While in lecture discussing another novel we were reading at the time, I discovered that a corpse can release gases into the atmosphere for days after being buried. The thought brought on other conversations, and from those this story was born.

Alekzandra Valdez survived the unspeakable. But when her abuser, Aaron Sammuels, takes his own life before facing justice, the scars of her past refuse to fade. Alone with her grief, in a world where everything has been stripped from her, she seeks to make the ultimate decision: how to live with the aftermath of what has been stolen from her, and how to refuse any part of her pain from being passed on to others.

Gasses In the Garden is a haunting, visceral exploration of survival, agency, and the deep complexity of healing after trauma. Alek’s journey is raw and unforgiving as she faces the impossible task of rebuilding herself from the pieces of a life she feels are shattered beyond repair. A story of defiance, pain, and ultimately, the power of choosing one’s own path forward.