ourerealtothem?Putthosenightmaresoutofyourhead."

    Istoodtogo,theandkissedhergood-bye.Shehadtreatedmekindlyovertheyears,asifIhadbeenherownson.

    "Iveknownallalong,Henry,"shesaid.

    Ileftthehousewithoutasking.

    Iresolvedtofrontthemandfindoutwhytheyweretormentioflushoutthosemonsters,Iwouldgobatothewoods.TheForestServiceprovidedtopographicalmapsoftheregion,theareasingreenindigwoodland,theroadsdrawiculousdetail,andIlaidagridoverthelikelyareas,dividingthewildernessintomanageableplats.Fortwodays,despitemyloathingfortheforestandmyaversiontonature,Iexploredafewofthosesquares,lookingfortheirlair.ThewoodswereemptierthanwhenIlivedthere—theoccasionalhammeringofawoodpecker,skinkssunningthemselvesonrocks,theraisedwhiteflagofonedeerrunningaway,andthelonesomehumofgreenbottleflies.Notmuchlife,butplentyofjunk—aswollencopyofPlayboy;afour-of-heartsplayingcard;atatteredwhitesweater;asmallmouycigarettepackages;ateen;atortoiseshellnecklaapileofstones;astoppedwatdabookstampedPropertyOftyLibrary.

    Asidefromthedirtonitscoverandtheslightmustyodortoitspages,thebookwasintact.Throughthemildewedpages,thestoryrevolvedaroundareligiousfanatiamedTarwaterorTearwater.Igaveupreadingnovelsinchildhood,fortheirartificialworldsmaskratherthahetruth.sstructelaborateliestothrowoffreadersfromdiscthemeaningbehindthewordsandsymbols,asifitcouldbeknown.ButthebookIfoundmightbejustthethingforafourteen-year-oldhellionorsiousmisfit,soItookitbacktothelibrary.Virtuallynobodywasthereonthatm