Serial

Prologue

Ever notice how some of the most devastating, life-altering days start off like any other? You wake up thinking about what you have to do that day. What you're going to wear. How you're going to pay your bills.

You go about your day, knocking things off your to-do list. You go to school. To work. Hang out with friends. Flirt with that guy you've been crushing on. Contemplate going on a diet.

You don't wake up thinking: I could die today.

At least I didn't.

I certainly never thought that I'd already met my executioner.

Then again, how are you supposed to know that? It used to be that you could tell the bad guys from the good guys. The bad guys had that creepy, disheveled, "you should cross the street" look. They wore all black, or had crazy-eyes, or talked to themselves. They just looked sinister. Which made it easy to avoid them and the danger they brought.

Unfortunately, the world has changed. And the scary thing is that some of the most devious people seem normal. They're attractive, charismatic, non-threatening. They look like you or me, which of course, encourages you to let down your guard, allowing them to get close enough to—

Well, let's just say, the results aren't pretty.

So how can you tell the good guys from the bad?

You can't.

Until it's too late.