Hard Time

Teens! Everything's black or white. No greys. Everyone believes they are invincible -- or useless. Who hasn't thought, 'that won't happen to me'? Well it happens to Debbie, Rocket, Kylie, and Steven -- a stolen car, a high-speed chase, a crash. There lives are put on hold ...except Stephen. He has no life.This novel doesn't flinch from portraying the reality and harshness of juvenile detention centers; the hope and despair, the fairness and inequity. It also addresses many fundamental issues: the nature of offense, peer pressure, death, loyalty and friendship, self-image, hopelessness and suicide. A compelling read with a shocking climax. Cover......Page 1 Preliminaries......Page 2 Part 1 Cabin 34......Page 12 My journal......Page 13 Two days ago......Page 16 Reality bites......Page 19 Letters from the inside......Page 22 Mum’s gone mad......Page 25 NAIDOC day......Page 28 An average day — NOT!......Page 33 Feeling fat......Page 37 Depressed or what?......Page 39 Getting a life......Page 43 My future!......Page 47 Getting fit......Page 51 I think too much......Page 55 Who needs drugs?......Page 57 My bubble bursts......Page 61 More plans......Page 68 Training hard!......Page 72 Packin’ it!......Page 74 Getting angry......Page 77 A week can feel like a lifetime......Page 83 Party time!......Page 86 Freedom......Page 89 Part 2 In the Chainman's House......Page 94 Squat down!......Page 96 Locked in......Page 103 Dreaming in the dark......Page 107 The gaol......Page 114 School’s in......Page 116 Passing time......Page 125 Reading each other......Page 133 Planning and plotting......Page 137 A special day......Page 141 Some talk......Page 144 Sucked in......Page 151 Reggie and romance......Page 156 Rocket’s birthday......Page 159 A present from Plugger......Page 165 Anger management......Page 170 No worries......Page 174 A missed chance......Page 178 The break......Page 184 A door slams......Page 189 A chain rattles......Page 193 In the chainman’s house......Page 196