STORY ARC 6: HIS ONLY SOLACE
A Glimmer of Hope After the Storm
A ‘choose your own path’ story.
This is a collaborative, emotionally gripping web-novel about Matt and his hiding place started by Kathy K. What will happen next in Matt’s story? Did you know that you can decide?
Please check out this article to find out how you can contribute to this and other ‘choose your own’ stories in this publication!
Before continuing, be sure to read the previous chapter, His Only Solace Was an Old Hollowed-Out Tree and a Set of Outdated Encyclopedias.
Matt sat curled up on his tattered sleeping mat, the scratchy fabric rubbing against his skin. The pungent smell of mildew hung in the air, mingling with the musty odor of old books. He waited, his heart beating a rapid tattoo against his chest, for the inevitable arrival of the man who had tormented him for years.
The sound of a diesel truck approaching the cabin reverberated in the floorboards. With a rattle and hiss, the truck’s engine abruptly stopped just outside. Matt’s ears perked up with the crunch of heavy boots on the gravel, taking on the weight of their owner.
But Matt did not hear the expected thunderous boom as the footfalls reached the porch. Instead, the footfalls faded away into the distance like a whisper. Matt slowly uncurled himself, willing his pounding heart to slow. He couldn’t believe it. The man always comes inside. Matt sat there momentarily, processing what had just happened, now more curious than scared.
For a brief moment, Matt entertained the impossible: Could HE be gone for good? Did Matt finally escape HIS clutches? Matt knew that it was unlikely. HE had always found a way to track him down, to find him no matter where he went. But for now, at least, Matt had a small glimmer of hope.
After a while, he stood up slowly and walked over to the stack of encyclopedias. He pulled one out and flipped through the pages, his fingers lovingly tracing the words and images. For a brief moment, he forgot about HIS existence and the fear that had consumed him for so long.
As he flipped through the pages, his eyes landed on a picture of a bird in flight. It was a simple drawing, but it spoke to him in a way he couldn’t explain. The bird was soaring high above the clouds, free and unencumbered.
Matt knew he would never be able to fly like a bird, but the image filled him with a longing that he couldn’t ignore. Closing his eyes, he imagined a life without fear or pain, where he could spread his wings and fly away.
The Storm
The night was thick with an eerie silence, the air heavy with an impending storm.
And still no HE. A distant rumble of thunder echoed through the valley. Matt’s heart raced with anticipation as he listened to the ominous sound. A storm — so unusual this time of year — seemed to be a harbinger of the impending torture and pain that HE would inevitably bring.
As the storm drew closer, the wind picked up, howling through the trees and rattling the cabin’s windows.
Still, HE never came.
For hours, the storm raged on, battering the cabin with rain and gusts of wind. Matt paced the room with frayed nerves; his mind spun with paranoid thoughts. He wondered if the storm had caught the man or if HE was toying with him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Eventually, the storm subsided, and the sound of the rain dwindled to a soft patter against the cabin roof. But the dread inside Matt lingered.
As Matt tried to calm his nerves, he heard a noise outside. Not the sound of heavy work boots punishing the earth with their weight, but a moaning, almost like a beckoning, inviting him to come closer.
Cautiously, Matt unlatched the cabin door and stepped outside into the cool night air. The clouds obscured the moon, casting an eerie glow over the forest. “Hello?” Matt croaked. The forest stared back at him, silent but for the gentle patter of raindrops hitting the forest floor. No answer; no HE. Stepping down on the porch stairs, he surveyed the ground. The rain had washed away any sign of the man’s footsteps.
For now, Matt counted his blessings. Dawn was just a few hours away. Perhaps he’s been given a reprieve.
The Next Morning
Matt slowly opened his eyes, feeling the heaviness of a restless night of sleep in his limbs. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. The sun streamed in through the cracks in the roof, casting dappled light on the piles of books and sleeping cats.
HE still hadn’t appeared. Matt felt a sense of relief wash over him. Perhaps he could have a peaceful day today as well? He stood and stretched, working off the stiffness in his joints.
That is when he heard the noise outside.
Again, it wasn’t footfalls; it wasn’t the productive sound of rummaging, but rather a faint cooing that seemed to call out to him and beckon him to the forest and whatever lay beyond, as if it was his fate to uncover its secrets.
Cautiously, Matt unlatched the door once again and stepped outside into the crisp morning air. With a shaking step, he stepped off the porch and slowly entered the woods. As he walked deeper into the woods, the cooing grew louder, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
At last, with the forest becoming denser and the light struggling to peer through the canopy, he reached a clearing where a ring of mushrooms glowed in the dim light like a portal to a mysterious realm.
In the center of the circle, a small wooden box emitted a pulsing glow that seemed to throb with a life of its own.
Matt felt a surge of energy coursing through him, an otherworldly power threatening to overwhelm his senses. He was torn between fear and curiosity as his instincts urged him to explore this mysterious object.
Matt knew that he had to make a choice, one that would alter the course of his life forever.
You decide what happens next…why not write the next chapter using one of these prompts or from your own idea?
- Matt opens the box to see what’s inside. (coming soon)
- Matt doesn’t open the box; instead, he takes it back to his secret tree. (coming soon)
