Redwood Summer Chapter 5 (repost)

Rewrite of chapter 5. The scene is the morning after a glorious party, and the end of the first third of the novel. Everyone is hungover but happy, and the story reaches a peak at the end of this chapter, after which is the downward slide to its ultimate fate. via Redwood Summer Chapter 5

Redwood Summer Chapter 17

All the important life events of the previous six months finished running through Jason’s mind as he continued staring out the passenger door window of a work truck, and the parties, family gatherings, career change, leaving of school, ordeals, dispersal of friends, and other separate happenings combined together and took their place in his past … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 17

Redwood Summer Chapter 16

Jason drove along a San Joaquin Valley freeway through vast expanses of monocultural farmland and enclosed pastures. In the distance he saw the prison, a desolate cluster of rectangular, institutional buildings imposing upon the surrounding open space. He arrived at the compound and exited off the freeway. He stopped at a gate, was checked in … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 16

Redwood Summer Chapter 15

Jason was looking over the newspaper classified employment ads as he sat at the kitchen table. David was across from him doing homework. “Anything promising?” father asked from the living room. “Not much,” Jason answered as he stared at the grid of small rectangles and abbreviated text. “A lot of the same old stuff.” “Budget … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 15

Redwood Summer Chapter 14

Jason took a long drink from a bottle of tomato juice and leaned back against a three story rack of heavy steel shelves as he waited for it to replenish his fatigued body. He relaxed for a bit as he continued to recover from too much alcohol over the weekend. He glanced up at the … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 14

Redwood Summer Chapter 13

“So now Alex is trying to hook him up with a job so he can pay off his back rent!” Mike said loudly to Jason over blaring party music. “Hook who up?!” Jason replied just as loud. “Curtis!” Mike repeated. “Oh, good for him!” Jason yelled back. “Hope it works out!” “Maybe he can find … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 13

Redwood Summer Part III Chapter 12

...you don't want to be caught on the wrong side... Jason hurried through downtown San Jose and dodged around other pedestrians along East Santa Clara Street. The glaring, late summer sun heated him from above and the unfamiliar tightness of his necktie stifled him. He loosened its knot and unbuttoned his collar as he moved … Continue reading Redwood Summer Part III Chapter 12

Redwood Summer Chapter 11

“You don’t believe me, do you?” Phil accused. “I don’t know, Phil,” Larry said, “that all sounds pretty off the wall. And how do you know anyway?” “The information is out there,” Phil said importantly, then he leaned forward across the table, “and anyone can find out if they’re willing to look beyond the establishment … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 11

Redwood Summer Chapter 10

Jason stood under the hood of his car as he leaned over the front grill. He peered down at the narrow space between the radiator and motor and tried to figure out the best way to install the new radiator hose. He carefully slid the hose downward into the narrow space and around the fan … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 10

Redwood Summer Chapter 9

Jason paced his car with the surrounding traffic on one of the valley freeways. Vehicles moved in sync as other cars, vans, and pickup trucks sped past tractor-trailers in the late afternoon sun. More vehicles entered from merge lanes and others exited onto turnoffs. Randy sat in the passenger seat talking while Brian was in … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 9