Editor’s note: Several months ago, reporter Miles Jay Oliver pitched the idea of writing a serialized story set in Yakima. He wanted to create a fictional series that would draw readers in and span an extended period of time. The publication of serialized fiction in newspapers isn’t new, but it’s not common for the Yakima Herald-Republic. With the development of the new weekly Valley Verve section, we found the perfect place for the series. So sit back and relax for a bit as we invite you to escape into the continuing story of several intertwining lives “Along the Eastern Slopes.”