Prologue

12 year old Katie moved to a small town in Washington State. What her and her best friend find in the woods, will change their lives forever.

Cheryl hadn’t spoken to her parents in 5 years. She was heavy into drugs. She told them she hated them and left. That was all before she met Mike. He saved her life. He helped her get clean. They married and started a family. But, her parents didn’t know about any of that. When she told them, people were after her, they had no trouble believing it.

 Mike couldn’t save both his children. They knew about Josh. He finally told Cheryl the truth about his past. That was the only way she would agree to give away her only daughter. “Carly promise me you’ll teach her to see the beauty in the world? To love all living things equally? Brian, teach her to dream. She’s very important. You must protect her.” Mike cried.

 Brian and Carly didn’t know what Cheryl had gotten herself into. But, she was still their daughter. She needed their help. This man obviously loved his child. They agreed. “I’m sorry Mom, this is last time I’ll see any of you it’s the only way to keep her safe.” Cheryl cried.

 “Open it on her 12^th birthday. It will give you the answers you need.” Mike handed Carly an envelope. Carly nodded in agreement. Cheryl and Mike left. Brian and Carly quickly adapted to life with a baby. Their youngest Daughter Theresa helped as much as she could.

 They spent every summer traveling from one national park to another. Carly told Katie that the trees offer oxygen to every living thing. That the water, although dangerous carries replenishing nutrients. Carly taught her that real beauty is in the history of the world around her.

 Brian taught her that to leave behind her own history, she had to dream. He told her that without dreamers, that imagined a better world, there would be no history to tell. He taught her that without a history, the world would eventually forget you existed.

 They kept their promises to Mike. Katie grew into a smart, happy young girl. March 10, 2000, they celebrated Katie’s 12^th birthday. That night Brian and Carly opened the letter. When they finished reading it Carly folded it up and tucked it behind the precious baby’s face in the family photo album.

  They knew they were crazy to believe it. But, for some reason they did. So, the next day Brian called the real estate agent. They bought a manufactured home in the town of Vader Washington.