young protagonist · tall stature · clumsy · optimistic · high school setting · innocent · lanky · enthusiastic · coming of age · vulnerable
The slate-grey waters of San Francisco Bay slap coldly against the concrete fortress of Alcatraz. Late October 1935 hangs in the air, a sharp, damp chill that stings the skin and mists the breath. On the twelve-acre rock, Matthew ‘Moose’ Flanagan trudges toward the dock, shoulders hunched. Beside him, Piper Williams, the Warden’s forceful daughter, keeps a firm grip on his hand, practically dragging him forward. Jimmy and Annie linger a few steps behind, while Theresa darts ahead, a streak of impatient energy. They are all waiting for the ferry, for the new family it will bring, and for the unspoken shift their arrival promises.