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    The Power Plant
    The Power Plant
    The Power Plant
    Ebook32 pages21 minutes

    The Power Plant

    By Charles Harvey

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    About this ebook

    In the heart of his university, a young man embarks on a transformative journey, teetering between innocence and darker desires. In "The Power Plant," our protagonist, a nineteen-year-old, finds himself ensnared within the gritty confines of his university's boiler and chiller facility, tasked with the mundane chores of typing reports and running errands. As he grapples with the complexities of his burgeoning attraction to men while societal expectations press upon him to fall in love with women, he must navigate the treacherous waters of self-discovery, identity, and the secrets that lie hidden beneath the surface. A poignant coming-of-age story with a compelling blend of innocence and menace, "The Power Plant" invites you to explore the profound complexities of one young man's journey to self-acceptance and the haunting mysteries that dwell within the depths of his university's mechanical labyrinth.

     

    An Excerpt:

     

    Bells ring in my head. It's my Mother phoning the Power Plant late into the night, to inquire why haven't I come home. I know what time the night Operator is supposed to make his rounds to read the meters. But he will sleep half the night under the narcotic hum of the big chillers and fudge the numbers on the meter sheets. He'll eat his lunch in the control room up front by the big gaping door of the plant. He'll piss through the grate rather than come toward the tool room to go to the toilet. There's a side door that's always unlocked because the lock's broken. It's a good way for someone to get into the power plant unnoticed and into the tool room if they have a key like Hawkins has a key. I know Hawkins knows these things too. Because now he's looking at me and the ropes and pulleys hanging from the ceiling. He breathes hard and his hand digs deeper between his legs. He moves the door back and forth.

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    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWes Writers and Publishers
    Release dateAug 16, 2015
    ISBN9781516329243
    The Power Plant
    Author

    Charles Harvey

    Charles W. Harvey is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of Houston. At UofH he studied fiction under the guidance of Rosellen Brown and Chitra Divakaruni. In 1987, Charles was a 1st place prize recipient of PEN/Discovery for his short story Cheeseburger, which went on to be published in the Ontario Review. In 1989 Charles Harvey was awarded the Cultural Arts Council of Houston Grant for Writers and Artists. Also in 1989 he was a finalist in the MacDonald's Literary Achievement Awards. Charles has been published in Soulfires, Story Magazine SHADE, High Infidelity, The James White Review, and others. He is the author of the novels The Butterfly Killer, The Road to Astroworld, and Antoine's Double Trouble. He is also the author of several story and poetry collections. He also writes for the stage and screen.

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      Book preview

      The Power Plant - Charles Harvey

      The Power Plant

      by

      Charles W. Harvey

      * * * * *

      PUBLISHED BY:

      Wes Writers and Publishers

      The Power Plant

      Copyright © 2013 by Charles W. Harvey

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      Author’s Website http://www.charlesharveyauthor.wordpress.com/

      Table of Contents

      Copyright Page

      The Power Plant

      The Power Plant

      Excerpt from Kiss and Say Goodbye

      Excerpt: Antoine’s Double Trouble

      Sign up for Charles Harvey's Mailing List

      Further Reading: Kiss and Say Goodbye

      Also By Charles Harvey

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      The Power Plant

      DAMN IT TO HELL! I wish we could get Hawkins to pass his exam, Walter.  We’ve done everything under heaven’s stars to help him.  I want to pay him more money. He’s a good fella, real docile.  How many kids does he have, Walter? Chief Engineer Barrett asks.  His voice is soft and woeful.

      Walter, the assistant Power Plant Manager, looks up from his Navy magazine.  His hair is cut into a gray buster brown, but his bald spot makes him look like he’s wearing a white yarmulke. He’s Irish and in a bit of a stupor. It takes him a minute to remember who Barrett is and whom Barrett is talking about.

      Uh, yeah, Hawkins—I don’t know.  Six I think.  Maybe ten. Walter’s head drops back into the magazine.  His bald spot shines like a small porcelain saucer.  His blue eyes sweep over the article he’s reading, Navy Pensions—Cheating the Actuary.

      "Well I wish there was something we

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