His eyes were unlike all others, not because they flared of an uncharted beauty, nor because they brought sorrow to a stranger, but rather his eyes felt like an open door that led to emptiness. How could a pair of eyes, those that only lightly glistened in the morning sun, have so much meaning? I felt overpowered by his eyes; their deep and utter emptiness swallowed my own will and catered me to a new world.

A world without meaning; at least, a world without meaning to society. Before I had lived in a world of meaning and manner; however, at the young age of thirteen I had been brought to the new world. The world meant so much more to me, though. Here my life felt connected with my surroundings and my loved ones. Together, my new world brought on the meaning that my heart longed for, yet I felt abandoned simultaneously.

That boy who had led me from society and to our new world, where had he gone? I had spent four years in the wilderness with him in our new world, but I still knew him no more than the day he first shared his emptiness with me. Those eyes were still as open as ever, but the emptiness had never wavered and I was left with the mystery of the boy.

Even our friends in this new world did not understand the boy, though he had brought them to the woods years before I had followed along. We all knew so little about this boy who had changed our lives entirely. He stole the meaning we had of life and altered it into an enchanting new perspective. Yet, I felt as if, after four years of this life, I owed it to my sanity to question this new world and this mysterious boy.

To keep those whom I had grown to love safe I vowed to not share my worries with them, but I knew deep down that I simply wanted to shadow my own doubts so I would not become an outcast. The idea of being an outcast made me both laugh and turn ill. Why did I fear becoming an outcast when, in respect to society, I was born an outcast? But why would I not fear being an outcast when, in respect to my new world, I was part of a family of friends?

I let out an audible sigh, which awoke a childlike man, Ember. His eyes were full of youth, a youthful green forest, and enticed those who looked into a world of soothing nature. His eyes were friendly and open and brought about a sensation a peace, yet the boy’s only resulted in a blanket of emptiness. That is why I had to question him, how could Ember’s eyes show so much when the boy’s eyes made me feel abandoned.

Ember arose from his perch and peered down at me from the great Oak I rested my back against. He appeared so relaxed, which opposed his societal personality. Ember had been born a distant, wrathful, grouch. He had often hid himself from anyone and everyone who ever came into his life and those who found him were subjected to the revealing of his wrath. He hated everyone. At least, that is what everyone has told me.