Enternal Damages

Two young men are haunted by similar events from their past, though the effects manifest themselves in very different ways, in this powerful drama, who's haunted by child abuse, Michael’s introduction to sex inspires him to become a hustler when he grows into his teens, and after burning his bridges in his hometown Plum Boro,

neither boy tells his parents. Also, there is no recognizable symptom of... sexual abuse; the two boys respond to their experience in remarkable different ways. Mike identifies with his abuser; Tony disassociates himself from his sexuality. Though both boys develop compulsive behaviors, the novel skirts clear of oversimplifying their psychological distress. it's a sexual awakening, setting him on the path to becoming a gay hustler and a life of such emotional numbness that he looks back on paapy as his "one true love". For Tony it's a hellish experience his brain all but erases with 5 hours of lost time, leaving him shy, remote, unable to engage romantically with anyone, and floundering through adolescence struggling to make sense of what happened to him. It's only when he finally reconnects with Michael after a decade of searching that all the pieces finally fall into place