The reader is introduced to Cass, the protagonist, who is distinguished by a few personal quirks. One such quirk is her physical appearance, mostly her “large, pointy ears” (11). Cass is a self-proclaimed survivalist, and her personal creed is to be prepared for any and all potential disasters. She carries a backpack with her at all times, filled with an assortment of survival gear. Cass’s survivalism often puts her at odds with authority figures in her life, as she frequently catastrophizes ordinary situations, predicting disasters that never occur. Consequently, Cass is often told not to cry wolf (13). This chapter also introduces Cass’s grandfathers, Larry and Wayne, and their “seeing eye dog” (14), the old blind basset hound Sebastian. Larry and Wayne are not biologically related to Cass but are instead close mentors and friends of her mother. Cass refers to them as her “substitute grandfathers” (14).

The plot begins on a Wednesday afternoon, as Cass pays an after-school visit to her grandfathers, who have converted an old fire station into a downstairs antique store and upstairs living quarters. Gloria Fortune, one of Larry and Wayne’s acquaintances, drops by with a box of antiques.