AUGHTS BOYS
Book One: One More Sad Song
AUGUST 24, 2004
His brother is at college, the weatherman's predicting good weather well into next week, and Zeke's had the new Taking Back Sunday album pounding out of his Discman for the past month--almost perfect, almost so perfect that he doesn't care school's starting up again on Monday. He's got his music, he's got a good forecast for his board, and he's got pretty much the sole attention (at least, the attention that's not being taken up by Keanu Reeves movies and conspiracy theories) of his best friend and unknowing love of his life, Kevin.
At least, until he doesn't. Whether it's the fact that Kevin grew three inches over the summer or his FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE t-shirt, Kevin's landed the girl of his dreams, who just so happens to be a colossal bitch. And just like that, Zeke's gone from spending ninety-nine percent of his time with Kevin to spending twenty-five percent of his time with Kevin--and no matter how much Ashton, the cute hockey forward, keeps bugging him, Kevin is Zeke's only friend. So Zeke decides to do something about it. He decides to break Kevin and his girlfriend up. Then everything's got to go back to normal, right?
out 8.30.2020
cover by Paris St Mercury at mobtropolis
Book Two: The Horror at Camp New Woods
JUNE 2004
For Elliot Roth, having to go to summer camp means spending one less month with his less-than-emotionally-invested father, so really--he's all for it. And at first, camp seems fine. He likes the guys in his cabin, he likes his counselor, and being outside for four weeks shouldn't be bad.
But then he finds an abandoned cabin in the woods, and a kid nearly drowns in the lake. Elliot initially brushes off his suspicions as a result of listening too much to Nick, the resident horror movie expert at Camp New Woods, but when someone shows up dead, he has to admit--something's going on here.
The only question is whether he and his cabinmates can make it out alive.
out 10.25.2020
cover by Paris St. Mercury at mobtropolis
Book Three: Right or Wrong
AUGUST 17, 2003
Luke Mikkelson is content. Sure, his older brother's in the Middle East and, in some weird twist of fate, he is now friends with Matt, who chucked Luke's backpack in the Mississippi when they were in the fourth grade, but life is all right. He has friends, the cutest girl on the basketball team is giving him eyes, and sophomore year is looking up.
But being friends with Matt is harder than it seemed at first. Mostly, it's the fact that Matt constantly bullies Brian Henderson, but he's hardly nice to friends, let alone anyone else. Is it all right to be friends with a bully?
Or does that just make you one?
Luke Mikkelson is content. Sure, his older brother's in the Middle East and, in some weird twist of fate, he is now friends with Matt, who chucked Luke's backpack in the Mississippi when they were in the fourth grade, but life is all right. He has friends, the cutest girl on the basketball team is giving him eyes, and sophomore year is looking up.
But being friends with Matt is harder than it seemed at first. Mostly, it's the fact that Matt constantly bullies Brian Henderson, but he's hardly nice to friends, let alone anyone else. Is it all right to be friends with a bully?
Or does that just make you one?
out 5.17.22
cover by Paris St. Mercury
Book Four: Hit or Miss
AUGUST 14, 2005
Ashton Mohren is going into senior year with two wishes: one, get over his ex-boyfriend, pro skateboarder Zeke Williams, and two, take his hockey team to state--and win. And with a strong first line (and a cute kid to sit next to in AP English), both of these wishes seem, at the very least, semi-possible--at least, they would be, if Matt Klein wasn't dead set on ruining his plans.
Because for some reason, Matt doesn't like Ashton--which is a shame, because Matt is the 'muscle' part of their hockey team, and Ashton, who is used to being liked by everyone and their mother, doesn't know how to handle it. How could it get worse? Throw in a violent and antisocial English partner (read: not the cute kid from before), a hockey tournament that changes everything, and the growing desire to tell his hockey team exactly why he hasn't been hooking up with all the girls he wants, and Ashton's senior year is looking to be something a little less than perfect.
cover by Taryn Mittleider
out 12.15.22
Book Five: Until I Fall Away
MAY 2006
Matt Klein ruined his own life, and he knows it. Between getting kicked off the hockey team (twice) for violence, and Brian Henderson's suicide, every door that might have been open is closed.
After getting kicked off the hockey team his senior year, he lost all of his offers for college. And with no college, Matt doesn't see the point in anything. So after graduating, he packs up his Gin Blossoms tapes and starts walking. He doesn't know where he's going, but he knows one thing: anywhere is better than Ohio.
In an abandoned house, he finds a purpose: a middle schooler named Cricket who wants nothing more than to meet his favorite skateboarder, Zeke Williams, who Matt just so happened to have gone to high school with (and, yeah, broke his nose). Emboldened, Matt decides that's what he'll do: he'll take the kid to California. After that? Who knows.
Who cares?
9.8.23
Cover by Taryn Mittleider.
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