dedication for mom , my biggest cheerleader contents prologue chapter 1 : a new assignment chapter 2 : the new student chapter 3 : dinner guests chapter 4 : confrontations chapter 5 : the strange walk home chapter 6 : the summons chapter 7 : followed chapter 8 : unpleasant discoveries chapter 9 : xenther chapter 10 : confusion chapter 11 : aftereffects chapter 12 : nick chapter 13 : a change in duties chapter 14 : puzzling behavior chapter 15 : clarity chapter 16 : nardoc authors note titles by robin silverglate about the author prologue the creature paced back and forth along the balcony of the fifth story apartment .