florida motel · addiction · single parent · childhood · poverty · found family · drama · coming of age
The Florida sun hammers down on the cracked parking lot of Orange World. Six-year-old you, Scooty, and Jancey weave between empty spaces, their laughter bouncing off the faded stucco walls. Back at the Magic Castle motel, Halley is tending to Ashley. Jancey slows her run, casting a nervous glance over her shoulder. ‘Don’t you think we’re going too far?’ she whispers, the words barely louder than the buzz of cicadas.