Young Leif Stuart sat in his room.  He lay down his dirty blonde hair on his bed and turned over to face the ceiling.  He stared at his white wall and pondered.  Is there a place on earth for me? he asked himself.  After some thought, Leif decided no, there is no place for me in the world.  There is no missing puzzle piece where I fit in.  Rather, Leif thought of himself as a puzzle piece that could not find a place in the puzzle.  His eyes began to water, his lip twitched and shook.  Memories of being criticized, misunderstood, humiliated and betrayed entered his head.  Leif’s friends were disloyal and selfish and his parents misunderstood him for what he was.  His three brothers and one sister yelled at him, poked fun at him and told secrets about him to other people.  Leif, 13 years old, tall and thick for his age, was tired of it all.  As Leif continued to stare at his wall, he remembered how much he enjoyed the wild, free landscapes he used to see.  He once traveled to the Adirondacks in upstate New York with his uncle.  For four days they lived in his uncle’s cabin.  Leif admired the beautiful, open world he saw their.  What would happen if I went to live there, he thought. He continued to think: I have all the necessary equipment.  I have a belt knife, a pocket knife, a flint stick, a lantern, the skills and the will to do it.

Leif Stuart and his family of six lived in a rural area about twelve miles northwest of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  In there tan home with dark green shutters, Leif prepared a backpack with the vital equipment needed for survival.  Leif planned to ride a train then a bus up to the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York.  His parents said, “Leif, it’s an interesting idea, but please, we’re tired and not in the mood for non-sense.”  But, with his knives, flint and lantern, along with some other small items, Leif went through his front door and walked to a local bus station to take to the train station.  Leif knew this was right, and for the first time he felt free and independent.  As Leif exited his home and walked out into the springtime darkness, he understood what he faced, and was physically and mentally prepared.  Leif stepped onto the bus and started his journey.