The Secret My Mother Buried

the dim living room with all the curtains drawn. The AC was blasting, making

th that fixed smile,

Her face was drawn, eyes wide wi

ing my arm so tight it hurt. "That... that is not

ugh me. I knew it, deep down, but heari

do?" I whi

But don't trust him. D

morning, Li

ily scrawled. "Have to visit Aunt Carol's si

in. She died on the trail, around the same time

h was tucked under

, saw her glance back, her face a mask of fear and urgency

he was

me alone

y by the hum of the AC he'd cranked up even hi

it. The journal.

, the wrongness of "Da

d study, the door clicking shut. He spent

hed. My hands were shaking so

pen, too exposed. I kep

orial plot. It didn't take long to un

ck was damp, the j

o my room, lo

, the beauty of the trail, his excitement about exploring an off-trail cave system near Widow's Peak. He me

gh, the writing changed.

ants to turn back but also wants to push on t

ries, increasi

Keeps talking about

tion of pages was

hat looked like dried mud, or mayb

IS, RUN! LINDA ISN'T

s a smear,

my mother? What did that mean?

ipped from between the last pa

up with a tr

r what looked like a cave entrance. The face

distinctive silver l

d given it to her. I remembered seeing it on h

l, dead, near a cave. D

as hap