by
Inspired by the Edmund Fitzgerald's harrowing true story.
This reimagining of tragic events is a gripping tale that delves into the depths of love, resilience, and the harsh realities that test the bonds of friendship. It’s an M/M romantic twist of fate tragedy that will leave you breathless with its emotional intensity.
Ham and Echo, who have been inseparable since they were ten years old, share a bond that goes beyond friendship. When Ham is drafted into the army at nineteen, Echo, without hesitation, enlists as well, promising to have his back. Eleven years post-war, Echo is still haunted by what he has seen and done in Vietnam.
Ham, now a family man with two sons, has managed to bury the past. But Echo, unable to escape the horrors of war, struggles to find his place in civilian life. Ham, recognizing his friend’s pain, takes it upon himself to guide Echo back to the light. He enrolls Echo in an anger management program and secures him a job on the ship he works on, the Gordon Lighton. As Echo’s feelings for Ham deepen, he dares to hope that Ham might feel the same.
One stormy night aboard the Gordon Lighton, Echo stumbles upon a shocking secret-a human trafficking scheme operating right under their noses. As the weather worsens, the Gordon Lighton is subjected to the brutal onslaught of nature’s fury. The unthinkable question hangs palpably in the air. Will the Gordon Lighton weather the storm?
Publisher: Independently Published
Editors:
Genres:
Word Count: 62,285
Setting: USA, Hermantown, MN
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Word Count: 62,285
Setting: USA, Hermantown, MN
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Sitting in my car outside the Duluth Heights police station, I stared at the imposing building, mesmerized by the intimidating structure. Its cold concrete façade evoked an unsettling sensation, giving off an eerie sense of déjà vu. How many times had I found myself in this very spot, waiting to bail Echo out of yet another scrape?
The crumpled cigarette pack rested on the dashboard, its contents whispering promises of comfort. With a sigh, I grabbed the pack, extracting a cigarette. Lighting it granted a momentary distraction from the turmoil inside me. As the flame flickered, memories of our two-decade friendship replayed in my mind. My heart was weighed down by a blend of worry and acceptance, a result of dealing with Echo’s impulsive tendencies over the years.
Exhaling a cloud of smoke, I reflected on how Echo’s life was a series of bad luck and strife. He had a knack for attracting trouble, an allure that drew both good and bad in equal parts.
READ MOREMemories of our past danced through my mind, a reel of sleepovers, laughter, tears, late-night conversations, and having each other’s back in the war. Echo had always lived on the edge, a passionate spirit who refused to be confined by convention or caution. It was a quality that both worried and intrigued me, a quality that bound us together in a friendship that defied reason.
Reluctantly, I got out of the car and quickly zipped my jacket. The cold wind chilled me to my very core. I blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke and looked across the street at the Duluth Heights police station. I pursed my lips tightly, trying to steel my nerves before entering.
Echo, my best friend, wasn’t a bad person, not by any means. He used to be a funny, carefree, somewhat introverted type of guy. He was the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. I miss that guy. Everything changed after our one-year stint in Vietnam. Who wouldn’t change after what we experienced over there? These days, Echo was a full-on loner who spent his time trying to drink his misery away.
I’ve known Echo since we were nine years old. He was the one who started calling me Ham. It had nothing to do with my unnatural love for pork. I like it as much as the next guy. The name is derived from my initials and has stuck for all these years.
A cold breeze slapped me in the face, causing me to shiver. I hate how cold Minnesota is in the fall and winter. I seriously considered moving my family out west as I looked up into the cloud-covered sky. I tossed the cigarette bud on the ground and stubbed it out with the tip of my shoe. I longed to live somewhere warm and sunny, anywhere other than Hermantown, Minnesota.
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