It was a Friday morning in October when I found it. Gloomy like always. It was just the beginning of fall, and I was already sick of it. Don’t get me wrong—I love fall for the most part, but the end of fall means the beginning of winter. And I hate winter. I always have. The air was getting a chill to it, and everyday it started getting darker just a little bit earlier. Just last month I wanted to be woken up once September was over (thank God for Green Day), because it felt like the death of summer, and now I wanted it back. Where was I supposed to go from here? Nothing really made sense anymore. But nonetheless there it was, just like it was waiting for me. I suppose it was—or whoever put it there intended for it to be.

Just as I was about to walk towards it, a man wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants briskly walked by with his golden retriever. When he glanced up I smiled and put one hand up to gesture a hello. He quickly nodded once and looked away. I swear, the people in this town act like they’re afraid of each other. The goose bumps that appeared on my arms reminded me that the temperature was in the low fifties again. So when the man disappeared around the corner I walked to it. It took more effort than I had expected. I walked somewhat slowly and in my head reminded myself that at any moment one of the neighbors would come out of their home to leave for work, and look at me like I was crazy. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d gotten that look from one of the neighbors. I started walking at a regular pace then, and when I got to the end of the sidewalk that lead up to my house, I made a left and stopped at the driveway.

I bent down and put the newspaper that I had originally come out for on my knee. Then I picked up the rock that laid on top of the piece of paper that was folded into thirds. Sure enough I heard the left neighbor’s door open and close. And there went Justin off to his car. He was only a year or so older than me. He went to school full time at the state college in the city right next to ours, and lived at home. There was that look. But he had the courtesy to wave. He was generally a friendly kid. I tossed the rock into the grass and started back towards the house with the newspaper under one arm, and the piece of paper in my other hand. I wondered why no one had picked up the newspaper this morning. Both my parents had left for work about an hour ago. It was unusual for them not to bring it in. I don’t read it much, but it looked like it was going to rain, so I figured I could do them a favor. I never would have seen it otherwise.