Chapter 1 - August

The comforting smell of sumptuous leather and the hypnotic rhythm of rumbling tires stirred me awake as Casey Kasem’s silky voice introduced Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” over the radio. Mother stared ahead at the road while I gazed at the passing countryside, where billboards advertised fast food, gas stations, and cheap hotels, except for this one enormous sign that featured a photo of two kids propped against an oak tree, staring at one another with a self-righteous smirk. The sign displayed the school’s motto at the bottom:

Your future starts here. Oak Wood Academy: Educating Southern leaders since 1870.