You Can’t See The Whole Sky

[Magnet]

You Can't See The Whole Sky

~Prologue~

I slowly drift back to myself. It's warm. A kind of soft, summer heat. I hear the waves, the distant hum of an engine. It's peaceful... First, I see the blue sky. It’s so clear, I can catch a glimpse of a far off island, almost out of sight. I'm looking forward to the blue skies. Memories of home and school flash in my mind, and here I am, on a passenger boat heading towards an island called Elodie. I'm not really sure why my parents have sent me to live with my relatives but it must've been important. I've never been allowed to go anywhere else before, not a friend’s house, not the park; I’ve never even met the kids across the street. My cousin, Luc, has been everywhere. His blonde hair is unruly and his blue eyes are always curiously squinting at things. He sends postcards to me whenever he goes travelling. I have one with a picture of the Eiffel Tower, a picture of Mount Fuji, and sitting in my hands right now is a picture of him standing in front of a stately house. The house is large, built of a light grey stone and has lots of windows sheltered by a snow-laden roof. Though, it doesn’t seem cold; it’s homely and quaint... Perhaps, he can tell me about it when I arrive. But until then, I look out the window to the skies above and drift back to sleep.

Thanks for reading guys! I'll try and update as much as possible but to make this story truly come alive, I want you to help me write it; just jump in whenever!
- Magnet

[ThatHiddenCharacter]

~Prologue - Side Story~

Today is the clear after days of dismal weather. The beautiful blue sky shines as if to taunt me with its irony. Rent is due and I'm still out of a job. Lay-offs have become all too common in Elodie City as of late. I scramble trying to figure out a plan. I've already borrowed money from family too many times and there's no way I'll be able to cough up enough on my own.

"Tyler, you've really gotten yourself in it now", I think out loud.

I've searched high and low for a job over the past three months with no luck, and slowly I start to resign myself to my fate. In a few hours, I'll be kicked out of my miserable apartment and be forced to live on the miserable streets instead. I decide to spend my last time with a roof over my head playing my favorite video games, seeing as I won't be able to soon. It's only when I hear a knock on the door that I realize how much time has passed.

"One moment!", I say trying to stall as much as I can before the inevitable.

I saunter over to the door and open it slowly and see someone I've never met before.

"You're Tyler Henry Cormaci, right?", she said, "I saw your ad in the paper; that you need a job and that you aren't a stickler about pay. Previous experience with construction and dock work. I just so happen to be forming a small team to go on an expedition into the wilderness of Elodie Island, and I could use someone with physical skills like that."

Baffled, I'm barely even able to stammer out a reply, "M-m-me? Sure, I'm pretty good at physical labor, but an expedition? I've never been much of an adventurous type."

She looks at me as if trying to decide something then says, "That's a shame, but I understand. Adventure isn't for everybody. Maybe I should ask the landlord here who the tenant is that I overheard him saying he was going to kick out if they were late on another payment. Perhaps they would be willing to help me. Farewell."

In a panic I shout, "Wait!"

She had me right where she wanted me and I knew it. But she was right. I had to take this job or I'd be living on the streets before sundown.

I sigh, "I suppose I can give it a try."

"I'm glad we're in agreement then.", she says, "The name's Elaine. Elaine Sensils. And don't worry about your rent, I've already taken care of it. But it will be coming out of your paycheck. I expect you to be ready to leave tomorrow at 7am. Bye-bye!"

As she walks away, I stand there with my jaw nearly touching the floor. She had conned me even more than I had thought. I head back to my beat-up couch and sit down. Today I need to rest as much as I can because tomorrow is gonna be the start of something much more chaotic than I'd ever experienced before.

Hello. Yes, I'm here too. Magnet and I have been discussing this idea in private and decided it would be cool for a side story as well. The side story is off-limits for guest writing. THC's story shall be written solely by THC. However, still feel free to add onto the main story like Magnet said! Thanks for reading!
- ThatHiddenCharacter

[Magnet]

~Chapter One~
Heidi

“Welcome to Elodie. We are now arriving at New Marseille. On behalf of our crew, I’d like to thank you for sailing with us. Please be sure to take all of your belongings as you exit the ship. Thank you.”
It is oddly cool outside; not that cool but considering that the sun has been dominating the sky all day… My luggage is still at the bottom of the ship, soon to be unloaded, so I stand in line with the other passengers, carrying only a backpack and my passport. It's nice, the passport I mean; it’s blue with a white tulip on its cover. And on the first page, a girl with light salt and pepper hair, almost covering her steely blue eyes and snaking from behind her head in one long waist-length braid. Heidi Blanchet. That’s my name.
  Soon enough, I leave the ship, go through customs, and collect my blue suitcase, all the while following the line in front of me, moving mechanically like some sort of conveyor belt. The line turns into a crowd as we exit the building and dissipate into a small courtyard. Buildings are all made of the same stone as the pavement, yet they burst full of life, clothing themselves with kaleidoscopic banners and embellishing vibrant flowers. A few locals sit outside chatting around cafe tables, in the afternoon shade of a large willow, spreading its tattered wings and littering foliage in small swept-up piles on the cobbles. I stroll through the plaza to the road with my suitcase rattling along the worn stone path. My parents told me that someone would pick me up from Garden Pass, so naturally I start looking around for street signs, but as soon as I find myself already on Garden Pass, I turn around to be greeted by Luc!
“Coucou, toi!” He says, already mocking me with my foreign accent. Stooping down, he hugs me tightly and I ask him how he’s been.
“Ah, it has been great! In fact, I’ve just been in Singapore. Got back ten days ago. Good timing, aye?”
He stands, back straight, tilting his head and brushing the hair out of his eyes, face folding into a grin. Taking my suitcase, he takes wide, quick strides while using his free, callous hand to beckon me to follow.
“I’ll tell you about it on the bus, but we should probably hurry; it’ll be here soon.”
“Wait!” I protest in my best English. “Aren’t you going to ask what I’ve been up to?”


We've actually got a little google doc where we write these, if you're interested, just shoot me a message on discord. Regardless, thanks for reading!
- Magnet

[ThatHiddenCharacter]

~Chapter One - Side Story~

Ughhh… Why were alarms even created? There’s nothing worse than being blissfully asleep, then having it cut short by a series of grating beeps. I look at the clock. 6 o’clock, exactly when I set it for. I figured it would be best to give myself an hour to get ready. Since Elaine had said the job was an expedition, I decide to make a pack for myself with all the essentials. Travel toothbrushes, rations, water, my GameBoy Advance SP, sunscreen, and bug spray. I quickly take a shower and get myself something for breakfast. As I’m nearly finished eating, though, I realize something terrible. Elaine never told me where to meet them! I was so stunned I didn’t even think to ask! I start freaking out terribly. This was my last chance to start making money so I could afford to, well, live. And I blew it. But then I hear a knock moving the plot along on my fourth wall. Cause that’s where my door is. I open it to find none other than Elaine.

“Hello again, Tyler.”, she scans me up and down. “I thought you said you’d be ready by 7… Unless, this is just how you look when you’re ready.”

Luckily for both of us I don’t care about my looks, so I just let that not-so-subtle insult slide and say, “Yeah, I’m ready. I packed my backpack and wore my least important set of clothes.”

“Ah, well, that’s great. So if you’ll just follow me outside, we have a car waiting to take us to the rendezvous point.”, says Elaine.

I think to myself about how obvious it is that Elaine is trying to sound smart and snicker quietly.
When we get outside, I see a limo at the foot of the building. Now, the only reason I even fathom this to be our ride is because I know no one else in the building would have a limo waiting for them. As we climb in the back, I decide to ask, “So what exactly is this expedition for?”

Elaine responds, “I suppose it would be best to brief you on the way there. Our team believes there to be the ruins of an ancient, yet unrecorded, civilization somewhere here on this island. Our expedition is to try and find it.”