Matter Or Not

Chapter 1- Open Doors

The sight of the mountain was imposing yet relaxing. The boy's eyes darted in several directions, looking for the easiest direction to take. He walked patiently around the bottom, taking in his surroundings. Then, he stopped walking and then put his backpack carefully on the ground. He double-checked everything was where it needed to be.

"Water, first aid kit, markers, knife, hike shoes..." he repeated the process a few times and after doing so; decided which path was the most convenient and took it.

He swung his backpack on his back, and walked carefully up the mountain. The boy jumped from rock to rock, fumbling in harmony with the moist grass that remained below him. Then he got to the steepest part of the mountain. He carefully hopped horizontally from surface to wet surface, until he found an opening.

After finding an opening, it was all up to timing. He felt his backpack get heavier, his arms desperate to give up. Then, his left hand slipped, his body tilted menacingly, the backpack slided down his back. He quickly grabbed it with his left hand, put it on his back and stood still.

He needed to rest his arms, and although he could not let go, not moving was bound to get him energy. Not much, but it was the energy he needed. Matthew continued to clamber up the mountain. It was still slippery from the pouring rain.

Luckily, he knew these rocky paths like the back of his hand. He prodded each rock lightly before stepping on it to make sure it was solid. Sweat dripped from his body, this wasn't good news for him, as it made gripping more challenging.

Despite this, the climb up was relatively peaceful. The light breeze tickled his face, and he swore he saw a fox slinking in the distant clumps of trees. He could feel that unpleasant anxiety of knowing he was so close to the top, but managed to stay calm.

Finally, Matthew reached the top, expertly swinging his heavy backpack on the ledge. It landed with a thud, though water splashed on his face, the ridge remained sturdy. He then heaved his weight up and brushed the rock dust off his hands.

Mathew stood atop the rock surface. Though he had seen the mountain top view many times, it was breath-taking nonetheless. His eyes wandered from the lush forest to the tiny streets of his home. 

The cotton candy like clouds swirled from above, the weather hadn't been so pleasant in quite a while. A small moss-covered shack hid in the thicket of trees. The sight of it brought a smile to his face and a strange sense of safety resonated within him.

He slowly pushed the door open, taking in his surroundings. Finally, somewhere he could think, without the distractions of modern-day life. A constant uneasiness still stirred within him, but he pushed the feeling away.

The visible light  from the outside now fizzled away, remaining on the outside of the shack. Matthew turned on a lightbulb, the light barely enough to properly take in his surroundings. He adjusted to the lightbulb's emission, and saw the silhouettes of the items surrounding him. 

He pulled a cotton string, worn out by time, but still functional. It revealed a board, on which photos of newspapers and reports, sightings and convictions remained glued with white strings of cotton yarn rushing throughout the board. 

Matthew was piecing something together, and he was very close. 

He could feel it, it was there.It was there, he just needed to grasp it. . . .

Whilst this was happening, somewhere across town, through the forest, someone was just waking up from a heavy slumber.

The all too familiar beeping sound of Terrence's alarm roused him up from a heavy slumber. Streaks of sunlight penetrated the dusty windows of his and Brian's room.