The Pain Eater*

She hadn’t told anyone. Not one word about what had been done to her had passed Maddy’s lips. She’d thought about it at first – had been desperate to tell. But then had come the intimidation from the boys who raped her. Now it’s the beginning of a new school year and Maddy is hoping that she can continue to hide. She is consumed with keeping the memories at bay, forcing them down through small cuts. But when her class is given the assignment of writing a novel, The Pain Eater, fact and fiction begin to meet up. When the boys spread rumors about Maddy, she realizes that continuing to hide the truth will only give them more control, and she slowly gains the courage to confront them.

*Rape