Prisoners of the Present

The music is louder. The stakes are higher. And the choices he makes now will echo for a lifetime.

It's 1987, and twenty-year-old Phil Croydon is finally finding his footing. Moving back to Pittsburgh, he trades the survival struggles of his past for the chaotic, neon-soaked energy of a university campus. Between managing an eccentric college roommate and handling delicate family dynamics, Phil is determined to build a real future on his own terms.

When he joins GALA, the campus LGBTQ+ student activism group, Phil finds himself thrust into the heart of a vibrant, defiant community. Surrounded by a fierce new tribe of friends, he discovers the power of collective action, the thrill of retro campus nightlife, and a deep sense of belonging he's chased for years.

But the late 1980s are a fragile time to be young and queer. As the devastating realities of the AIDS epidemic loom closer to home, the safe haven of Phil's student sanctuary is put to the ultimate test. Trapped between the liberating freedom of his present and the heartbreaking truths of a changing world, Phil must find the resilience to stand his ground, protect his chosen family, and decide what he's truly willing to fight for.

Perfect for fans of emotional 1980s retro fiction and poignant LGBTQ+ historical dramas, Prisoners of the Present is a gripping, deeply authentic slice-of-life journey through a defining era of queer history.