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You approach a <strong>clearing</strong> with Gaston fishing.
But
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But then why?
Or?
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}(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[I thank the men for their time and ask if I can call with any follow-up questions.
The Sheriff shrugs.
And then, too familiar, the distance bellows. Payment is due. Time to get moving again.
I stretch my quads and shake out my limbs. I ready my breaths.]
(text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Hold up a sec." ]]
The Sheriff steps closer. My forearms begin to sweat.
(text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Just, Dell here's got some run left in him."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The leash pulls taut as the lab senses an exodus.] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Think you could scratch each other's back, take him for a run up to my truck? He’ll jump right on in the bed. Be fine till I get there."]]
"Really?"
(text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Go for broke."]]
His thumb releases the hook on the leash. The dog darts down the trail.
So often have I chased and been chased, but a chance to run for sport. Maybe for once, a finish line at the end.
One way to find out.
Answer the call with me, Strange Ear. See this through.
Pitch your body forward. Lean. Lean. Lean until you feel as if you're falling. Let yourself. Now throw your foot in front of you. Catch all your weight on your toes. Then spring. And do it again. Pitch, and catch. Over, and over.
Until.
Just like that, [[you've joined the race.->Happiness Runs]]
A man in tiny blue shorts is running through a forest. He likes the ''crunch'' of the pine cones underfoot and begins to target them.
Careful.
The mounds of burnt-orange pine needles are slick, he learns; the saplings that brush his arms, spiny.
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Suddenly, he sprints.]
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His hands flatten, no longer the curled milking grip taught by his running coach -- abandoned now, formless -- instead become (text-style:"buoy")[pistons] driving his toes to catch the needle-bed earth and haul his lean body forward.
He is uncatchable. He chews forests to the bone. The breeze screams, (text-style:"blur")[//teach me how to move like that//].
He chases the high. The rush of betaendorphins and enkephalins that turn his brain into a (text-style:"shudder")[shaken soda can] and provide the only pleasure of his life, so as long as he never stops moving.
You realize, this man is running for his life.
[[This man is me. -> Intro2]]
]
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The trail leads to a clearing. A (text-colour:#c19e7b)[Sheriff] leans against a tree, wrestling a stuffed mallard from the jaws of his yellow lab. A (text-colour:lime)[Park Ranger] stands in the middle of the ring of pine trees, staring straight up to their crowns.
The Sheriff steadies a manila folder in his armpit as he flings the stuffed mallard. The dog gives chase.
Neither acknowledges me. I forget to thank them for meeting me here, anxiously pointing to the folder.
“Can you disclose yet -- was it those twins?”
The Sheriff folds his arms.(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)["Word just came down, no longer our case. Houston swooped in. Hallelujah. Far as I see it, means I am relieved of questions like that. That's the last I ever want to think about it.”]]
The Ranger returns from the treetops.(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Soccer players, I heard.”]] He pats his belly.(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Too much running for me.”]]
The Sheriff whistles.(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)[“Shoot. Then some.”]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Eskimoes, was that right?” ]]
“Inuit,” I correct him.
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Inuit? Huh."]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger likes to puff up his cheeks and slowly (text-style:"smear","condense")+(size: 0.8)[squeeze the air out] while he thinks.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“That’s an interesting one.” ]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He violently exhales as he stares up to the treetops. ](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[[[“Funny place to wind up." ->What Would You Do?]]](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Y’know. Had a buddy, worked a while up in, uh -- oh, what was it, Sitka? Real scrappy out there. Told me a story about a fishing village, some small one scattered on the coast somewhere. Only get to by prop plane, ferry maybe. ''Big'' problem with booze out there. All there is to do in the winter, I guess."]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)[“Ain’t it always.”]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Sure seems that way. So. Some guy over-does it one night, gets worked up about something, bashes in his step daughter’s skull."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger's fist [''smacks''] into his palm.] (text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Know how long it took to get a homicide unit out there?"]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He holds up three fingers.](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Three days. Couldn’t move the girl’s body. Couldn’t touch nothing. Had to sit on this guy, tied up or I don’t know what, three days. You imagine that? What if you were that girl’s mom? Christ. I couldn't even begin..."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He slowly unfurls his fist, and begins drawing in his palm with one finger.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["How about you, son? What would you had done?”]]
[* [[Let that poor mom be the judge, jury, and executioner. ->Ranger Engaged]]]
[* [[Be grateful when the police arrived to take it off my hands. ->Sheriff Engaged]]]
[* [[Eye for an Eye.]]](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Sure, that's one way to do it. Phew, that's a sore one though."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He paces to the center of the clearing and swipes at some dead pine needles with his boot.] (text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Sorta stuff you never think you'll actually see."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He looks up to the treetops and balloons his cheeks. He puts his hands in his pockets. Abruptly, the air rushes out of his lips.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Christ, why here... I keep asking -- I keep praying for some brutal rain from the gulf to come wash this all away."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[A finger emerges from his pocket to point to the ground.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Right here, pretty sure it was. I dunno. Time I got here..."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[But his mind drifts back to the tree tops. Possibly much farther. ]
[* [["Would you walk me through what you remember?"->Detached]]]
[* [["Did you know that vultures can pick a body to the bone in just a few hours?"->Trivia]]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[I bend down and grab the mallard by the dryest tip I can find. Using only my thumb and forefinger, I give it a surpsingly effective hurl into the brush. The lab bounds after it, harness jingling.]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[This catches the Sheriff's attention. He claps and calls out to the dog, Dell. Instantly forgiven, Dell returns to the Sheriff with the mallard.] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Sorry bud, was I ignoring you?"]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He hands the folder to the Ranger and gives the dog a thorough petting.]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger busies himself with the contents of the folder. His brow pops up when he turns a page.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Oh, hey. Like you said. Inuit. Lookit."] ](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He pivots the folder to allow me a glimpse at a photograph of the murder weapon. A knife with the hilt carved out of antler.](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Inuit. Huh. That's a first."]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[I keep my brow purposefully calm. I have what I came for.
[[I've seen that knife before.->Outro]]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff nods his head in affirmation and pushes off the tree to step closer to the conversation.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)["Yeah. That's a shitshow any way you slice it. Not what I wanna spend my day thinking about. Most things just never get sorted the way you think they should. Weird thing with this one, they might never figure who was who. Unless one's got bone injuries on file or something. They were telling me some cases with twins never get solved. Can’t for sure prove DNA one way or the other.”]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Huh.” ]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger releases some air from his cheeks.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)[“Hadn’t thought about that. Yeah, that's an interesting one."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger meanders to the center of the clearing and spreads some dead pine needles with his boot.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["Man. Sorta like the same kid died twice. Shame... such a shame. I dunno. Then is it even worth knowing at this point? What one of them did, to his own blood... Christ, why here?"]]
[He fills his cheeks and (text-style:"buoy")[drifts off] to the treetops.]
[* [["Did you know that vultures can pick a body to the bone in just a few hours?"->Trivia]]]
[* [["Any clues to what the motive might have been?"->Motive]]]
(text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["No clue, no plans to start looking. Campers happened down on 'em. No one remembers seeing 'em around town. Nothing more to go on, not my problem anymore."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff rolls the folder into a tube and stuffs it into his back pocket. He clasps a leash onto the lab.] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["That's the long and short of it. Told you, you were making your way down here for nothing. So if you would, keep us out of whatever it is you're drumming up. We ain't used to this."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He tips his hat and starts walking toward the trail.]
[[I need that folder->What Would You Do?]]
(text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["What's that? That so? Huh. Never think that'd come into play. Never think to hope not. Morbid. Still, interesting."] ](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger takes off his sunglasses to inspect me. He gives undue focus to how quickly my shorts terminate, and grimaces.] (text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[“Why you so sweaty, son?"]]
“I ran.”
He snorts and glances at the Sheriff. (text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[“No one’s getting any deader.”]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff leafs through the manila folder to satisfy some curiosity. The orphaned lab drops the mallard at his feet and whimpers. ]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[I point to the folder. “May I? For a second?” ]
(text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[“Son, you are downright grossing me out with the magnitude of your sweat. There some medical malfunction we need to know about?”]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The dog punishes the Sheriff's negligence by dropping the sopping mallard at my feet.]
[* [[Offer them money in exchange for information.->Bribe]]]
[* [[Toss the mallard.->Mission Accomplished]]]
(text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Nah. Campers happened down on 'em. Time I got here,"]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[he flutters his fingers,] (text-colour:lime)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Bones scattered all about. First time I been back actually. Spooky. Just keep thinking, why here? Of all places..."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger fills his cheeks and, not to the treetops, not this time; his eyes make it only to the horizon as (text-style:"blurrier")[''he drifts off''].]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff steps forward to drum the Ranger on the shoulder with a closed fist. ] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["I think that does it for today. No sense stirring it back up."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He hands the folder to the Ranger while he leashes his dog.] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Told you, you's coming all this way for nothing. Get home safe, all the same."]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He tips his hat to me.]
[[I need that folder->What Would You Do?]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[I open my fanny pack and remove a roll of twenty dollar bills. I hold it out to either man. "For a quick peek. I don't want to waste your time."]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger snorts.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["We look like a vending machine to you?"]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff ''launches'' toward me with his finger raised.] (text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["Look. I don’t mind pointing you in a direction you’re already headed, but let me make one thing clear. Not my name, not nobody in this town, is going on record for any of this. We solid?"]]
"Yes, sir."
(text-colour:#c19e7b)[(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")["So like I said, talk to the big boys handling this now. Here, we ain’t used to this. We’re just trying to get things back to normal. That's what I care about." ]]
[[I need that folder->What Would You Do?]]
Anyway. Maybe not directly running for my life.
But there’s this thing hunting me. I call it ''(text-colour:red)[The Beast]''. Unless I drain my head, it catches up to me. Then it’s all I hear. Blaring, "Confess. Confess."
Nothing less than exhaustion pays the fee. Sprinting until my eardrums (text-style:"fade-in-out")[pulse]. I bankrupt my body to starve my brain. Calories are the most disposable income I’ll ever know in life, and every day is a new chance to give it all away.
That’s what my flesh pays for. Maybe one day, peace; but for now, (text-style:"blurrier")[''blankness''].
Anyway. Have you ever wondered if the word “stranger” is a bastardization of “strange ear?” Like some alien shore who's never considered our existence before.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Anyway. That's where we find ourselves, Strange Ear.
Did you know that 60% of dead bodies are discovered by runners?
[[That’s where we’re headed. ->Mission]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Ranger snorts and glances over the top of his sunglasses at the Sheriff.](align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["That simple, huh? Yeah, well. Don't be so quick to deal out death in judgement. Even the wise can't see all sides. Know who said that?"]]
"No, sir."
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:lime)["That's Gandalf right there. But maybe you know better."]]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)["All right then." ]](align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[The Sheriff rolls the folder into a tube and stuffs it into his back pocket.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=X")[(text-colour:#c19e7b)["If you're gonna start that nerdy shit, that's my cue. You two have fun. Good day, fellas."]] (align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[He clasps the leash onto the lab, tips his hat and begins to walk down the trail.]
[[I need that folder. ->What Would You Do?]] (transition-arrive:"fade")[(size:4)[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:#abdff8)[Happiness
Runs]]]] (live: 3.78s)[(stop:)<center><img src="https://www.stefanmcninch.com/uploads/1/2/6/9/126964013/71989472-1-x_orig.jpg" width="300" height="300">
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(live: 7.05s)[(stop:)(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:#abdff8)[''An interactive novel by Stefan McNinch'']]]
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[[''Begin''->Intro]]
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