On the eve of his 18th birthday, Leonard Peacock does not celebrate with a birthday party, an outing with friends, or even a simple family dinner. Instead he plans to kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol. Although it is clear to the reader that Leonard is teetering on the brink of self destruction and insanity, he is far from being a cold hearted murderer and even farther from actually having a desire to die. In fact, Leonards violent and erratic behavior is an explicit cry for help. In actuality, he is a clever yet deeply troubled boy who has not only been robbed of his innocence by his trusted friend but has also been abandoned by both his parents. He has no one and no resources to help him battle
