The Woods

Prelude

From the personal records of Hero M. Garrison: November 3

My decision to run into the woods was a culmination of factors, three of which stand out in my mind now.

One: I was tired of sitting still. They closed the carnival down the road, and the merry-go-round with it, so I couldn't even go in circles anymore.

Two: I was running towards something. They found a girl, from out of town, behind the motel down the street, in a pool of blood. She was running too, but I guess she never made it to the woods. She wasn't the last girl they'd find like that. I was always faster than they were, I guess.

Three, and most importantly: I was running away. Not from just something, this time, from everything. I'll tell you all that later. All you need to know now is that I had a paper due, an essay on Lolita, for a dusty old senior lit class.

A three-pronged reason then, for my mysterious November disappearance.

But mysteries are only fun if you can solve them. So for you, I give this clarification: the actus reus ab initio, the explanation for my mysterious November disappearance. Because pretty soon, everything's coming full circle.

If I didn't disappear, you'd catch me.

So no, I didn't run because I was fighting with my parents. I didn't run because a boyfriend dumped me. I didn't even run because I was scared. I stopped being scared a little while ago, stopped being prey. Started hunting instead.

I'm out there right now, hunting. And if you want to catch me, try looking at what's right in front of your nose. Solve the mystery. But I'll give you a hint.

Ask my brother where I was, when he forgot to pick me up on April 6th.