Greeting

“Hello and howdy,” The salesman said, setting down his book as Harriet stepped through the door of “The Outdoor Store”. Her limp was under control, and she only smelled like she hadn’t washed in three days instead of three months.

“Hi.” She lifted her chin in a nonchalant acknowledgement and walked to a display of scarves slowly perusing them as if she had all the time in the world to poke around this little shop in this little town. Like it hadn’t taken her four whole weeks to get here. Like she wasn’t drooling over the scent of burnt diner coffee and stale popcorn. Scents she associated with Less Schwab tiers, not places trying to be REI. These little things where what she missed, what she couldn’t keep herself from craving. Coffee, popcorn, and human voices. Some country song she vaguely remembered was playing ambiently and everything was so comforting she almost forgot why she was here in the first place. Looping a red plaid scarf over her neck Harriet gritted her teeth against the constant ach in her knee and made her way toward the counter snagging a pouch of trail mix on the way.

“Hey,” Harriet said placing her hands on the glass case for support—not to look at the display of pocketknives or the drawing of a girls face looking through the glass at her. “where would I find first aid kits?”

“Back corner isle ten.” The man smiled pointing to the farthest corner from the counter.

“Mind if I leave this stuff here?” Harriet asked sliding the scarf over her handprints, and the portrait.

“Of course.” The man nodded looking her over. It wasn’t going to be easy to fade into his memory.

“Thanks.” Harriet smiled brightly and tapped her knuckles one on the glass before walking to the corner in question.

The selection was better than she expected. Some basic kits with a few bandages took up one small shelf but most of the section was survivalist level gear. Without thinking Harriet grabbed everything she needed and stuffed it into a camo day pack, she had to make this look normal. But what was normal to a survivalist type guy. She had no idea. Whatever she did she knew she couldn’t attract too much attention. Buying enough gear to disappear into the woods for another month or two would look suspicious on anyone. But her…

But what choice did she have?

On her way back to the counter she snagged a cotton-candy-colored lollypop and the manliest bag of beef jerky she could find.

“This is a lot of gear.” The guy says pausing to look at her as he rings up the suture kit.

“Yeah,” Harriet says with a bored sigh as she props her hip against the counter. “My dad’s volunteer search and rescue. He needed a restock.” Harriet snags the candy after it’s rung up and undraping it, pops it into her mouth.” He asked me to grab some stuff while he fills up the truck over at Sal’s. You have a good selection. He’ll be impressed.”

“Thanks.” The man smiles clearly happy to be complimented on his stock. “He lookin’ for that lost kid?”

“Nah, on our way home. They called that search off.”

“Shame. It’s a tragedy when people go missing. Especially kids.”

“Yeah. Well thanks.” Harriet says handing the man exact change for her purchase.

“Tell your dad we appreciate him.”

“Will do.” Harriet says stepping out into the darkening evening.

The clerk watches as the girl crosses the street to the gas station directly toward a big gray ford truck parked in the lot. The knot in his chest loosens as she pat’s the backpack slung over her shoulder and the driver smiles at her. As he opens the door and gets into the truck the girls walk’s around to the other side—Disappearing from the clerks line of sight. He shakes his head she obviously wasn’t the missing girl.

Harriet keeps smiling as she walks around the corner of the gas station toward the public restroom making sure anyone who noticed her has nothing to remember. Happy kids on the way to the toilet don’t stick out.  She doesn’t have to wait long for everyone who saw her to drive off. Wherever they are going wiping her from their minds.

Harriet doesn’t let the pull of these familiar human things keep her from stepping back into the woods.