The baseballs thrown into Ethan’s yard serve as a symbol of Ethan’s childhood friendship with Billy and the innocence that was shattered with Billy’s disappearance. This seemingly ordinary object, once a playful signal between the two boys, has transformed into a haunting reminder of the day Billy went missing. As a child, Ethan would find the baseball in his yard and understand it as a secret message from Billy, inviting him to come and play. In the present, when Ethan finds a baseball in his yard, it triggers a flood of memories and emotions connected to his lost friend. The baseball encapsulates the simplicity and joy of their childhood games but also the profound impact of Billy’s disappearance. It represents a tangible connection to a past that is riddled with unresolved trauma and lingering guilt. The sight of the baseball forces Ethan to confront these buried feelings and the unanswered questions that continue to haunt him, making it a powerful symbol of his struggle to reconcile his past.

Ethan’s recurring nightmare is another symbol, representing his ongoing battle with guilt and trauma. The nightmare, which begins with a distinctive ‘scritch’ sound and involves the memory of the torn tent, disrupts Ethan’s sleep every night.