Gay teen Jack is hiding out in a bully’s car in the hopes of retrieving his backpack when he’s joined by another stowaway. Brittany, who wants to be called Brandon, is a transgendered classmate also on the run. When the bully crashes his car, it’s the start of a journey that will bring Jack and Brandon together in the hopes of finding a new future.<br><br>Along the way, they meet Buster, a dog that saves their lives; Alvin, who is heading to Denver to sell his car and offers them a ride; and Ducky, a loud-mouthed but loveable woman who is apparently more than just Alvin’s friend.<br><br>When a tornado hits, Jack and Brandon have a chance to prove their mettle and show what they are made of. But is there happiness at the end of their journey?

Breaking into Cars

The wind got worse. It seemed to come from all directions. Brandon worried out loud about the windows. Busted whined and sniffed around until he found his kitten, took her gently in his huge mouth, and put her down by his paws. He sniffed her and licked her until she was passed out again, sound asleep. Then he whined at the sound of the thunder and the roaring wind.


Outside the wind whipped around in eddies and twists. The air turned a bilious shade of green, and the noise grew in intensity. Elvis pointed at a cabinet in the corner. “Open that and pass what’s in it to me, please,” he said, his voice somewhat shaky. It looked uncomfortable for him to be hanging over the back of the front seat, reaching into the back part. He was too big to slide through the divider.


Chapter 12