Damage

As the Pride of the Panthers, football star Austin Reid is a likable guy, good with the ladies.

He has spent the sweltering Texas August sweating through two-a-days, catching passes for the varsity squad, and laughing with his best friend Curtis over longnecks on a pickup tailgate. By all rights, senior year ought to be the easiest time of his life.

Lately though, he doesn't like his life -- or anything else -- so much. And the worst part is that he can't seem to figure out why. Crossing the goal line for the season's first touchdown brings none of the old excitement.

Getting close to Heather Mackenzie brings a temporary spark, but even with the prettiest girl in town beside him, Austin cannot shake the heavy feeling that follows him home.

Behind the stadium lights of Parkersville, keeping up appearances is getting harder every day.
Small Town Setting: In Parkersville, Texas, high school football is treated like religion, and new head coach Van Zandt demands complete obedience through punishing full-contact drills.Friendship: Next-door neighbor and teammate Curtis Hightower is the first to notice Austin drifting into slow motion, offering steady loyalty when everyone else only sees the star player.Mental Illness: An invisible, suffocating numbness that Austin cannot name lies behind his athletic success, anchored only by old memories and a gold-plated razor kept in the medicine cabinet.Also by This Author: Repossessed, Beating Heart and Night Road.