Zachary Barlow

Zach is 12 years old and attends Thomas Peebles Middle School with his best friends Poppy and Alice. Together, they have been playing an involved game of make-believe in which Zach currently operates a pirate figure named William the Blade. Zachary loves playing ‘the game’, often feeling as though he is able to channel another world of sorts that sometimes seems more real than the one they live in. He never wants to stop, regardless of how old they get and despite how hard it already is at times.

Zach has hair that is the same color as burnt toast, and eyes that are beach-glass blue, just like his father. Zach’s father and mother have had their share of problems and separated for three years as a result of them. During that time, Zach had gotten used to living without his father, and even resented him to...