Violent Ends

Featuring my story, “Burning Effigies”

It only took twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing five and injuring fifteen others.
But this isn’t a story about the shooting itself. This isn’t about recounting that one unforgettable day.
This is about Kirby and how one boy – who had friends, enjoyed boating, volunteered at an animal shelter, and had never been in trouble before – became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing on his classmates.
Through the framework of Kirby’s trial, each chapter is told from a different victim’s viewpoint, giving insight into who Kirby was and who he’d become. Some are sweet; some are dark; some are seemingly unrelated, about fights or first kisses or late-night parties. This is a book of perspectives – with one character and one event drawing them all together – from the minds of some of YA’s most recognizable names.