Short Story 1 Installment 1

Alrighty, walking home from school today after an epically short Model UN meeting I was struck with the inklings of a new story, one that centered around a single character (like most of work lately), but put more emphasis on human nature and how a singular existence can effect one's perception of the world. Also, it seemed like a really interesting, if a bit fantastically unusual, concept. I'll be posting stuff as I write it, so the only thing you guys'll see are the bare bones, completely rough draft stuff. I'll post edits when and if I see fit, but seriously who are we kidding? I don't make mistakes.

Short Story 1 (Until I find a better name, you guys can comment with thoughts/suggestions)

Installment 1

The world consisted of asphalt. Perhaps not the entire world, but asphalt stretched into the conceivable distance, and even after the sooty black disappeared into the horizon there was still the thought of more. It stood n a complete circle, encompassing everything like a large black maw of some great creature, swallowing up anything and everything. It was completely flat, as flat as human instruments and design could allow for. When it rained the water simply filled the surface, not running off in any direction. When it snowed it was impossible to judge distance. The completely flat surface of the asphalt was disorienting in it's perfection. But it was a perfection marred by its purpose. Like a beautiful detail on an otherwise grotesque and revolting visage, the great circle of asphalt stood on the earth, so massive that it curved with the land that fell away beneath it, separated by rock or dirt or grass my many hundred feet of compacted tar.

I knew it was at least 200 miles in diameter. A while ago I attempted to walk all the way out of it. It was stupid, thinking I could. I walked for six or seven days; after awhile I forgot to count the sun rises and sunsets. Near the end I was about halfway through my supply of food so I decided to turn and go back. But that failed adventure proved enlightening. I discovered that there was an end, I saw the mountains. From the center of the circle (where I assume I am), I cannot see anything on the horizon but the towering hulks of clouds preparing to make their smooth and rapid descent across the sky until they disappeared over the second horizon. But as I made that journey to the edge I noticed the mountains. At first they were just minuscule smudges of gray across the horizon. But even then I practically lost my mind. To know that there was something except for asphalt. And as I walked on they grew taller and taller until I was sure that the edge was no more than three or four miles away. But then I noticed the clouds. The clouds, that brought rain, and thus life to be on this barren circle of asphalt, were sweeping closer and closer, past the mountains. And when they swept in front of the mountains I realized the true depravity of the situation. These mountains I had seen were indeed huge. So huge in fact that they gave the illusion that I was nearing the edge, when in fact I was not even close. I might have walked 40 or 50 miles that week, but it felt like I had to walk twice that distance to get back to the center.

The center. Where I first woke up, so long ago. I implemented a system of calculation of date several years ago. Using the sun and the moon I've been able to tell time and date since then. A.C. After calendar, I called it. It's a pretty impressive system, but I didn't come up with it until at least a few years after had lived here. The center, that's where I woke up. I don't remember much from those first few years. The thing that sticks most in my memory was the tree. The tree, still there even now. As far as I've been able to tell, that tree, along with some small shrubs and plants, are the only things in this place that aren't asphalt. It's not a gigantic tree, but big enough. I don't know the species. But it has wonderful fruit that never goes out of season. It's trunk is about 8 feet across and it's branches spread out, about 30 feet over the ground and 40 or 50 feet in every direction. It's got these gigantic leaves that are soft and change their color constantly but never wither and die. At first I was perplexed by this tree. I thought at first I was dead and this was some strange after life, something out of a child's imagination. However, over time, I've discarded this idea. The tree is real. The asphalt, though its hard to believe, is real. Everything is real.