Fire Shut Up in My Bones

The story follows Charles, a young Black man from Louisiana, as he confronts his past. At 20, he drives to his childhood home, armed and contemplating revenge for the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his older cousin, Chester, when he was seven. The narrative unfolds in flashbacks, exploring his poverty-stricken childhood, his mother Billie's struggles, the family's dysfunction, and his teenage years where he grapples with his identity and sexuality. After a failed baptism, a college relationship, and a moment of crisis, he ultimately chooses forgiveness over vengeance, finding peace and reconciliation with his mother.