Chapter 1: Chapter 1

The first time I saw her was on the news. The second time I saw her was in a police lineup. The third time I m sure I saw her was when I was walking home from work. It was late afternoon and I was heading up Peacock Way, one of the main roads in my town.I usually walk home after work on one of the main roads because it's safer that way. I always make sure to use the crosswalk, even when there's no cars coming, just in case someone decides to run into the street. Today, however, I took a different path than usual to avoid the summer heat. It was a cool evening, perfect for a walk.I was heading up one of the side streets when I saw her. She was sitting in a chair on the sidewalk, facing the street, her head --which I'm sure was shaved at one point--"was turned to watch me as I approached. I stopped in front of her, wondering what she wanted.I was heading up one of the side streets when I saw her. She was sitting in a chair on the sidewalk, facing the street, her head --which I'm sure was shaved at one point--"was turned to watch me as I approached. I stopped in front of her, wondering what she wanted.Usually, I'd ignore someone on the street, but something about her made me uneasy. I felt like she was watching me, waiting for me to approach her. So, I did what I always do when I feel like someone is watching me: I smiled. It seemed to make her even more nervous, so she turned away from me, staring at the wall instead.I continued my walk up the street, keeping my eyes peeled for any other potential victims. When I got to the top of the hill, I saw a group of teenagers hanging out. One of them was missing, which made me worry even more. The group dispersed as soon as I got close, running off in different directions.