The Observer

Chapter ONE

It was a cold November afternoon the cool breeze that everyone loves this season can now be felt,

As he rose from his tent pitched on the far side of the dusty campsite where people doesn't usually go, he fixed his gears; tied his shoes two knots just to be secured because it'll be a tough climb if someone going to watch the sunset on top of the monolith; he packed his worn out sketchbook and tucked it securely in his backpack; after a minute or two of preparations he now started the short but stiff ascend to the said monolith.

The smell of the grass; the perfume of the mountain breeze as he calls it, calms him; as he took his last step on the rocky side of the monolith; he then reached the top, gasping for air on his knees; he smiled as if it was a great accomplishment what he did,

Although there were lots of hikers on the campsite that afternoon, he found himself alone on top of the monolith, which is quite odd; he just shrugged and said " more for me then " he doesn't like the company of noisy strangers anyways, and would like to alone if he were to paint the scenery that he is eagerly waiting to unfold, so he walked a while looking for his spot, the same old spot; he used to go

A place where you can sit and face the great lake and watch the sunset to come,

As he sat on that boulder that almost resembles an ancient sacrificial stone because of its almost perfectly flat surface on top, he lay his pack in his side, and gently caress the smooth surface he is sitting on, it felt warm; a perfect afternoon he said, he now grabbed his rugged sketchpad and as he turned page after page he found a blank textured page; a perfect surface to paint the beauty of everything.

He waited and waited, minute after minute he glance to his watch; time goes so slow when you're waiting for something beautiful " he said ",

He closed his eyes for a second, left all his senses to wander but his sight,

Feeling every breeze, savoring the smell of the air, touching the smoothness of the stone around him;

He felt free for a minute in his entire life; free from the vast exploits of the modern civilization he lives on as if he's one with the mountain.

Moment passed that he never realized the cool gentle breeze becoming more fierce by the second, and beads of water coming from the air blew in his face, the smile on his face started to fade and as he opened his eyes he just cant believe what he see as he looked around him.

The nearly crimson tint of the afternoon skies is now black as if no light can get through,

The magnificent clouds that he loves to look at because of the random shapes that it makes; was nowhere to be found, might be blown the harsh wind; as if a storm suddenly appeared before him, caught him off guard, he was bewildered by what he saw; the joy and excitement melted away like a candle, as fear and panic took over his body, he know not what to do; he does not even sure if he is still in the same place he is when he closed his eyes; if not from the smooth stone that now is drenched with cold rain;

He stood up knowing not what to do he grabbed his pack, shaken by panic he just couldn't find his headlamp, because of the darkness there is no way he can go back without proper illumination,

The weather is only becoming worse, winds circling around the monolith all he can see is the vague light that the moon provides aside from that it is pitch black; he slowly walked back from he thinks he came from, tripping every step of the way; crawling on the sharp stones but he doesn't care all he wish for that moment is to get back home as he started to lose hope he heard a sound;

vague for a moment but he can tell that it is not the wind, then it calls again, gradually audible every second until like it was just a whisper into his ears, calling his name " Jack " softly, the voice is comforting and warm so as he lay there helpless he looked up, can never really see anything in the darkness but he recognize a black figure, almost like a haze slowly walking towards him, every step it calls his name " Jack ", he know that he should be scared but he's not, he felt like if he would to survive he must reach whatever it is that is calling his name.