Long Way Down Jason Reynolds Summary Novels & Stories

“You said I didn’t know how to play the long game.” Antonio nodded slowly, the approval unspoken, but unmistakable. Bianca looked between them, then clapped softly, ironically. “This is sick. I love it.” But Layla didn’t smile. She stared at Jason like she no longer recognized him. “You’re going to ruin people with this,” she said quietly. Jason didn’t flinch. “That’s the point.” A beat of silence passed. And then he walked past her, murmuring under his breath as he opened the cabinet to pour himself a drink.

This man definitely had what it took to be a successful politician. “We’re done here,” he said returning to his chair and picking up the phone. The game was over, and I knew it. I stood, but was unwilling to let him have the last word. “It’s going to come out,” I said. “The secret you’re protecting? It’s not going to stay hidden. That I promise you.” With that, I turned and left. “God dammit all to hell!” Jason shouted slinging his phone onto the dashboard hard enough to knock the battery loose and send it skittering. “Merde!” He leaned down to scrabble for the errant pieces on the floorboard of his police-issue Ford Explorer.

“Oh I have and neither one of you is leaving this room.” “You are a son of bitch. You are a dirty low down trifling…” Dan shot the gun at Jason first as a scream tore through Alyssa as he fell on the ground. She placed her hands over her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. “Jas…” Then a sting shot through her chest as the force threw her down to the ground. She looked over seeing Dan squatting by Jason whispering something in his ear. “This is your way out. Take it.” He stood and walked off as Alyssa blacked out.

The ember burned on its own and slowly crawled down to his fingertips. Only when the sting of the burn pierced his skin did Jason finally rise to his feet. He seemed to have made a decision. He flicked the cigarette away and walked off, step by heavy step. He hired a cab and went straight to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. Each step up the staircase was like dragging chains. He finally stopped in front of a tombstone. Hannah’s bright and radiant smile beamed at him from the photograph, untouched by anything in the world. Jason collapsed to his knees before her grave.

“You can’t seriously be considering this, Spencer. He’s your son!” Spencer remains silent, but I can feel his unspoken retort: no, he’s YOUR son! I feel as though I’m completely alone in this situation. “I don’t want to die,” Jason says quietly, staring at the ground. The chains around him slither along the marble floor like metallic snakes. “At least give Jason the chance to redeem himself,” I plead, looking between Spencer and Captain McAndrews. “Before you make any decisions, we have to get to the bottom of this!”

he mumbled, looking away from her gaze. The room was dimly lit, a stark contrast to the warm glow of the kitchen. Rebecca’s eyes scanned the mess of textbooks and dirty laundry before landing on the half-empty bottle of pills on the nightstand. “What mistake, Jason?” she asked, her voice calm despite the concern bubbling up inside her. “I had a headache, and I accidentally took one of Dad’s pills,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Now, I can’t... I can’t go down.”

“...you’ll wish suicides were the worst thing I put you through. Understood?” “Yes, Coach!” He gave us one final glare before blowing the whistle for dismissal. As soon as we hit the locker room, Jason collapsed dramatically onto the bench. “I think my legs are officially detached from my body.” “Crybaby,” Logan muttered, peeling off his gear. “Not crying,” Jason shot back. “Just stating facts. Hayden, back me up.” I snorted, tugging off my pads. “I’m too tired to even talk.” Logan smirked. “Guess that means I win.”

Jason let out a bitter smile and said, “No. It isn’t me. It’s your Aunt Summers.” “Mr. Yarde…” Not far away, Chadwick called him. Kayson waved his hand at him and said, “You guys go first. Don’t need to wait for me.” Chadwick nodded. Before he left, he took a glance at Jason. ‘Isn’t he the director of Triumph Realtor? He’s one of the top developers in Skyriv.’ Even he did not have a chance to meet someone like Jason. Yet, not only did Kayson know him, but he seemed rather close to him as well.

Right before the door shut, Mandy said softly but clearly, “You’ll regret not settling this today.” Jason didn’t reply, and his steps never faltered. --- New York was quiet that night—but not the comforting kind of quiet. It was the kind that held its breath. Like eyes watching from the shadows. Jason was driving alone, and after what Mandy had said, his mind was anything but quiet. Her words still echoed: “One life for one life.” He was heading toward the warehouse district on the city’s edge. No streetlights. Just the reflection of his headlights on damp asphalt and the distant crash of waves hitting the concrete pier.