Deadline
by Chris Crutcher
Ben Wolf is already 18 when he goes in for his senior year sports physical, which means that when he finds out he only has about a year left to live he doesn’t have to tell anyone. Suddenly his plans to spend his final year of high school getting ready for the big world outside his small town have turned into a plan to live a lifetime in one year. And he does indeed find much more than he would have ever thought possible in a town of just under 1000 people: child abuse, rape, incest, teen pregnancy, alcohol abuse, racisim, and intolerance are just the start. But he also finds friendship, admiration, and even love. It’s a roller coaster ride, and knowing how it’s going to end in no way prepares you for it to actually happen.
