Chapter One (Version One)
Chapter one: Just dreams
Just a sudden gasp, and here i was. Opened my eyes to see again that i was home. Home sweet home. It all seemed odd. It always was. Was i really here or there? Was i really…Anywhere?
My eyes were squinting as i stared out the window. The odd visions from my dreams seemed to fade and appear in a translucent manner. The sunlight had killed it. Though, the light was almost blinding me, It was always nice to see the moss collected on the various abandoned houses and the few great trees that grew from inside them. The nature always a sight to see. The dream i had was just as confusing as any other, and easy to disregard. I yawned for a moment and turned away towards the door. “Good morning world” i said aloud. I just got old enough to really go out and explore things, at least from what my grandmother permits me to. Outside was waiting for me, and there was no time to waste.
No one was in the house as usual. The empty hallway and the opened doors to the rooms kind of gave it away. Seemed like the house was abandoned. I ambled down the hallway and headed downstairs towards the open door to the outside. Grandma was gardening, like she was every morning. “Good morning Toby. Are you hungry?” “No, Ma. Ill eat later.” “Are you sure? Lots of food left over from yesterday.” “Ill just eat later after i come back.” “Oh that’s fine. Don’t be out too long. It might rain soon.” “Okay. Got it. See you later.” “Bye Bye.”
From walk to sprint, i was on the way to the grassy hills again. The streets with broken pavement and weeds sticking out were always pleasant to run on. “Huff. Huff. Almost there” Talking to myself seemed to assure things. I took a good look around. I never saw much of anyone else other than my grandma and me. Passing by all the abandoned buildings was a disappointment. I’ve been in so many, only to find rotting animal carcasses and/or plants. Pretty disgusting if you ask me. Instead of looking at the distasteful setting that lay in front of my vision, I always looked into the sky. It was blue today, with a couple of cloud specks. From far away i could see a whole wave of grey coming. It was going to rain soon, and I had to move faster.
I ran. I ran till my ankles burned. I ran till i got there, in short. Here it was. The odd tool shed behind the nasty red house. I call the house red because it is what the color used to be, before it turned into the nasty brown color. In the tool shed, there was a metal box i could not open for sometime, and i found a random key around the house that seemed perfect for it. I was prepared for this moment for weeks. Months even. I picked up a rusted hammer i had set aside a time back and aimed the key into the keyhole. WHAM WHAM WHAM. Perfect fit. I looked up. I was so very thankful at that time. Sunlight was coming from a huge hole in the metal roof. This day could not have been more glorious.
Slowly and forcefully, I turned the key. It snapped, I froze, and the grey clouds were coming. I stood up and simply dropped the box while turning around. DINK DONK DONK. Thump. Just while having second thoughts, I looked back and saw something odd. It looked as a grey stone idol with odd markings on it from a glance. Months of curiosity for more junk. Another day wasted. I picked it up reluctantly and pocketed it quickly. I had to retrieve the “Spoils of the day” to give my time some worth. The clouds were moving in fast. I could see them getting closer from the hole in the roof. As i began to run out of the shed, I should have known I was a fool to try to outrun the weather.
I came home sopping wet from the rain. As i opened the door to home, thunder had just happened to strike near by, and startled my grandmother. “AAH. Toby! Thank goodness it’s you. You scared me!” “Sorry Ma. Heha. Wrong time to come home.” “Go change and come down to eat.” “Yes Mam.” i said as i walked quickly, dripping wet, to my room.
I put the odd idol down on my rugged desk and frowned at it. I thought the contents of the box would have been cool, like an old gun or something. Or better yet, Bullets, Since i collect them. Remembering the times i shook the box, i couldn’t really tell what it was. But here was my prize. Some Stone idol. Terribly useless. I undressed and dressed slowly, without much of a concern for anything but dinner. Yet , The idol just had to do something uncanny.
the “Idol” had come apart. The sound it made was undescribable. I walked towards it in awe. Upon closer inspection, It was actually a puzzle or some sort. How did i not notice! But Boy, did i love puzzles. I began to try to figure out how the pieces went together. I was unsure if i was supposed to make the idol again, or something else, since the parts seemed very interchangable. All the pieces were different, and were of some odd plastic and metal feel. I have never felt a combination of the two before. It was very cool until the parts began to absorb my warmth from my fingers. They slowly began to glow. By the next twenty minutes I had fully pieced the puzzle a certain way. Grandma was yelling to me about dinner for a while, but i had to finish what i had started. I pieced together some kind of odd shaped human with stubs for arms and legs It went from the grey color it was, to a bright orange light. I was shocked and stared at it in my hand. I had been too busy focusing on what i was trying to build that i didn’t pay attention. The colors began to fade away, leaving the odd figure with some orange to fill the symbols, and orange tips on it’s stubby limbs. I held it in my hands for a time untill my grandmother called for dinner again. I pocketed it and went to eat my cold food. I had no idea what i was in for, Except, dinner time.
I almost choked on my food, three times. Grandma was done a while ago, and was doing dishes. “Don’t eat so fast. What’s the rush?” I had to be careful. “I just found someting Ma. I finally found something.” “What do you mean by that?” So many questions. “I mean i found something different. Interesting. Odd.” “Like what?” She was getting shirty with me already. “Some type of puzzle.” “Oh… A toy…” She paused “I see.” “If you want to call it that.” I replied casually. “Dinner got cold because you were too busy playing.” She tried to be stern. “I know, I’m sorry.” “Next time come to dinner on time, or else you won’t get to go out too far again!” “Okay Ma! I got it.” She had just finished the dishes. “Wash your bowl and put away the food when you are done. I’m going to sleep.” “Good night, Ma.” Oh boy. “Night.”
