This book is set in a coffee shop in modern-day Spokane, Washington. The main characters in this story were Zach Wahhsted, Alan Mender, and Joey Mender. Zach Wahhsted was a sixteen-year-old schizophrenic. Often hallucinates voices and people; but every time he forgot to take his medicine, he heard two voices telling him to kill himself. Zach had a hard time understanding what was real and what was in his head. Alan Mender was a seventeen-year-old growing up in a rough neighborhood with his younger brother and mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He has a kind nature, but lives in difficult circumstances. Joey Mender was a fourteen-year-old younger brother of Alan Mender, who also lived with his mother. He's temperamental and thought Zach was just retarded. The book began in a small bar. Zach was sitting at a table in the corner waiting for his mother to pick him up when two boys armed with guns burst in and told everyone to stay calm. The boys went straight to the cash register and told the girl to give them all the money. While the boys were at the checkout, Zach saw that a lady parked in a blue car called someone, then walked away. While the cashier was putting the money into the bags that the boys had given her, the police approached so the boys made everyone go into the storage room in the back. There were nine hostages, Zach, two middle-aged businessmen, a mother and daughter, the cashier and coffee shop guy, and two older ladies who smelled of soap. The police surrounded the building and tension increased. The younger of the two boys became agitated and shot at a table. The younger guy freaked out and shot a table. The cashier vomited and the little girl started crying. Zach, who was supposed to be taking his medication, had been hit by Alan's hand. The boys were back inside and the police called and told them that Dr. Curt had arrived. Dr. Curt spoke to the boys and told them that the first shot was an accident; and that he had read the paper and seemed fine, so they could go out. The children all left, dropped their weapons and were handcuffed, except Zach who went to his mother and got his medicine. The book then time-jumped to three months later. The boys were tried as juveniles and sentenced to nine months in juvenile prison and two years of probation. Zach, on the other hand, had successfully committed suicide. I liked this book because it shows a part of society that is usually kept hidden. Many people think that schizophrenia is just a form of retardation, but this book provides some understanding for people with this disorder.