by Justin Parks
Chapter 2
Decisions
Jin made his way back home. He took his time and thought on his conversation with Khronus. This can’t be real, can it? Jin thought. I know this is crazy, but I think I believe him. Jin lived in a quant little house in the suburbs. It was a two-story brick house with a big oak tree in the front yard. Jin opened the door and stepped in. The inside of the house was warm and welcoming. There was a smell of something good in the air. “Jin, honey, is that you?” his mother called from the kitchen.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Could you give me a hand in here?” she asked as Jin made his way into the kitchen. A large pot on the stove filled the room with a delicious smell. By the looks of it, she was making a pot of vegetable soup. His mother was pregnant. She was a small brunette woman with blue eyes. She stood attempting to look at the floor in front of her. “I was chopping up some vegetables, but I dropped my knife. And I can’t really bend over,” she said with a smirk as she began to rub her belly. “I’ll be glad when he’s out.”
Jin walked over and picked up the knife. He then took it over to the sink and cleaned it before giving it to her. “Here you go, Judy.”
Judy reached over and pinched his cheek. “Now what did I tell you?” she said sternly.
“Sorry, Mom,” he responded.
Judy was not Jin’s biological mother. Jin was orphaned as a baby. Up until around six years ago he’d been traded through foster homes until he finally ended up with Mark and Judy Gregory. They had been having trouble conceiving and decided to adopt. Though, recently they had finally managed to have a baby of their own, so Jin had been feeling a bit distant. They still cared for each other, but Jin had always kept everyone at arms length. It was just how he was.
“Now run along. Dinner will be ready in a bit,” Judy said, ushering him along. He continued up the stairs into his room.
Jin’s room was a bit messy with random clothes scattered on the floor and various posters on the walls. There was a bed with a nightstand in the corner, and a bookcase partially filled with assorted books, mostly adventure stories and manga. A television in the corner was hooked up to a video game system with games and movies randomly stacked around it.
Jin threw his jacket on the floor and fell back on his bed, kicking off his shoes. With a sigh of relief, he rolled over, pulling an mp3 player off his nightstand. He put on the headphones and laid back, closing his eyes. He finally had some time to think. That guy today . . . Jin thought. Was that even real? It wasn’t a dream, was it? He replayed it over in his head. No, it was real. Jin reached up and placed his hands behind his head. So what should I do? He grunted in frustration. Then Jin turned and looked out the window. It had begun to rain and that rain would continue off and on for the next five days. Can I really just up and leave? But it’s not like I haven’t done it before.
Jin began to think of the orb, about how he felt when he touched it. I’m not sure what it was about that thing. It gave me this feeling. It was a rush of energy. It felt good. It felt . . . right. His frustration returned as he looked for answers that were just out of reach. What do I want? This is where he stopped. That one question stuck on his mind for the next five days because it was really the only question that mattered. He could weigh the facts as much as he wanted, but in the end, he knew he had to go with the decision that felt right.
Over the next days, Jin began to analyze his life, every spec, every miniscule detail, and the things that would normally be overlooked. He studied every part of his life. Then he imagined what it would be like if he continued down this path. He saw himself completing high school, going to college, then getting married, starting a family, working the same job, getting old, having grandkids, and eventually retiring. That’s all nice I suppose, but it’s so boring. I can see it all play out in my mind. I hate that. Life seems to follow the same design. Where’s the adventure? Where’s the fun? But can I really leave it all? Is it better to know, or should I take a leap of faith? He thought to himself.
Five days had passed since Jin had met Khronus. Finally, after countless hours of thinking, he finally reached a decision. Yes, I’ll go. I think it really is my destiny, he thought as he began to make preparations. Jin didn’t really know what to pack, so he just crammed some cloths into a backpack. Next, he had to leave a letter to Judy and Mark before he left.
Dear Mom and Dad,
If you’re reading this, it means you’ve discovered that I’m gone. I’ve left to start a new life. It was a choice I made and my destiny to follow. I can’t say much, but I want you to know that I really enjoyed my time with you and that you were the best parents a person could ask for. My little bro can keep all the stuff I left behind. I love you and I will miss you. Don’t worry about me.
Jin folded the letter and placed it on his bed. I guess that’s everything, he thought, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. He reached over to his nightstand and picked up his cell phone. I’ll take this too . . . just in case. Lightning struck outside, casting a person-shaped shadow across the floor. Jin looked outside to see Khronus standing outside the window. They stared at each other for a moment until Jin gave a nod of approval. Khronus smiled and pointed down to the street to tell Jin to meet him there.
Jin grabbed his bag and crept down the stairs quietly. He made his way to the front door and turned, taking a final look at his home. Jin smiled as he thought of the time he’d spent there. Well I guess this is goodbye, he thought as he walked out and closed the door for the last time.
Jin stood on the porch and looked over to the street to see Khronus standing by the same old-fashioned car, holding the door open to usher him inside. He walked out toward the car. There was a still chaos in the air. Rain dripped down lazily from the sky as a dull, calm wind blew through the trees. Even though it was calm, Jin could tell it could pick up at any moment.
Jin stepped into the car. The inside was surprisingly cozy. The black leather seats had a soft feel. It was very comfortable. Jin sat his pack over to the side. There was a window covering the front, so Jin couldn’t see who was driving. Khronus stepped in the car and closed the door behind him. Then the car drove off into the night.
ToC
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