ESSAY --- ZACH'S LIE

   Have you ever asked yourself, "What would like be like if all it was, was running away?" Well, reading Zach's Lie by Roland Smith can give you an answer. Life for Jack started out pretty great. Running around, getting in trouble, having fun, everything of a normal child. Or at least that’s how it seemed, until his dad supposedly got involved in some drug business, and was sent to jail. This story is a tragedy, and there are lots of reasons to back it up.

    In the beginning of the story, as I said, they were living a very normal life. But when their dad, Neil, was sent to jail for an accusation of drug abuse, things got a little more mixed up than planned. Neil's boss, Alonzo, gave all the blame to Neil, even though he was the one to blame. He started threatening to kill the family, and so they had to go undercover, forever. They had to change their names, dye their hair, get contacts, move, and blend in like they were just another random family, keeping everything secret. That day, Jack became Zach.

     Later on in the book, Alonzo found out (through spies) what their new names were, and the new looks, too. Things started becoming disastrous, because they had to watch everything they do. One wrong move could've had them all killed, along with all of their loved ones. At one point, he had everyone under control, until he was the one who decided to make that bad move. Everything was taken under control by Zach, and all was good.

     In the end, they all had to go back into protection again. Alonzo just wouldn't stop. This story really is a tragedy. So many tragic things happen. And after you read this book, if you choose, that question buzzing around in your head will be answered. And you might even wish you never asked.