A Happening in Hawthorne

A 20-year Army veteran’s dream of returning home is finally within grasp. When Tommy visits his family farm to begin preparing it for his return, he is greeted by childhood memories that were better forgotten. Tommy recalls how one summer’s adventures, exploring Bristow Farms with his sisters, turned into a nightmare that would forever change the paths of his family. The farmhouse is gone, but there might still be something in the water, and the reminders may become too real for him to return; if he has a choice. Tommy and his sisters are isolated on a 300-acre farm in Florida, and by necessity of neglect, have become completely self-reliant. When Tommy’s shenanigans put his sisters in danger, the siblings begin to realize that someone or something is keeping a watchful eye on them. The question which remains in the minds of the young children is, does SHE mean them harm, and will anyone believe them? There is something Happening in Hawthorne. As Tommy recalls his rural childhood, he realizes that this mystery reaches much further back in his family than he, or his sisters could have imagined. By the time that it takes Tommy to realize that he is uncovering a century old mystery, readers begin to soak in larger metaphors. This story will mean different things for different readers. Few readers will believe this is simply an adventure story, with ghosts and monsters. Some have said that it is a story of a mother’s love, and the need for family. Others believe it is about escaping one’s past. Still more believe that there is another story being told here, if we can read between the lines.

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