Chapter 1

It all started on a day like any other nothing stood out, nothing was different. Everything was the same. But from that day on everything was different. Nothing was the same, and it was anything but normal. Because from that day on my life, my world changed and it would never be the same again.

We all like to believe, or hope things will go the way we plan them to, and if not we change them accordingly no matter how inflexible our schedule. Something would have to give to accommodate the current situation. Well my schedule never needed changing. I’d wake up in the morning every day except weekends at 5 a.m. sharp. I’d mumble to myself about how much I hate my job, my life, and regretting every decision I've ever made. I’d then assemble all the self-control I have to get up and take a shower around 5:02 and get out at 5:15; I’d brush my teeth at 5:16 and get dressed at 5:18. By then my coffee would be ready and I’d be heading out the door to work, unloading and reloading shelves.

I spent the weekends at my parents or sometimes at the local bar with some guys from work. Nothing ever came up. Nothing ever changed. It was all set in stone.

By now you’re probably thinking well hey if that’s how it was all the time, one thing changing could make your whole world different. Or that’s what I’d think around now but no, that’s not the case at all. Not that I’m gonna make you stay to find out I mean that choice is yours to make, I will, however, tell you some wise words of wisdom before you go. We give advice, but we cannot give the wisdom to profit by it. That’s what my dad always said to me and of course I didn't have the wisdom to know what he meant by it. My mother always told me, the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. That one I kind of understood, but what more can you expect from a 10 year old kid? Not much is my answer I guess, but then again I was always... different. 

I had this childhood friend; his name was Krystopher, Krys, for short. Funny guy he was, always smiling and making jokes so someone else would smile too. He was never sad from what I saw and nothing seemed to bother him either. Well maybe a few things but nothing he couldn't handle, that is, until it was too much for him and he went missing. By then he was old enough to care for himself and everyone else figured it was for the best for him to get away from this sad town. But you never really know somebody ‘til you know ‘em, you know. When it came to Krys, I thought I had him figured out I thought I knew him, I mean, he was my best friend since childhood how could I not? But there was a side of Krys no one knew, no one saw, and no one suspected- well I didn't at least.

Remember when you were little and you had that crackpot science teacher who always told you “Expect the unexpected, because nothing is ever certain”? Well that teacher was right. Life is full of uncertainties- but then again, I could be wrong. 

That day on my way home from work following the same ol’ routine, I stopped to check my mail. There were the same bills, the coupons, and the ad magazines but what stuck out the most was this bright red envelope. Naturally I wasn't expecting anything like that not from family or friends so I found it strange when I became so full of bliss, as my sister would say upon seeing it. I stared at the letter wondering what I would find inside as I stepped up the narrow pathway to my house.

I dumped everything on the counter. Everything except this blood red envelope which I continued to stare at unaware of the unannounced- and very unwelcome- a shadow loomed in the corner. At last, I could no longer take the suspense I grabbed a knife from the cutlery drawer and cut it open. There was a letter inside, a little black box and a key. Now if you asked me then what all of that meant I’d tell you to piss off, maybe not in those exact words, but it gets the point across. I would be just as if not more confused which is more than likely the expression my face was contorted in.

“You gonna read the note or stare at it all day?” That voice I knew that voice, as if it were my own "if not better. I couldn’t believe I was hearing it. My eyes searched the room until I reached a corner of the room where I saw the shadow.

“You gonna stand in that corner all day long or you gonna come say hi?” I said much, much more calmly than I felt. I was so happy "so excited to "see him, that I overlooked so many details just because I wanted more than anything- more than I realized- for it to be Krys.

The stranger stepped out of the corner and into the light.

"Ooh! This is getting good don’t you think, Miko? I mean the suspense is killing me! What’s gonna happen next? Is it Krys in the shadows? What do the things in the envelope mean?"

"Yes! Niko, I’m dying to find out. Which I would have if you hadn’t interrupted!! Now look D’s all upset and his concentration is broken. Ahh I told you, you have to choose the right moments to talk; this is not one of them."

"I’m sorry Miko I didn’t mean to disturb you… Will you ever forgive me?"

"Meh, it’s fine just not during the story ok?"

"Mhm won’t happen again."

"Shut up!"

"Sorry…"

"ARE YOU DONE?! Every time! I get to the good part and end up getting cut off and lose my chain of thought because of senseless matters such as this! No logic, no absolute reason for it yet you interrupt me!"

"Uh… Um..."

"What!?"

"Isn’t it train of thought? Not chain of thought?"

"…Leave."

"Yes sir."

"He is quite the dictator isn't he?"

"Did you see the way his eyes buldged out? So weird.."

"Where was I?"

To say he lost weight would be an understatement, and an insult. He was skeletal his clothes hung off of him in tatters like rags on a pole. He even somewhat reminded me of those soul sucking things from Harry Potter whatever they were called. His face is gaunt, void of emotion and his eyes like black pearls and wild like a caged animal. This couldn’t be Krys it isn’t possible, he would never let himself get this way not this bad. What happened to him? They were the only words that came to mind I could think of nothing else to say. This is why I’m not in the least bit surprised by what came out of my mouth next.

“Krys, what the hell happened to you?! You look… Sit down I’ll get you some better… uh… clothes than those. Are you hungry? What do you wanna eat? I’ll get you anything you want. Hey, remember that diner we used to go to when we were kids? You know the one, Charlie’s? You wanna go there? Oh man we gotta get you to a hospital! Where’d you disappear to? Where are you coming from? Do you need help? Hold on stay right there I’ll be right back!” and not one breath was taken. I ran through the great room, around the corner down the hall and into the laundry room. I dug through a pile of older clothes that I wore in college but never got around to throwing out or donating.

“I can’t believe he’s back.” I paused for a moment shaking my head in disbelief. Clothes in hand I flew back down the hall, around the corner and through the great room into the kitchen. But Krys wasn’t there aside from the food, pots pans, plates and shattered glass scattered across the floor the kitchen was empty. I guess the mess didn’t register to me, or Krys’ appearance made me oblivious to anything else, because in a moment I was running through the woods that stood like a sentry in my backyard.

Where I was going I have no idea but that didn’t matter at the moment so I let my feet carry me into unmarked territory. I planned on hiking through here one day but never got around to it, and now it was almost like my legs knew where they were going while my brain remained clueless and oblivious to that fact. Then I realized I made no sound while I darted through the forest no sound of dead leaves crunching or twigs snapping. Were my feet even touching the ground?

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[Ai Lun]

We write stories in an unbelievably similar way! I like it.