Chapter 1
Dammit, no vacancy! That's it; I'll just sleep in my car. There's a campground nearby, and knowing this time of year, none will hassle me. What was I thinking? I should have left that job weeks ago. What good is a two-week notice if they can fire me at any time?
Just how I like to sleep: surrounded by forest, with nothing but the sounds of the wind blowing by.
Scratch that—the sounds of the wind and the sounds of animals crushing twigs and leaves. “Clunk clunk.” It sounds like something at its driver's door; better make sure it isn’t a bear.
Oh crap, someone's at my door. rolling down my window ever so slightly and I ask him what his problem is.
“I lost my dog. He’s a blue-tick coonhound with a chunk of his right ear missing. Have you seen or heard of a dog in this area?”
As my eyes adjust to the dark, I notice the face of my former coworker, Graham. He’s generally quite a nice guy, so I tell him no, I haven’t seen his dog, but that I’d be happy to help him find it.
“Thanks, here, take this spare flashlight.”
