Mom. I’m really sorry I ran away. But this cave and this forest killed my daddy. But I am a good hunter like daddy taught me. He taught me how to follow other hunters.
Mom, I found this cave. There were two dead people inside. One was daddy. Daddy said this might happen one day while he was hunting... and to be a big girl and be strong. So I did. They told me to grab their supplies. It was scary, mom. But, like the big girl you would want me to be, I did it. I returned the notes to the cave I found so others, if they came, could read it. The lady, the name on her bag said Diane, had a large carving knife. So, I carved big arrows into the trees and filled them with orange paint. Hard to miss.
Mom, if you find this note, I’m at the river. They want me to kill a hunter who killed them. Diane had a gun inside her bag. Daddy taught me how to use a gun. See? I’m a big girl. I’ve set up a board at the tunnel using large pieces of carved bark where I posted these found notes. If I find anymore, I’ll place them there.
I won’t let daddy die in vain. Clyde was a good man.
~Charlotte
Mom! Mom I did it! I went to the river and found the hunter! The hunter wasn’t a man! The hunter was a bird, lion thing! I did it mom! It had a bow and arrow, I knew it must have been the hunter. It was eating some fish. I caught it off guard.
I think, I think it tried to speak to me. I didn’t know what it said though. It killed my daddy. I killed it! It had some really weird orb in its bag and when I poked it, I was suddenly in front of the cave. Near another orb! Mom! This forest is magic, mom! I dropped the orb I got from the hunter and then poked the other orb. I went to the other orb! I put the second orb safely in the cave and wrapped it in a net. I’m going to see if I can’t find a podium or something to place it on.
Actually, near the river, I saw this big castle place, mom. I’m going there next, mom! Daddy always said he’d like a castle one day! I’ll get a castle for daddy! It looked all broken and stuff, so maybe there’s no one there. I’ll still be careful, mom. The hunter has some cool things in his bag. But, like daddy said, “Charlotte, if you don’t have a clue about what it is, find someone who does before messing with it.” The orb was an accident. Think daddy would ever forgive me?
Happy tenth birthday! A magic forest and I helped averge- avend- avenge daddy! You’ll be so proud of me, mom!
~Charlotte