OLD WOUNDS

While on the run, two transgender teens face darkness—both human and inhuman—in the backwoods of Kentucky.

Max and Erin, California-bound teens who are cued white, each have their own reasons for running away. Max, a trans boy, is crumbling under the weight of a family that denies his true identity. Erin, a trans girl, feels lost and insecure despite the acceptance she receives from her mother and sister. When Max finally decides to bid farewell to Columbus, Ohio, and seek a brighter future in Berkeley, Erin agrees to go too despite being confused about their relationship: Max broke her heart two years prior and then cut off all contact. Things are already tense between them when they set off, and everything goes further sideways after the car won’t start and they wind up stranded in rural Kentucky, at the mercy of murderous locals who are searching for someone to sacrifice to a monster who devours girls. The pair must unravel their complicated history as well as find the strength to survive a seemingly endless night. The action-packed narrative frequently cuts between scenes and characters, creating a filmlike rhythm that propels readers forward. This work shines a spotlight on transgender people in a genre in which they are underrepresented; it puts Max and Erin through the worst but ultimately empowers them.

An ode to the strength of trans kids, in the face of all kinds of terror.