The Hurricane’s Eye
“The Hurricane’s Eye” follows Blaze Montgomery from infancy through early adolescence in Houston, Texas. Born fighting — literally launching into the world mid-delivery — Blaze grows up in a warm, faith-rooted family on Elm Street. His father, Hank, is proud of their Scottish-Irish-American ancestry but harbors anti-immigrant prejudice, while his mother, Ellen, is a gentle, morally grounded presence.
From his earliest days, Blaze shows unusual empathy. At school, he befriends Luis, a Hispanic boy who is being excluded because of his race, and confronts the bully Tommy with disarming directness. Years later, when a gang of older teens attacks Luis in the street, Blaze steps in and takes a punch without flinching — earning the neighborhood nickname “Tornado.” The chapter closes with a quiet but charged domestic scene: Luis’s father arriving with a pie to express gratitude, and Hank’s prejudice colliding with Ellen’s pride in their son.