The Other Place - Paperback

by Elizabeth Roderick (Author)

Living in Justin Flaherty's mind has never been easy. Unfortunately, things are about to get much worse... At eighteen years old, most guys are chasing girls or dreams. Justin, on the other hand, wants to draw and be left alone. He's been diagnosed with schizophrenia, but it's more than that. He's in tune with the Dark Energy that surrounds us all, and can see how it controls people's actions. Sometimes, the Dark Energy will give him visions, to help him on the road to enlightenment. When his mother hooks up with a Baptist preacher named David who believes Justin's schizophrenia can be cured with prayer, Justin knows he has to get out-or risk involuntary commitment in a religious facility. After a brush with incarceration, Justin takes off to San Francisco, where his drawings are not just noticed, but admired... Justin's bizarre and beautiful drawings create a stir in the art world. Meanwhile, he's homeless, couch surfing, and trapped in a continuous battle with his mental illness. His salvation is a girl named Liria Czetski with a shady past. They'd met a year ago, and she's appeared in his visions ever since. It turns out Liria has been sharing those visions, something that is a surprise to everyone but Justin... When secrets surface, Justin is forced to realize that being a genius has a downside. Surrounded by people who want to exploit his talent, he must fight not only for his career and freedom, but perhaps for his life...