Counterfeit Kids – James Sclafani (Washington, D.C.)

Set in Baltimore in the 1980s, Counterfeit Kids is told through Nic, an eighteen-year-old who finds friendship and refuge with her foster brother Jude. Jude is a gifted artist and a counterfeiter. Instead of nurturing his talent, his foster parents Trisha and Jerry mock him, calling him Rain Man and inbred. Nic is trapped between her toxic mother Trisha and Trisha’s sleazy boyfriend, Jerry. Trisha constantly reminds Nic that she cared for her during Nic’s childhood leukemia. That sacrifice hangs over everything. Trisha tells her, “remember who loves you.”Nic is forced to work at the family restaurant, Jerry’s Big Ones. A hot dog stand staffed by girls in short shorts and high heels. It is the best gimmick in Charm City. It is also humiliating. Nic and Jude counterfeit money. They pass the bills through vending machines, flea markets, and small businesses, including Jerry’s Big Ones. When Trisha and Jerry discover the counterfeit equipment and fall for Jude’s trap, the house erupts. Nic is forced to make a choice. 2026; 11 min.