Elena Vanishing

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness (including psychosis), disordered eating (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa), self-harm, rape, pregnancy loss, substance use, and sexual content.

It’s Elena’s first semester of college in Texas, and her parents have moved there with her. On Halloween, Elena gets an 89 on a psychology test, and the voice in her head tells her she isn’t smart enough for college. Elena lives in the dorms with a young woman named Sandra, who pressures Elena into eating a hot dog before going out to a party. Elena enjoys it but feels ashamed about that. She then meets up with her friend Meghan. Kirk, who might be drunk, drives them to the first party. The party is filled with people in costumes and features drinks of all kinds, as well as Ecstasy tablets. Elena refuses the Ecstasy but drinks a dangerous amount of alcohol over the course of the evening. At one point, she tries to go to the bathroom, and a man she barely knows approaches and tries to assault her. Elena defends herself, screaming and hitting him until he backs away. Kirk then takes Meghan and Elena to another party at Meghan’s place.