The Day that Time Stopped

Chapter One

Alec looked around the room. Nothing. Complete darkness surrounded him. He felt no ground beneath his feet, he felt as if though he was floating, no different than the sensation of being underwater, feeling completely surrounded yet totally free.

 Then, there was something. A small speck of light, far off away from him. He stared at it for a moment, curiously. He floated closer towards the light in the distance. As he got closer to the light, he began to feel warmth eminating from it. It was only when the warmth his his skin that he realized that the rest of his body was cold. He moved even closer to it, desperate for the warmth. He grew closer and closer, now noticing that he was no longer floating in the air, but sprinting on solid ground. Alec made no notice of it. All he could think about was the warmth. The light was almost within his grasp! He ran faster and faster toward it.

 Suddenly, he saw it. The source of the warmth, floating in front of him. It was an orb, it glowed with it's own light, radiating the warmth all over the room. Alec looked around and realized that no more was he floating in the darkness, but he was now standing in a room filled to the brim with light. As he reached for it, the orb floated just out of his grasp. Alec reached for it again, and further away it floated.

 "You crave it, don't you?" said a voice, echoing through the room. Alec looked around and saw that the voice had no source. He thought nothing of it, and answered.

 "Yes! My body is so cold, and that little ball is so warm!" Alec said. he stared at the orb again. The idea of it's warmth touching him filled him with delight. He looked at it again and noticed it looked kind of soft and maleable. As if, with enough effort, Alec could stuff the orb inside of his chest and fill himself with the warmth from the inside out.

 "It's price is great, but it's reward is far greater. If you desire it. It can be yours, but if you accept it, you cannot be rid of it, until one remains. Do you accept?" the voice said.

 Alec looked at the orb again. It's tempting warmth reaching him. The idea of finally being warm and comfortable again delighted him. Finally, he reached towards the orb and said "I accept." As the words left his lips, the orb flew in to his stomach. For an instant, he felt it. The total warmth of the orb filled his entire body. However, as soon as it had arrived, Alec felt the cold again, only this time on his feet.

 Alec opened his eyes and noticed his feet sticking out from underneath his blankets. He must have been tossing and turning again in his sleep. Alec looked around and, almost to his disappointment, there was no floating orb, no detatched voice. Just his bedroom, with it's dirty laundry littering the ground and his various posters and papers taped to the wall.

 "Huh, must've just been a dream." he said. As he got up to face the day ahead of him, Alec noticed a small, folded up, piece of paper undereneath his head on his pillow. He unfolded the paper and saw just five little words, written in what seemed like caligraphy.

 "You are now a Player."