Wildfire

Closeted Californian teen, Heath Walter, finds a job opportunity in Oregon, where he discovers two vitalities: His identity and Mark Reyes.

It is the year 1993. Closeted Heath Walter was born and raised in California by his extremely conservative and traditional parents. Desperate to escape his narrow-minded hometown, Heath stumbles across a summer job opportunity as a fire lookout in Oregon. Heath's only companion is his supervisor, Mark Reyes. Despite their only means of communication being from a handheld transceiver, both share a special kind of bond throughout the entire summer, one that will question Heath's lifestyle and choices, including his then-girlfriend, Jennifer.

Word count: 60,000 - 70,000