You couldn't write fiction this good and have anyone believe it. That's how I feel with each Kyron Horman update on the news. For those not in the know, Kyron Horman is the first grader who was "abducted" from his school in Portland, Oregon. Since I live in Vancouver, just across the river, updates are part of our regular news cycles. The story is so good, People Magazine has put it in a corner cover shot three time--check it out tomorrow for number three.
When it first happened I immediately thought of "The Year of Fog" by Michelle Richmond and wondered if his out-of-town Mom was the culprit. But, no, this is reality, not well-written fiction.
But then, the stepmom came into focus. Wow. What a character. On the outside, she looks like a dedicated mom who raised her stepson from an early age and has a baby daughter. Then things started to leak from "sources". Things like she tried to hire a hitman to take out her husband. Started s 'sexting' with possible benefits relationship within the last three weeks with a neighbor and former schoolmate of her now-estranged husband. Attempted to 'steal' her daughter away from her daycare center after being served a restraining order. And this morning I heard that she's going to be forced out of her house so her husband and child can return to it.
Seriously, if you tried to write this story as a novel, you'd have people calling you out for the unrealistic turns the case has taken.
Did she do it? I don't know. I'm oscillate between wanting her to have done something or not. If she did do something, what was her motive and thinking? Will we ever know? How has she hidden him or his body away this long of time and thorough searches? How devious is she?
If she didn't. Wow, what a character assassination she has gone through. Was Kyron kidnapped by a stranger? And the biggest question of all. Where is he???
Think about it, any element of this story can make your mind start spinning a tale all your own. Discuss.
When it first happened I immediately thought of "The Year of Fog" by Michelle Richmond and wondered if his out-of-town Mom was the culprit. But, no, this is reality, not well-written fiction.
But then, the stepmom came into focus. Wow. What a character. On the outside, she looks like a dedicated mom who raised her stepson from an early age and has a baby daughter. Then things started to leak from "sources". Things like she tried to hire a hitman to take out her husband. Started s 'sexting' with possible benefits relationship within the last three weeks with a neighbor and former schoolmate of her now-estranged husband. Attempted to 'steal' her daughter away from her daycare center after being served a restraining order. And this morning I heard that she's going to be forced out of her house so her husband and child can return to it.
Seriously, if you tried to write this story as a novel, you'd have people calling you out for the unrealistic turns the case has taken.
Did she do it? I don't know. I'm oscillate between wanting her to have done something or not. If she did do something, what was her motive and thinking? Will we ever know? How has she hidden him or his body away this long of time and thorough searches? How devious is she?
If she didn't. Wow, what a character assassination she has gone through. Was Kyron kidnapped by a stranger? And the biggest question of all. Where is he???
Think about it, any element of this story can make your mind start spinning a tale all your own. Discuss.
Ummm - no can do - there's no romance to the story! Pretty sure he's dead by now, sadly. Hope they can come to some sort of resolution.
ReplyDeleteI can't ever get anything out of a story concerning a child--it horrifies (and terrifies; I have grandkids)just too much.
ReplyDeleteI live in Iowa...home of Johnny Gosch. =) We lived through daily updates, monthly updates, yearly updates etc. They're a shirt tail relation to my ex, so we followed it maybe closer than most. It's heart breaking to follow, but you can't seem to NOT follow it once you start either.
ReplyDeleteA lot of time, and even though it's a cliche, it's a cliche for a reason - truth is stranger than fiction.
=)
I shudder every time I think of that poor little boy...and I pray she didn't do something horrible to him, but I think she did. I pray for him.
ReplyDelete