Madonna is missing. A search party in mountains. Wholesome Christian kids. I fall off a cliff but manage to grasp some cypress branches on the way down. Suspended over space but with a titillated, confident feeling.

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Following two men down a steep slope toward the lake at Pinecrest. Below, the lake is drained but not frozen over the way you can expect it to be this time of year. It's warm out and pleasant but I get the feeling that the world, or at least this part of it, is decadent - on the verge of rotting. Looking around I try to orient myself by finding the store and I point out where Alex's cabin is.

The guys easily negotiate down a sheer rock surface and make it to the water's edge. When it's my turn I realize that it's nearly impossible to make it down without falling. There are just a couple little hand holds and it's the kind of move that requires real rock climbing technique. Somehow I do it and find myself in a place I didn't expect. Leaving a house? Taking a look at the men I realize that they're both around 40, slightly worse for wear and tear but dressed like teenagers. We rush to a little creek and grab on to a zipline and away we go at terrific speed. The problem is that it's so close to the ground and we have to dodge the people who are in its path. Then I'm alone and it's no longer a smooth ride. I start to waffle violently. Bailing out, I find myself in a dining hall packed full of campers. Trying to move around, walking on the tables. One guy won't get out of my way. Pushes his chair up against me. I move suddenly and over he goes onto the floor.

Outside now. Walking up a hill I see Clay Payton sitting down with a cigarette. He's waiting for something. When he sees me he asks how I liked his friend in the dining hall.