Part I: Encounter
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	Steph opened his eyes one morning and stretched and yawned. As usual
for a Thursday, he got up an hour earlier. Why he did this, he was never sure, 
but it felt good.  This time however, it seemed different, yet still the same.
Wondering what the change was, he climbed at of bed and looked out of the
window. As he looked he saw something in the corner of his eye. He looked
towards whatever it was, but there was nothing there. Just the hills in the
distance, and the fjords as usual.

	Steph pondered this for some time. The feeling wouldn't go - it was
if something had changed - no, missing. That was it! But what? Steph couldn't
place his finger on it at all.

	After some thought, he got up from his chair and went for a walk. It
was a nice walk, one he took regularly. It took him along the length of a
nearby fjord, up towards the hills. Steph looked up - a few clouds, some sun.
but no birds. "Strange" thought Steph. As he wandered on, the lack of birds
made him feel uneasy, but he couldn't say why. Looking across the fjord, Steph
could make the other side out. Again something caught the corner of his eye,
and again, when he looked towards the distraction, there was nothing there.
Steph stood at that sopt for a few minutes to make sure of this. Then he looked
down into the fjord. Here he would see fish of all shapes, sizes and colours,
but on this Thursday, there was nothing. No birds in the sky, no fish in the
water. Steph sat down. He couldn't comprehend what was going on. He lived
alone next to the fjord, the nearest major inhabited area was a good few
miles away. But he liked the tranquility. But this was too tranquil. There
was not a sound from the environment.
	"Are you well?"
	Steph looked up, suprised. He saw a man standing next to him, dressed
as if he'd just stepped out of a Dicken's novel. Steph hadn't heard the
newcomer approach - surely he'd have heard footsteps on the gravel?
	"I've been watching you for some time", the man continued "you seem
to know this place."
	"I do", replied Steph. "I've lived here a good few years".
	"Really? What is it like?"
	"Tranquil, peaceful. You feel as if you have no worries."
	"I see."
	Steph was starting to fell uncomfertable. Here he was, what did seem
a slightly different Thursday to start off with, had just seeped downhill
rather quickly. First the absense of birds, then of the fish, and now the
appearance of this Dickin's-ish character! Steph wondered if he was dreaming.
He pinched himself.
	"Ouch!"
	The character look down at Steph.
	"Did you hurt yourself?"
	"It's no problem," replied Steph. "Do you need any help?"
	Steph tried to steer the conversation off himself. He didn't feel as
if this chap was trustworthy.
	"Oh no. I'm quite happy. But I can tell you're not".
	"What gives you that impression?"
	"You've lost something, and you want to find it."
	Steph wanted to back away - to run. But where to? The fjord was
behind him, and the man could block any attempt to run anywhere else.
	"Where did you come from? I thought there were no other houses 
around here?"
	"Oh I travel. Wander. Look for people like yourself and put them
back on track."
	"But I feel fine!"
	"Is that why you looked so sullen when you saw an empty sky? Is that
why you sat down for thought when you saw an empty lake?"
	"How do you..."
	"Like a said, I've been watching you. You need a friend."
	"Like you?"
	"Oh no...not me", replied the man, and he sat down. "I can't do that
- it isn't my duty to be a friend to everyone that needs one."
	"So why are you here?"
	"To guide you. There are times when we all feel alone. You need to
broaden your horizons and look beyond this place. Whilst this maybe your
home, what have you got? A house, that's good. Car? No. Boat? No. Have you
ever explored the other side of this lake? Or experienced the boating across
it?"
	"It's a fjord, not a lake. And no, I've never done either of those
things."
	"Maybe you should." said the man. And with that, he got up and walked
off.
	"Wait!" shouted Steph. The man stopped, and turned around. Steph
asked "what's on the other side?"
	"Birds! Fish! Stag! Much wildlife and more! But only you can see what
else there is. I cannot. I don't belong here". And with that, the man was
gone.
	Steph pondered this experience. It wasn't natural for someone to walk
up to you totally quiet. And then promptly disapear. He looked across the
fjord again. Was that really where the birds and the fish had gone? And what
else was there? The mysterious man certainly gave the impression there was a
lot more.

	The sun was starting to set now, and Steph retraced his steps back
home. He clambered into bed and fell into a slightly distrubed sleep.

	For the next couple of days, Steph thought about his encounter.
Certainly there was no life in the air, or under the water. Should he really
find a boat to get to the other side? Eventually, he found the lifelessnes
unbearable, so he went in search of a boat, which wasn't easy. And building
it was going to be tricky. Where would he find the wood for starters?

	After a couple of week, Steph had his boat. He'd lost the shed in
which he kept some bits, but he'd find somewhere in the home for them. But
would the boat be durable enough to last the journey across the fjord? Steph
sure hoped it would. He clambered in and pushed himself off.

Pt.1 --> END