Dark Alteration

Transmutate

"We have minds that are equipped for certainty, linearity and short-term decisions, that must instead make long-term decisions in a non-linear, probabilistic world."

- Paul Gibbons

     James Stienstied wasn't much for adventure, but he sure was ready for one. It's not that he doesn't enjoy the occasional summer camping trip, the opportunity just never seems to present itself. Something always seems to get in the way whether that be work, illness or family issues of some sort. He could never catch a break. James actually happened to quite enjoy the outdoors. As a licensed contractor most of his days are spent stifling against the elements. This is how he liked to stay busy; he's a creator at heart. Taking something disheveled, run down, unlivable and bringing it back from the dead. This is James' form of meditation; it keeps him sane. 

     Keeping his mind busy is a twenty-four hour job to say the least. If James isn't building, planning, or distracting in one form or another his mind begins to wander. The places he tends to go in these moments are unpleasant, to say the least. You see, James was a heavy drinker in his past life. Before he began his construction business there was a time he struggled to keep a minimum wage position at a grocery store, stocking shelves in the night. His mental health made it difficult to hold a steady job and the graveyard shifts were starting to take a number on him. He couldn't do this forever.

     James was once known as Private First Class Stienstied. He served six years in the U.S. military during Operation Desert Shield and spent much of that time in combat scenarios. It was a dream that would inevitably became his nightmare. In the last of those combat years he was one of the few that made it home alive from his division. The drinking began as recreational and soon became a method to cope with the loss and violence he was exposed to. His service in the army severely affected his mental health in the forms of PTSD, anxiety and depression, and a condition known as survivor's guilt. Add drinking to that equation and you have a recipe for a broken man.

     It became clear to James that he needed change. If he kept with this sort of lifestyle he would soon join his brothers; six feet down. James knew what he had to do in order to keep himself stable and to keep his head on as straight as it could be. He is always a bit reluctant but is successfully managing his addiction to alcohol. The medication he takes seemingly does its job at supporting his emotional stability and the extensive forms of psychotherapy definitely don't hurt as well. On top of that, with the help of an old army buddy he was able to start a successful beginning for a small construction company. At least something good was able to come out of something so awful.

     It took all the time, money, and energy he had to get Stienstied & Sons to a steady path. It seemed as if things were finally working in his favor. However, he needed a break. It was nose to the grind day in and day out for the last five years to get this company on its feet. He was tired. Tired of the sweat, blood, and tears. Tired of watching his life pass him by. Tired of what seemed like being the only one of his friends that constantly worked. It's difficult to understand how the hardest working have a life filled with just that; work. Meanwhile his friends with their simple lives and cozy office jobs are seemingly always out on fun and exciting adventures around the world. 

     "When will I catch my break," he often asked himself. However, what James didn't realize is that his break is just around the corner, and it may be more than he's asking for. He been used to change in one form or another. His life has seemingly been in a constant state of change and uncertainty. The question for James remains, "Is there a level of change that can completely  break a person? Or can the uncertainty of what is certain do that for us." James decided it was about time to start planning.

     The King's Trail is a hiking trail in Northern Sweden that stretches 440 kilometers between Abisko in the north and Hemavan in the south. Fairly well maintained and not too treacherous, this trail can even be accommodated by children as it is well marked on the main pathway. The trail is also cut into multiple sectors if you don't have the time or resources to take a thirty day vacation. This would bode well for James, though experienced military man that he is, he is a very inexperienced hiker. He was never a good navigator outside of using his handy GPS and the most hiking he's done was in the woods behind his backyard as a kid. This seemed the ideal place to get away and relax from the rest of the world and would be manageable for a beginner. James learned about this trail from various films he had seen through the years, many depicting a group of friends having not-so-pleasant experiences on their adventure from getting lost and never making it home to being ripped apart by whatever wildlife may dwell in the dense wooded areas. But those are just movies, right?