Like “The
Last Thing I Remember,” this is about a boy thrown
into a puzzling and very
tough spot, trying to figure out both how to survive
and how to solve a reality
that seems surreal. Sam is the son of a preacher. He
has to deal with kids who
think they couldn't possible relax around him, or
include him, or, feel the
need to test his goodness. He has very few real
friends.
One day
while out running he is intercepted by the local tough
group. They intend to
hurt him, but impressed by his spunky responses, end
up inviting him to join
them. He knows this is not a good idea,
yet it seems his best
option in the moment, and, he is sort of drawn to it.
No one would make fun of
him. Eventually he crosses them when they try to hurt
a student who is known to
be a bit crazy. With this act he becomes her
hero, and their no 1 enemy.
After all he now knows some of their secrets. She
begins telling him about
visions she has of impending disaster, and he gets
drawn into trying to figure
out whether she is hallucinating or is trying to warn
him about something real.
Trying to find out the truth in time is essential, at
times illegal, and quite
dangerous. (New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Book
Award, 2014)