Eleven

Content Warning: The source material uses an ethnic and religious slur against Muslim people. This guide references such language in direct quotes only.

Alex Douglas, the almost 11-year-old protagonist, flies an F-16 as A-Dawg in a video game, waiting for his heroic moment. As an enemy plane’s missile nips his wing, his machine leaks fuel and smoke. A-Dawg could make it back to safety. However, his instinct to save the day kicks in, and he opts to pursue his foe. As air control demands he returns, A-Dawg defies orders and fires at the enemy plane at the same time as his nemesis launches an attack on him. As he trails away, looking back to see if he hit the target, his screen goes black.

Peering at the darkened screen, Alex sees the reflection of his mother in her nurse’s uniform holding the computer plug. Alex groans. His mother aborted his most heroic flight simulation game ever. When she asks about the rules for playing video games, his mind wanders to his six-year-old sister, Nunu, and the rule that she does not cross the line that separates their respective sides of their room. Her half is littered with dolls and everything pink, which Alex detests.