Chapter 1
On a beautiful mountain showered in snow, a village rests by a large steaming hot spring. It is as if the frosty blizzards are warded away while the people enjoy their warm waters and glittering snow.
The people live in a wintery wonderland and know of no other reality. All are happy as can be and nobody bothers to ask. Why would they? It is a dream come true.
One morning, a group of children spot a basket emerge from the mist of the water. The children curiously canoe to the basket, paddling their way with wonder growing with every stroke.
The dripping basket is brought into the small boat and inside is an infant who does not breathe a sound and merely sleeps in silence.
The child is brought back to the village where it is raised as one of their own. After 16 years the child is now a young man with eyes as blue as the sky, lightly tanned skin and black hair that has grown quite wildly. They give him the name of Keanu.
Forbidden to leave the village, he spends his free time swimming in the hot springs, staring at the starry night sky and snowboarding from up the mountain.
The people of the village, both young and old, appear to look identical to how they were 16 years ago while the blue-eyed boy has grown remarkably. The old still walk and the children still play.
One day, Keanu finally grows strong enough to climb to the summit. In the distance, past the village and spring, Keanu gazes upon thick fog where beyond is shrouded in mystery.
He is suited in a blue jacket with a brown scarf, long greyish pants, hard thick boots, a pair of warm gloves and ski goggles placed on his forehead.
Removing a glove and placing his hand outwards he watches a tiny snowflake fall into his palm and instantly melt into water.
Slipping the glove back on he then places his goggles over his eyes, takes a deep breath of wintery air and begins his descent down the slope on his snowboard.
The cold wind whistles in his ears as he dashes across the ice and snow. This is a taste of freedom.
Then there’s a black out. Keanu finds himself floating aimlessly in an endless dark void of nothing. A woman’s laugh echoes.
“Hahaha! My, how dashing… too bad.”
