This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed are either a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance of those fictitious characters, incidents, and locations to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any resemblance to pre-existing works of fiction is either coincidental or intended for the purpose of parody and not intended to infringe upon any copyrights. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Please be aware that this book contains scenes of intense violence, usually handled seriously, but occasionally with humor. There is also reference to suicide, self-harm, rape, sexual assault, slavery, and torture, although such topics are not used as a subject for humor. In addition, themes of war, terrorism, bigotry, discrimination, genocide, cultural erasure, child exploitation, domestic abuse, and mental illness are prevalent and essential to the plot. It also contains, and at times uses for comedic effect, vulgar language, sexual content, some recreational drug use, and plenty of material many may find disturbing. The views and actions of the characters portrayed do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of such views or actions. This book is for entertainment purposes only. That's enough introductions, now on to the story.
Once upon a time, which in accordance with the decrees of medieval theologians was the year 1946, in an unincorporated rural settlement somewhere in the Republic of Texas, a five year-old girl emerged from a field she had wandered through, finding a boy about her age sitting under a tree. The mahogany-skinned boy stopped twirling his fingers through his curly black hair and glanced up from the book he was reading to see a pale, ginger-haired girl's bright blue eyes staring right at him. The girl introduced herself as Ruby, and the boy introduced himself as Henry.
Ruby had visited Henry solely because she had been told not to, but the two immediately felt a special bond. Although they soon had to part ways, Ruby promptly began planning to meet with Henry again. The following day, she found him in the same place, just standing there, even though it was exceptionally hot outside and he had little reason to suspect that she would visit again. The two were filled with great joy to be reunited, and they were very expressive of it, but of course, she couldn't stay for very long. After Ruby's mother tried to kill Henry, Ruby stopped visiting him out of fear. They were both upset to be separated, but they wanted to be safe.
This story is not about the relationship between Ruby and Henry. There's no sense in wasting time with pointless drama. They'll become a couple, get married, have a child, and happily live out their lives together, until they inevitably die, because of course they do eventually. None of that is what's really important, because except for a few noteworthy differences that are addressed, their connection is essentially the same old, unoriginal, and uninteresting story that's been told countless times before, and this story really isn't even about them.