Passing through the gates of Forest Lake Cemetery, each epitaph added to the story of Helena like walking through a textbook. Yet, no inscription would have as lasting an impact on Sean as Father Houlihan’s: “Carve your name on hearts, not stone.”
Sean had tried that. Carving his name upon the hearts of those around him wasn’t easy. The stone proved to be more giving; more easily etched and moved. The weight and effort of moving a single heart had Sean reeling with exhaustion. He had come to a breaking point.
Christopher Nelson, a Helena teacher who has pursued “a host of unconventional jobs,” broaches the topic of bullying in his debut novel, which seeks to “uncover truths within our human stories.”