Chapter 1: starting out

The field seemed to stretch on forever. He looked around. There were no trees or any significant landmarks as far as he could see. The grass was mostly green and had long stalks topped with copper-colored grains. When the wind blew, there appeared to be gentle waves rolling across the land. The vast ocean of grass was knee-high and dotted with patches of flowers in every direction. He could hear birds and crickets, but he couldn’t see them anywhere, no matter how close he looked.

He took a step forward to start what promised to be a long journey. As he walked, he noticed that everything looked the same. The scenery didn’t change at all. He didn’t know where he was going or how far he even walked. He had nothing to determine the direction or distance. There were still no landmarks. And though it was bright out here without a cloud in sight, there was no sun in the sky.

He didn’t even know how long he had been walking or if he was even getting anywhere. The scenery was playing tricks on his mind. While walking, it seemed like he had walked for miles. But when he stopped, it didn’t look like he moved at all. Several times, he even thought that he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t make anything out, just a dark figure. When he turned to look, however, there was no one there. I need to get out of this field, he thought.

Then, without any warning, he found himself at the edge of a cliff. Where did that come from? He thought. It was like the ground just fell away. Looking down from the top of the cliff, he saw a huge forest from miles above. There didn’t seem to be an end to the forest, even from this vantage point. At the base of the cliff, there was what had to be a giant lake. However, it wasn’t much more than just a puddle from this distance. Standing at the edge of the cliff, looking down. He felt like there was something about this lake. He didn’t know what it was, but he had an overwhelming urge to be there. So, he leaned forward and allowed himself to fall over the edge. Why did I do that? He thought as the ground raced to meet him. He was just starting to panic when he noticed that the ground was advancing slower than it had been. What’s going on, he thought. Am I slowing down? He realized that he was indeed slowing down. The farther he fell, the slower he got until about two feet from the water, where he just stopped.

However, before he could form another thought, he started to fall up. There was no other way to describe it. It was like gravity had reversed, and he was falling into the sky. All around him were animals, plants, and even large rocks and trees falling up with him. Or maybe they were being sucked into the sky. All he knew for sure was that it felt surreal as everything rose and swirled around over his head, then disappeared into the sky.

Then he noticed something out of the corner of his eye that caught him off guard. It was a fish. I know what you’re thinking. In this instance, that wouldn’t be very surprising, but this fish was huge and swimming through the air like he was still in the water. The fish was long and kind of slender, maybe six feet long. His fins were long and flowing, and they contained every color of the rainbow.

The fish swam up to him and said, “Hi, I’m Samson, pleased to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you as well. I’m Danny,” he said. “Wait a minute, why am I talking to a fish?”

“I don’t know,” Samson said sarcastically, “it’s your dream.”

“I’m sorry,” Danny said. “Is this the way I’m supposed to go?”

“Not yet,” said Samson.” Maybe next time.”

Danny suddenly opened his eyes and realized that he was in his bed. It was just a dream! Yet, there was something different about this dream. It seemed like any other dream, but somehow, it felt more real than any dream he could remember. He also had the feeling that it was more significant than any other dream. It was strange enough to hear a fish talk, but why would he say not yet and maybe next time?

Anyway! He didn’t have much time to think about it. Today was the day, and this day was going to be busy. Today is the day when he moves into his new apartment, above his business, in the building downtown that he just bought. And he still had a lot to do. Not only is he helping his two best friends move in with him, but tomorrow was the grand opening of his shop downstairs.

He had worked hard and has looked forward to this day ever since he was fourteen. Back then, he started out by mowing yards in the suburbs and doing odd jobs around the city. Since then, he has expanded his operation into a profitable business. Now he was ready to expand again. And with his two best friends at his side, he couldn’t ask for a better life. His full name is Daniel Thomas Lancelot Knight, but he just goes by Danny. Danny is super smart and probably the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. No one knows exactly how smart Danny is because he doesn’t like to show off. Besides, the way he sees it, he has nothing to prove. Danny is 5’11”, 185 lbs., with an above-average muscle build and tone. Which he attributes to all the hard work that got him to where he’s at today. Danny also has sandy brown hair and brown eyes with what appears to be streaks of gold. Also, Danny is fairly popular in the fact that pretty much everyone he meets likes him. He prefers, however, to mostly stay to himself, and has very few close friends.

He woke up almost an hour before his alarm. So, he decided to get up and cancel his alarm. He could use the extra time to get ready anyway. He always starts his day with some light stretches, then a quick shower. He likes to start with extra warm water (to relax and wash), then cold water (to wake up and get his heart pumping). Finally, after getting dressed, he has breakfast and brushes his teeth. He decided to use his extra time to clean out his car, something he doesn’t always have time to do. His car isn’t anything fancy, just an older model Corolla in silver. Typically, you don’t need a car in such a big city since the bus goes almost everywhere. However, it does help when you have a lot of appointments. You don’t have to worry about getting there too early or late because the bus only runs at certain times. And sometimes, you need to take things with you that you can’t take on the bus. With the nature of Danny’s business, he usually has to haul a lot of stuff. He also has a medium-sized pickup truck for hauling bigger items. It’s already parked at his new place. Now it was time to go.

First thing, he had an early appointment with Mr. Hampton, so he pulled out of the driveway and headed toward his office. The drive wasn’t far. Danny was living with his mom in a townhouse apartment in the city. Which was only a mile or so from historic downtown. And Mr. Hampton’s office was right as you entered the downtown area, just a few miles away. The building was a small savings and loan owned by Mr. Hampton. His office was on the right side of the building, with an entrance to his secretary’s office from the inside and the outside of the building. The secretary sent him right in.