The Dead Zone

Vera starts medication for her high blood pressure and experiences side effects. Johnny encourages her to follow the doctors’ advice but they argue about religion. Johnny regrets the argument because he believes his mother may die soon. Soon, Vera’s religious friends convince her to reject medicine and put her faith in God. Though Herb and Johnny plead with Vera, she refuses to take her medication.

Johnny is visited by his old boss, Dave Pelsen. They discuss the extraordinary financial cost of his treatment. His doctors and the government have helped to pay, Johnny explains, but he hopes to be released in three weeks. Dave offers Johnny a substitute-teaching role, providing maternity cover at the same school where he used to work. Johnny gives a “tentative yes”. Two weeks later, the local newspaper publishes a story about Johnny’s strange powers after he warns his physical therapist that her house is on fire. 

The press wants to talk to Johnny, who is more worried about his mother’s impending religious vacation in California. Dr. Weizak tells the reporters that Johnny is “in possession of a very new human ability, or a very old one” (170) but he cannot explain the exact nature of this ability. A reporter named Dussault challenges Johnny to perform his trick. Johnny succeeds, guessing that a medallion belonged to Dussault’s sister who died of a drug overdose. Dussault is infuriated; he calls Johnny a liar and knocks him to the ground. Dussault faints while fleeing the hospital. When the story is on the news that evening, Herb calls Johnny: Vera suffered a stroke while watching the broadcast. Despite his weak condition, Johnny ignores Weizak’s protests and insists on visiting Vera at another hospital. Weizak relents and offers to drive Johnny there. 

Johnny and Weizak drive to the hospital where Vera is recovering from her stroke. Johnny thinks about his mother’s religious fervor and imagines the world hailing him as a fortune-telling savior. They meet Herb at the hospital; he tells them that Vera is “holding on” for her son. Herb insists that Johnny should not blame himself for his mother’s sickness. Johnny goes to his mother’s bedside. Though weak, she encourages her son to follow God’s voice “when it comes” (185). She tells him to do his duty. Later that night, Vera dies. 

Greg Stillson is now the mayor of Ridgeway. In the back of a police station, he talks to the teenage son of a town council member who was arrested for wearing an obscene t-shirt. When the teenager demands that Stillson return his shirt, Stillson burns it. He threatens the terrified teenager with a broken bottle, forcing the weeping boy to thank him for burning the shirt. The teenager promises never to cause trouble again. Later, the council member thanks Stillson for “talking some sense” (191) into the boy.

Sarah and Walt read about Johnny in the newspaper. Walt, an aspiring politician, believes that Johnny has invented his “psychic ability” as a way to pay his huge hospital bills. Sarah defends Johnny but does not tell her husband about the wedding ring. After Walt leaves, Sarah hears a radio report about the death of Johnny’s mother. When she calls his hospital, she learns that Johnny discharged himself the previous evening. 

Six weeks after leaving hospital for his father’s house, Johnny reads his mail. Some writers proclaim him a prophet, others call him the Antichrist, and some accuse him of killing his mother. Many people beg for help, but Johnny responds to no one, even if he experiences a vision. Johnny receives a letter from Sarah saying that she will be in the area soon. Still in love with Sarah, Johnny is unsure how to respond. A pulp magazine reporter named Richard Dees arrives and offers Johnny a monthly psychic column. Johnny will not have to write or predict anything, as a staff writer will handle everything under Johnny’s name. Dees describes all the money Johnny could make writing for his disreputable magazine. Johnny calls Dees a “ghoul” and rejects the offer, throwing Dees from his porch. Dees threatens to turn his magazine’s readers against Johnny as he flees.

Greg Stillson outlines his plan to run for Congress as an independent candidate. He seeks out the help of a banker named Charles Gendron, with whom Stillson has devised a number of illegal real estate deals. Stillson wants Gendron to be his campaign manager and he reveals illicit, compromising photographs of the current Congressman having an affair. Gendron, shocked by the photographs, draws up a list of potential campaign donors. 

After the incident with Richard Dees, Johnny calls Sarah and invites her to his house. She arrives with next day with her baby son Denny. While Denny plays in the yard, Sarah and Johnny talk about the wedding ring, love, and the years they lost together. When Denny falls asleep, Johnny and Sarah have sex. They agree that one afternoon will be enough to “put paid to everything” (224) between them. Later, Herb returns home, and they all eat dinner together. Johnny believes that Herb understands the necessity of his emotional reconnection with Sarah. At the end of the evening, Sarah and Johnny agree not to stay in touch as it would be “too easy” to continue the relationship. 

Richard Dees’s magazine writes an article labelling Johnny a “fraud.” Herb is angry, but Johnny believes he will now be left alone. However, the local people react to Johnny with suspicion. Johnny moves into a new apartment before beginning his substitute job at his old school when Sheriff George Bannerman from Castle Rock, Maine contacts him. Dr. Weizak suggested that Bannerman’s department ask Johnny to help solve a series of murders. After discussions with Herb and Dr. Weizak, Johnny reluctantly agrees to meet. They discuss the Castle Rock Strangler, whose six victims include Alma Frechette, Carol Dunbarger, and a nine-year-old girl named Mary Kate Hendrasen. All victims were strangled and sexually assaulted. Bannerman, who has a daughter in the same class as Mary Hendrasen, says he will do “anything at all” (250) to catch the killer and breaks down in tears. Johnny agrees to help.

Reporters at the police station recognize Johnny. He pushes past them and meets a young deputy named Frank Dodd. Johnny touches a cigarette packet supposedly belonging to the killer but sees no visions. He visits the murder scene with the reporters in tow. At the bandstand where Alma and Mary were killed, Johnny senses the killer’s memories of his abusive mother, the killer’s belief that he will not be caught, and experiences the killer’s memories of the murders. Johnny touches the bandstand and knows that Frank Dodd is the killer. Bannerman accuses Johnny of seeking publicity and the two men argue. Bannerman punches Johnny, then instantly regrets doing so. He promises to check Johnny’s theory but is hesitant to suspect a man he has trusted for so long. At Frank’s home, they push past his mother Henrietta and Johnny makes contact with her. He sees the years of abuse she inflicted on Frank. They find Frank in the bathroom; he has died by suicide. A sign hung around his throat reads “I CONFESS.” Johnny blacks out. Johnny’s involvement in the murder case appears in national newspapers. Johnny and Sarah write to each other about the incident. He tells her that he has rejected the media’s interest in his case. However, Johnny loses his job as a teacher because he is “too controversial to be effective” (276). He has no idea what to do with his life but takes comfort from the fact that he has “fulfilled his mother’s prophecy” (278).