New answers, New questions

I laid there in a pool of my sweat, "it's real" I shouted in a horsed voice completely exhausted and oddly weak in the head, as though I forgot how my limbs worked, unable to flex my muscles. Hours went by of this strange ineptness, lying on my back practically petrified. "What's that sound," I said softly, trying to turn my head towards the sound. "Someone's knocking at the door," I said everything felt slow, with every knock on the door I drawn out of this sluggish state of mind. "An its dad open, the door!" my father shouted with obvious happiness to his voice.

The mental haze was swept away rather suddenly, I quickly jumped up to my feet as though being released form chains, I slowly walked towards the door. Until I realized all the strange things that littered the main space of the cabin. "Shit they can't find all this," I thought looking at the poster on the wall and the strange-looking book lying open on the floor. I started to hide everything related to qi. I was honestly scared, "they can't know that I'm engaging in things like this again!" I thought while rushing to put everything in my backpack. Looking over the recently cleaned space, I noticed the pool of sweet on the floor. "A!" my father called out, banging at the door, which honestly startled me, to such an extent that I couldn't think straight.

I suddenly started grabbing at my shirt, somewhat frantically, after the most extricating few seconds I finally grabbed hold of the ends of my shirt, pulling it off so rapidly that I damn near ripped it apart. After taking my shirt off I placed it on the pool of sweat. "Yeah, I'm coming geez!" I said, awkwardly still dazed from the suddenness of his appearance and that qi was real! "Hurry up we've got to get going," my father said. It sounded like he was walking away from the cabin. "Yeah… what is it" I said opening the door. The light from the sun, nearly blinding me.

After adjusting my eyes to the sudden light, I saw him over by the car. "I'm here to pick you up. Are you all alright? you look a little lightheaded. Why aren't you wearing a shirt?". He said, after being dazed for a while. I chose to ignore his barrage of questions, instead of just walking towards the car, not even bothering to put a shoe on.

The drive home was oddly talkative, normally because my dad and I are naturally quiet we don't talk much. "You've suddenly become a talkative person dad; don't tell me you're leaving team introvert?" I said trying to change the conversation topic, he had been going on about me starting my job at the halfway. "We all must grow and change A, it's the most important aspect of life growth and change. Now tell me why you aren't wearing a shirt" he said while giving me a strange look as he turned on the main road. "It got strangely hot during the night, so I took off my shirt". I said looking out the window, the seen was honestly dull. Everything felt dull, I want to get back to the cabin, nothing can compare to what I saw.

"We're here A… Alex, I said we're here! did you manage to get any sleep last night?" he said tapping me on my arm, then stepping out of the car. "yeah, I did get the sleep I'm just a little bored". "Well go take a shower we're leaving in 2 hours, George Gleeway will be giving you a tour of the station and teaching you everything you'll be doing".

He said walking towards the house. I honestly couldn't shake myself out of this melancholy state of mind. Is this how qi operates, gripping the mind and twisting every aspect of it. Demanding that you explore, seek it out, learn all of its mysteries. What was that creature, what was that space supposed to be, why can't I feel qi did I do it wrong? Questions entered my mind rapidly. Alex!" my dad shouted from the porch. Causing me to nearly shout back "I'm busy damn it, can't too see I've discovered a whole other world out there!". "Alright, alright I'm coming," I said in a quiet, timid voice, putting all my strength into that single action.

When I entered the house I imminently went towards the bathroom, wanting to clear my mind. Don't stay in there too long Alex!" my little brother called out, I could hear him giggling while my mother told him to knock it off, only to shortly after yell out, "I'm timing you, Alex!". "This is all beneath me" I whispered underneath my breath, before stepping into the shower. During the shower I started thinking about what just happened, my two standing theories were 1.) it was all a hallucination, though I don't believe this to be the case. If it were a hallucination then why was everything so vivid, why in the world would I imagine a Chinese dragon with a fish's head, spewing filth everywhere. But I still must keep the possibility that it was all fake.

2.) This is the theory that I'm most sure happened, the theory is I didn't do it correctly, now remember that the book said to never attempt to understand "the world beyond worlds". But that only brings up more problems, the symbol only changed when I attempted to understand it, what can I do other than, try to understand? Everything felt slow while I thought up possible means of sensing qi, option 1.) was the simplest, remembering the page in the book that said to Take what little you can". Though I don't know what that means, I will strive to figure out what it means. Option 2.) was a little troubling and its really just "diving deeper into the symbol and letting whatever happens, happen.

Three quick bangs could be heard at the bathroom door, "Alex it's been 40 minutes". My brother Samuel called out, laughing obtusely. I quickly jumped out of the shower, tied my towel around my waist and raced out of the bathroom. You brat come here" I shouted playfully, the startled look on Samuel's face, was honestly hilarious. "Mom help me" he called out laughing while running towards my mother, still in his dark blue, pajamas with red stripes running down the sides. I had no interest in chasing him, so I instead walked into my room and got changed.

After getting changed I read more of [alchemy for idiots] now looking at it in an entirely different view, the recipes pertaining to healing were the most interesting aspects of it, yes things relating to increasing qi caught my eye and made my mouth water just a little but the thought of healing someone, just brought a huge smile to my face. "I could heal my mother knee," I thought "or Andrews's bad back, that has caused him to stop boxing". The possibilities raced through my head, "what's this?" I said lightly while looking at what seemed to be a web address. www.bridgeauction.com, an auction? It took a few seconds but just then everything connected in my head, this is an auction for alchemist's, a place to buy ingredients", shit I thought where's my phone? I didn't have friends and never really left the house, so I didn't use my phone at all, besides playing a few mobile games.

"Alex!" Samuel shouted, slamming my door open, I was somewhat startled for a while. But that quickly faded, and rage soon took over, "what wrong with you!" I shouted, chasing after him. "Let's go," my dad said while putting on his shoes. Samuel giggling while clinging onto my mother's leg. I chose to ignore my father and instead walk towards Samuel, "I told him to go get you, Alexander, let him go just this once" my mother said while cutting something up, I wasn't paying attention to what. "Mom he nearly left a hole in my wall from slamming the door so hard," I said angrily. Just let him go A ill talk to him later, you know how hipper he gets" my father said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

Alright whatever" I said while listening to Samuels pig-like laugh. "Enough Sam, what's gotten into you little brat," my father said, patting Sam on the head while smiling at my mother, which only embarrassed her. while walking towards my room I thought "Sam really is a little Richard"

When we got to the halfway shop, I felt myself becoming even more sullen than I was before, "you're cutting your hair tomorrow this is not a discussion" my father said while pulling into the halfway gas station.

"Timothy, how have you been!" George called out from the doorway of the halfway, "George, I've been great, the company has given me a promotion and you've given little A here a chance at honest work, thank you" my father said in a relaxed voice then shaking hands with George. "If it isn't Alexander, how have you been young man?" George said in his naturally deep, playful voice. Reaching out with his huge hand, an even bigger smile. "I've been great sir, thank you for the opportunity," I said, "no no thank you, I've been trying to get someone to run this place properly for a while now," he said, run this place? sorry I don't get what you mean". "Well id like you to be the manager of this here station, you wouldn't have to do much I have another kid coming in just a while that'll do the stocking all you'll have to do is, keep things in order, make sure that every customer is happy when they arrive and when they leave".

He said leading us inside. "Will do?" I said, not caring much who the other poor kid who had to work here was. His only response was a smile. When inside the place honestly looked better than I remembered, it longer had the old dingy look, now just looked somewhat worn. "Looks great," I said.

After a tour around the station, and some cash register practice, which took just about an hour and a half, we were finally done. My father and I were about to leave when a dark blue 2018 Ford Taurus pulled up, "awe he's here", George said. Out came middle age woman wearing an all-red skintight dress, with light red high heels and an all-black purse. She was an African American woman with curves in all the right places, flawless dark chocolate skin, and short wavy hair. Following behind her was, a teenage boy just a bit older than me, with light blue swim shorts on and a shirt that said, "We all die, why not die young". "No way any store would sell a shirt as that," I thought.

"Sorry we're late George, this one decided that swimming was more important than getting a job this summer," the lady said, with a soft beauty to her voice that captivated my ears. "Let's go A," my father said while walking towards the car, I lingered for a bit staring at this beautiful woman, "she's not taken you know, I could put in a good word for you" someone whispered in my ear, placing a hand on my ass. "What the fuc!"

I jumped up, turning around to see who it was, "sorry are you ok? I said my name is Da-vid, are you alright you look startled" he said with a smirk that could fool any wise person into thinking he was an angle. I wanted to knock his head off, but his mother and Georgy were walking over. "oh, the two of you have met. Great Alexander, this is Da-vid, Da-vid this is Alexander you'll be working together". George said. "Nice to meet you, but I'm sorry I have to leave my dad's waiting for me". Before anyone could say anything, I walked over to my dad's jeep and we left, the ride home was shorter than it felt before.

When we got home, I asked my dad if he could take me to the cabin, after I grabbed the book [Alchemy for idiots] and some clothes for the cabin. At the cabin I said my goodbyes to my dad who took a stroll around, making sure that everything was safe before leaving. When he left, I imminently raced for my backpack, "this time, this time I'll do it!" I shouted. The moment I touched the book the world seemed to have color once again.