Book 4: Lesser Gods

** This book was developed as an informational tool for teens and like all of our books was written and edited by healthcare professionals with substantial experience. Set in the mid-90’s and based on actual events, Lesser Gods is a nostalgic, first-hand account of life as a paramedic intern during the rise of the opioid crisis. As the main character ventures into the 911 system the reader gets to encounter the presentation, specific dangers, and long-term side-effects of the particular street or pharmaceutical drug being showcased in that particular chapter. ***

One of Arlen’s first memories was of spending his third birthday in medical isolation. There was something so surreal about the floor to ceiling plastic barrier that separated him from the hospital staff, his family and candles atop a cake he could never actually blow out. It was as if reality were saying, you can look but never truly touch. It was a feeling that stuck with him long after his immunology treatments, well into his teen years. Despite being cured now, he still felt isolated, a sensation that seemed incompatible for someone that secretly yearned for camaraderie, romance, and seat of your pants excitement. So, he comes up with a radical plan to reinvent himself. As soon as he graduated high school, he would simply get a job as a First Responder to force himself out of his comfort zone. Unfortunately for him, no sooner does his every dream begin to manifest, when a wave of much stronger drugs hits the streets, leaving a string of alarming deaths in its wake, and threatening to wash away everything he’s worked so hard for.