Recollection
Chapter I – Setting the scene…duh…
Laboured breathing was what awoke him, the soft panting slowly causing him to fade into consciousness as Kiph struggled to piece together where he was and why. He began the mental preparation necessary for the goliath task of opening his eyes, anticipating the blinding harsh light that was doubtlessly waiting on the other side of his lids. He counted down “3, 2, 1…1…1…..2…1…damnit…” Before finally giving in to his curiosity and revealing the scene before him.
He lay on a smooth and green velvety bed deep within some form of Amazonian shelter. Various ornaments where strewn around the moderately sized room including the remnants of some sort of vase and a half-eaten meringue. He then directed his attention towards the other living creature in the room, lying next to him. A sleek grey form, lightly muscled, and striking to behold, the otter on the bed was surely the most beautiful creature Kiph had ever seen. It wore a faded gold necklace with some form of jade crystal attached. Slowly, the previous days returned to him, and Kiph struggled to believe the extraordinary set of events that could’ve ended in this result.
It was his first day at university, and the nervous husky made his way cautiously through the stretched corridors, desperately trying to remember the directions he had been given, in all the ten seconds it took that Racoon to recite them. “go through the door, down the hall, turn left, go right through the fifth archway, up the stairs, past the fountain, around the giant King Kong fan statue before going into the little red building containing the one who will give you your first assignment” Kiph continued wandering, aimlessly lost, until he found himself before a large tapestry, depicting a number of likely past students in what appeared to be some form of fire-dodging ceremony. He examined it for a period of time until he was startled by the voice of someone behind him. “Pretty whacked up, isn’t it?” “Yeah…what’s with that guy” Kiph said, gesturing towards a particularly ‘involved’ member of the students, sporting a face that rivalled that of the unattractive famous singer, Susan Heat. “Oh, that’s the head of arts, you’ll meet him soon…” continued the stranger. “I’m Damien by the way, but you can call me Cam” Kiph examined Cam attentively, wondering how he had acquired the nickname. Finally, when no obvious answer presented itself, he enquired. “Oh, that…well, one time when I was in high school, a teacher somehow read my name wrong…he pronounced it as Camien, and, well, since then I’ve just kinda gotten used to people calling me Cam.”
It turned out that Cam was the same age as Kiph was, and had just come to Uni early at the whim of his Step-mother. Before that he had been regularly pressured into studying certain courses he disliked, until one day he decided to break the chains and move into different classes. His Step-mother had not been amused, and so had started what could be seen as a long war of conflicting interests between Cam and who he called the “Feminine Imposter”. Eventually she had given in and let Cam study as he would, as long as he attended Uni. All the while Kiph listened intently, giving the occasional mandatory nod and asking details where he saw fit. “So, yeah…that’s sort of an appetizer of my life…what about you then, I haven’t seen you around before.” “Yeah…I’m new. You wouldn’t happen to know where the ‘little red building containing the one’ is, would you?” Cam laughed “I see you’ve met Sam then. He’s a sad little guy at his job here, but outside of Uni he’s actually pretty fun. Guess that shows what work and school combined can do to ya, huh”
They continued talking for a period, exchanging brief comic stories from their lives, such as the time Kiph forgot a belt, and his pants fell down during an awards assembly in front of the principle, the time when Cam had become the regional procrastination champion, but said he would accept the title later and the time when a rumour of an asteroid heading on a collision course with the planet got so out of control that an entire community got the help of a psychic who claimed that if everyone focused their ‘inner force’ they could redirect the asteroid to hit one of the less attractive planets. Namely Uranus, cause the sun doesn’t shine there anyway. They got so into the conversation that before they knew it, lunch was upon them, and the swarm of students erupted from various doors and buildings surrounding them, engulfing the previously unoccupied courtyard. “Well, I guess that’s our cue to leave” Kiph said with a hint of a smile on his face. “You know, I still haven’t gone to that little red building…I should probably do that…” “Yeah…I guess…but once you go in, you may never return” Cam said, his face turning to deathly seriousness. “Wh...Why?” Kiph enquired. “What do they do in there?” “……well, nothing really…you thought I was serious, didn’t you?” Cam said mockingly, punching Kiph softly on the arm. “Well…you do have one of those trusting faces” Kiph replied, punching Cam back. “Come on, I’ll take you to “The One” then…though we should probably hurry, otherwise you might be late.” “What, you mean later that 3 hours late…oh no! Better run then!” The two chased each other off, closing in on the little red house, unaware that they were about to be thrust into a series of events that would change their lives forever, in a more dramatic way that any film promo possibly could…
