July 1991
It’s summertime in our beautiful town Meadow Lake, and with that comes tourists. As all of you reading this know, tourists are the lifeblood of our small town. We both love and hate the tourist season. Without their business, we wouldn’t be able to heat our homes in the winter or put food on our tables. We enjoy their, usually friendly faces and stories of the world outside our village. They come for the camping and hiking in the summer, and the skiing in the winter. Some of them stay, falling in love with our community, and we welcome them.
There is a dark side to being a tourist town, though most of us don’t like to admit it. There’s the typical stuff, increase in population means an increase in crime, putting a strain on our small police force. Mostly fights, with a bit of shoplifting. Then there’s the missing.
Every year at least one tourist goes missing. Sometimes it’s on a hike, lost in the woods, never to be found. Other times they disappear from their tent or cabin, with no word to their loved ones on where they have gone. One young woman a few winters back disappeared from the slopes. She set off from the top, as many did that day, but never made it to the bottom.
Since our town’s founding in 1830, over two hundred people have gone missing, most of them being tourists or some sort of visitor. Perhaps to some, one missing person a year doesn’t seem too bad, but to me it’s strange. Not only have these poor souls likely met some sort of premature demise, their bodies have never been found.
That, my dear residents, is why I am starting this Gazette. There is not enough attention on these poor missing souls. We are so used to it, we have grown complacent. Sure, we help search. We put up fliers and cooperate with investigations, but we forget about them all too quickly.
This year’s missing has likely already happened. Just this weekend, a young lad from North Carolina was separated from his hiking group. He has yet to be found. His family and friends are distraught with worry. He is an experienced hiker who has soloed many a trail more complicated than ours. Another search is to be held today, and while I am hopeful, I am also realistic. Whatever force out there causing these disappearances has claimed another victim.
I, for one, am tired of it. I am determined to get to the bottom of this. You may have noticed I do not sign my name to this. I wish to remain anonymous, as I know there are many in this community who would wish to discourage me. I will not be discouraged. If you wish to help me, you can leave a message for me in the tin box behind the wolf at the nature museum.
There are many other weird things about this town. Things that have driven away many a gold folk. I plan to investigate them all. I will update you on each discovery.
-N
Alicia Coast 