot next. When Emmy hears that Maggot is going, she decides to accompany them. On the first day of their trip, Demon, Maggot, Emmy, and Fast Forward make it to a park called Hungry Mother. Demon isn’t sure if Fast Forward and Emmy are still together, but they act like they might be.

That night, Emmy finds Demon and tells him that someone recently threatened June. She says that every day, people come and try and force her to prescribe them painkillers. Emmy says that June believes half of these people don’t even know they’re addicted—they just do what the doctors tell them to do, and once the drugs run out, they feel like they’re dying. Emmy says Hammer is probably at June’s house, protecting her right now. She starts crying. She says she drove Maggot’s friend, Martha, to Knoxville for an abortion but lied about it. She says taking Martha was a nice thing to do, but she’s a horrible person for always lying to June. She also tells Demon that June is worried about Maggot, who is now doing more meth than oxy.