Runaway: Stories

Harry, Delphine, Eileen, and Lauren drive to a remote snow-covered riverbank. They exit the car and then stop when they’re “far enough” from the road.

The narrative flashes back to an earlier point in time. Harry had quit his job at a magazine and hoped to set up a small weekly newspaper in the town where he had spent his childhood vacations. Harry and Eileen’s daughter, Lauren, referred to them by their first names. The family moved to a small town, where the culture and community were quite different from what they were used to. They dined at a hotel, where Harry searched for local news stories; outside, he agreed with Eileen that the local people seemed “strange.” The hotel was owned by a European named Mr. Palagian, who never smiled. Harry encouraged Lauren to see the humanity in people like Mr. Palagian, suggesting that such people “could be harboring a contemporary tragedy or adventure” (201), which could make a great story.

Lauren struggled to adjust to her new school. She was self-sufficient, preparing breakfast for herself despite her young age, while her parents worked. While moving into their new home, Lauren found a strange box.