I had managed to escape the house. With blinding speed, I left it behind. However, despite leaving the house, trouble was still around. And I was running right towards it. When I saw what was ahead, my feet stopped dead in its tracks. My body froze in shock.

Up ahead was a strange monster. Its entire body was pale and hairless. When it came into view, I saw it was preoccupied with a corpse. But with me around, I'm sure it won't stay that way. Quietly, I pick my frozen feet up and take a closer look. My body was a few feet away from it when it picked its head up. Immediately, I get behind a tree. Man, did that thing see me? If so, I'm dead! Just in case, I peek around the tree. The monster's head was still up. But it doesn't look like it saw me. Okay good. So do I do? That monster is blocking the path. I can't just go up to it and ask it to leave. And I don't think I can sneak around it. Hmm, there has to be a way to that house up ahead. Hmm, let me look at the monster again.

Cautiously, I take a peek around the tree again. This time, my eyes focus on its features. All right, so let's see here. My eyes scan its face and features thoroughly. So besides the almost white skin, this thing doesn't seem to have a nose. So I can't smell me. And a strange moss covers its eyes, so it can't see me. So that leaves its ears. Which it does have. So that thing must have heard me come up. No wonder why its head bolted up so fast. Okay, so it can't see me or smell me. So that leaves its hearing. All right, if I'm going to get past it, I'm going to have to make a noise. But that noise has to be far away in order to get it out of the way. And it has to be loud. So what do it have that I can make noise with?

My eyes scan through the environment and find a couple rocks. Rocks huh? Fine. I guess they'll do. Without a second thought, my hands reach over and grab the small rocks. I hope this works! Then, as hard as I could, I throw one at a tree a few feet away. Immediately, the monster's body bolts up. Swiftly, the monster jumps at the tree and begins tearing it apart. Now's my chance! My feet bolt towards the house and up the stairs. As quietly as possible, I shut the door behind me. Once I'm inside, I felt a sigh of relief come rushing out of me.

Thank goodness! I'm in the clear! Man... what a day this is turning into. I come here hoping for a new life and instead I get a nightmare. Great! Thanks mom. Thanks for bringing us down to the lair of a crazy man! Honestly... After shutting the door, I take a look out the window. From what I can see, that monster is still gnawing at the tree, so I'm safe. Good, let it stay there. I don't need a monster following in behind me.

Man, seriously! What the heck was that thing?! Is was pale and hairless. And it had moss over its eyes! Moss! And it was eating a corpse! What was that thing?! Man! Dang it! I don't know what that thing was. But then again, maybe it's best not to know. Or think about it. So let me not think about it now. Let me just relax. I'm safe now. So no need to worry. And because I'm safe, I take a seat down on the nearby bed. I hope the owner doesn't mind if I sit down for a second. Running for your life is exhausting work. As I sit, I found my eyes drifting towards other parts of the room. Besides the bed I'm sitting on, there's a desk, a huge wardrobe, and an also huge bookshelf. A bookshelf... I wonder what sort of books the owner has. Interest peaked, my body lifts off the bed and gravitates toward the bookshelf. My eyes keenly going through each book's title. One title in particular grabbed my interest.

"Medina, a history huh?" I ask to myself. Let's see if it's always been this crazy. Immediately, my eyes began to go through the pages like a hunger tiger. I skimmed through the pages for anything. But I hadn't found anything of interest until I reached the Kollyn Summers page. When I did, it didn't take long for me to meticulously read every word in this chapter. Once I was done, I shut the book. Confusion began to bubble up from the depths of my mind.

From what I remember of my history class, Kollyn Summers was a tyrannical dictator who ruled over this area with an iron fist. He was cruel, oppressive, and just evil. But yet that book I was reading called him a hero. Something isn't right here. The story goes that sixteen years ago, Kollyn Summers was developing bioweapons to use against the world. Once the US government found out, they invaded the Autonomous Zone (AKA Medina back in the day) and destroyed the bioweapons. They also killed Kollyn Summers and annexed the Autonomous Zone. Thus turning it into the fifty-first state of Medina. How could someone like Kollyn Summers be considered a hero when he was developing bioweapons? Something isn't right here. Someone's got the wrong story. And I'd wager it was this author over the US government.

Suddenly, gunshots rang in the air. Immediately, my hands snap the book shut. My eyes gaze out the window. A man was coming towards the house. A man... is the he the owner? Either way, I can't be seen in here! I got to hide! My eyes bolt around the room just trying to find a hiding place. Let's see, I can't hide under the desk or bed. Wait, I know! The wardrobe! I'll hide in there! Quickly, I get inside the wardrobe and shut the door just as the man was coming in.

"Boy, that's some rain we have. Man I'm soaked!" The man said. Slowly, I crack open the wardrobe and watch the man wander around the room. His voice... I don't know why, but it sounds familiar. Hmm, I've never met the man so I can't possibly know him. Oh well, it doesn't matter right now. As the man continues to wander the room, my eyes notice him pick up the book on the bed. Dang it! I forgot I left it there! Man, I'm going to caught! I just know it!

"Hmm. Medina, a history. Interesting. I guess I must have had it out when I went off the work. Oh well, no point in leave it out. Maybe I'll take it with me." The man suddenly disappears out of view. He must have left the room. Man, that was too close! I was lucky not to get caught! Quietly, I exit from the wardrobe. My feet careful not to slip and fall out of it. This is dangerous. I can't stay here. I got to get out of here. But then again how? I can't go back the way I came, there's a monster out there. I'll be dead for sure if I go back that way. I guess I'll have to go though that other door. But I'll have to be really quiet. There's no telling what would happen if I'm caught. Quietly, I exit the room and go down the hall. Then, as quietly as I can go, I step down the steps. However, despite my quietness, several of the steps creaked. And before I knew it, I had caught some unwanted attention.

"Kit Parks. How nice of you to stop by" the man said as he turned to face me. He knows my name? But how... Wait... The familiar voice, the fact he knows my name, there's only one possibility of who this man is.

"You. You're that crazy guy from before! What do you want now?" I ask as anger and fear began to mingle in my voice. The man looks at me. His cold green eyes stare amusingly into mine.

"There's no need for fear. I simply wanted to speak with you." Yeah, I don't trust that.

"What kind of crazy task do you want me to do now?" I ask, my mind running with all sorts of possibilities. The man before me sits down in a nearby chair. His expression still conveying amusement.

"There will be no more tasks from here on in. Those tasks you did before were to, how do you say it? Get your feet wet. The real challenge now lies before you. As you undoubtedly know, you've had our Gift for thirty minutes now. Which means it's had plenty of time to get accustomed to you. However now comes the most challenging part. The true test awaits you. The test that will determine life or death. Take heed that you not fall into your weaknesses and temptations. Or else you'll suffer a truly grotesque fate." No more tasks? And another test? Man, this just gets better and better. But wait a minute, he told me to be aware of my temptations and weaknesses. Is this guy actually trying to help me? Is he actually giving me advice? I would be shocked had I not been so angry and scared.

"You're actually helping me?" I asked as surprise began to wash over my fear. The man stands up. As he did, his expression began to harden. No longer was it amused. When he stood, he went to the door and tried to open it. However when he did, he stopped.

"Don't take this personally. I'm only giving you advice because of your eyes. Those brilliant blue eyes of yours remind me of someone. An old friend I lost a long time ago. If you had different eyes; I would have had you executed. But I didn't. But then again it doesn't matter now does it? You'll die either way. But at least your life is prolonged enough that I can see those eyes once again. Anyway, till we meet again." The man walked out of the door and into the rain. When he did, I felt all sorts of questions come up in my mind. As much as I wanted to ask, I didn't. Instead, I headed out the door too. I went back out there, unaware of the trials ahead.