They seem to fear their grandson will turn out to be like his father, who we learn later murdered his wife while in front of Max. As Max is sitting outside, he sees a new neighbor moving in next door. He is spying over the fence when he sees a small boy, Kevin whom he recognizes from day care, shouting out orders to the movers. His mother shoos him along and he goes out playing with his ornithopter. He gets the mechanical bird stuck in a tree, where Max rescues it and a friendship is made. Max and Kevin go to the fireworks where Max sympathizes with Kevin not being able to see the fireworks and gets the idea to pick Kevin up and put him on his shoulders. Kevin LOVES the view from up there and he remains there for most of the story. They later run into Tony D and his gang. There Kevin uses his brains to get the boys into trouble. He is unaware that even though Max is big he is very timid. They end up getting chased into a pond where they have to be rescued from the gang by the police. When the boys return home, Grim and Gram start to treat Max more like a son. At school, we see the boys transform into “Freak the Mighty,” because the class is teasing Max. Kevin climbs atop of Max’s shoulders and the class goes crazy and the teacher has to hide under her desk from the chaos in the classroom. The boys then go on quests to the hospital, where Kevin explains he will get a robotic body …show more content…
He is celebrating his birthday where he receives a new computer that will allow him to attend school while at home, again we see something is not right with Kevin. He isn’t eating his food or cake, but is just as opinionated as usual. As the party is ending, Kevin has a seizure and ends up back in the hospital. Kevin gives Max an empty journal and asks him to write down the story of their adventures as “Freak the Mighty.” Max doesn’t want to and doesn’t know how to do this task, but Kevin explains that he “won’t be coming home (we know now that something isn’t right with Kevin) in his present manifestation.” Max returns the next morning to see Kevin and learns that Kevin did not live through the night. His doctor explains to Max that he made up the story of the robotic body to give himself hope for the future that he would be able to overcome his disease (he was growing on the inside, but not the outside). Max goes into a depression, sleeping in his room, missing Kevin's funeral, and Gwen moving away. He then runs into Loretta, who gives him some good advice, “Nothing is a drag kid! Think about it.” Max relates to what Loretta states and starts to write the adventures of “Freak the Mighty.” When he is finished, he realizes that having Kevin for a friend for that short time was the greatest adventure he could have and he will let their adventures live on for