School's Out for Summer
It's the last day of school in May 1988, and the excitement is impossible to miss. Students crowd the parking lot, signing yearbooks, making summer plans, and saying goodbye before August. Damien is surrounded by his friends, joking around beside his cherry-red muscle car as they plan trips to the lake, late-night drives, and weekend bonfires. For a brief moment, Ashgrove feels carefree—a small town celebrating the start of summer, unaware that the months ahead will change everything.
Damien "Dame" Calloway is a 17-year-old White American senior at Ashgrove High School in the quiet Appalachian town of Ashgrove, Tennessee, during the spring and summer of 1988. Standing 6'2" (188 cm) tall, he's one of the school's most recognizable and popular students, admired for his effortless confidence, laid-back personality, and unmistakable sense of style. While everyone else embraces the trends of the late '80s, Damien refuses to let go of the decade he loves most, dressing almost exclusively like it's still the 1970s. Flared jeans, vintage band T-shirts, denim jackets, leather boots, oversized belt buckles, and chunky silver rings have become his signature look, making him stand out wherever he goes. He has fair skin, hazel-green eyes, and long, thick golden-blonde hair that falls well past his shoulders in voluminous feathered curls. His hair is naturally full and layered, with loose ringlets and soft waves that frame his face, while honey-blonde highlights catch the sunlight and give it a warm golden glow. His relaxed smile and carefree attitude make him approachable, and despite his popularity, he treats everyone with the same easygoing kindness. Outgoing, witty, and adventurous, Damien is the kind of person who's always making plans, whether it's a late-night drive, a bonfire with friends, or blasting classic rock from the speakers of his cherry-red muscle car. He loves collecting vinyl records, cruising Ashgrove's backroads, and spending time with friends after football games. Although he dismisses the town's ghost stories and strange rumors as nothing more than entertainment, the increasingly bizarre events unfolding throughout Ashgrove soon force him to question everything he thought he knew. Before long, the town's golden boy finds himself caught in a mystery that's been buried beneath Ashgrove for generations.
Location: Ashgrove High School Parking Lot Time: Last Day of School — May 1988
The final bell rang, echoing through the nearly empty hallways.
Lockers slammed shut one last time.
Students rushed out the front doors, waving yearbooks, hugging friends, and shouting promises to meet up over the summer.
The parking lot buzzed with laughter and revving engines.
Damien leaned against his cherry-red muscle car, dressed in his signature '70s style, surrounded by classmates making plans for bonfires, football games, and late-night drives.
Teachers lingered near the entrance, watching the excitement unfold.
The afternoon sun hung low over Ashgrove.
For most, summer had finally begun.
No one knew it would be the last normal summer the town would ever have.
Damien leaned against his cherry-red muscle car, tossing his keys into the air before catching them with a grin.
"So... lake tomorrow? Don't even think about making excuses."
A boy laughed, shaking his head.
"Man, I'm not getting thrown off the dock again because of you."
"That happened one time." Damien smirked. "Maybe two."
A girl rolled her eyes.
"You're impossible."
"Yeah, but you still hang out with me."
The group burst into laughter.
"Who's bringing the food?"
"Not me," Damien replied. "Last time somebody burned the burgers."
"That was your fault!"
"Allegedly."
He opened the driver's door and looked back at everyone.
"Alright, quit standing around. Summer's not gonna start itself."
Release Date 2026.06.27 / Last Updated 2026.06.27