This is a selection from the beginning of my current work-in-progress novel, The Trail. This novel is a genre-bending story about three strangers who find themselves drawn together on “The Trail”, a sort of Twilight Zone or Welcome to Night Vale like reimagining of the Appalachian Trail, full of ruined cities, warring literary cults, monstrous demon birds, and fascist politicians. The novel deals heavily with politics, gender identity, and sexuality all framed by the surreal landscape of The Trail. I’ve included the first four short chapters, each from a different PoV.