12/01/2011

Five Parts to a Quest.

A quest has five parts to it: the questor, the stated reason for going on the quest, the holy grail, trials and challenges to face, and the real reason for going on the quest.

The questor is usually young, inexperienced, and has a lot to learn. The stated reason for going on the quest is usually tied into the Holy Grail. The trials and challenges are typically dragons, evil knights, and/or wonderful princesses. The real reason for going on the quest is almost always for self-improvement and self-knowledge.

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I'm seventeen years old and I'm living in a small town just outside of Memphis. My mom is yelling at me that I need to go to the store and buy some bread. I don't even have a car, I have to ride my bike.

On my way to the store there is a German Shepard running wild in the street, foaming at his mouth. I stop and stare at him, watching as he runs back and fourth through peoples lawns, chewing on plants, and digging in lawns. He jerks his head towards me and growls softly. Suddenly he's sprinting full on at me. Instincts take over and I'm riding as fast as I can in the opposite direction without even thinking about it. His feet are scampering just yards behind me. I'm gaining speed and the sounds of his barking and growling grow distant, but my heart beats just as loud.

Mel is in the market parking lot with James, sitting in his new car. The new car is unknown to me, but it looks fast... and expensive. Mel is the girl of my dreams, what is she doing with him? James is from a rich family and has never had to work for anything. I hate James for it. I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing and a speed bump takes advantage of that as I fall to the ground. Mel and James saw the whole thing and are laughing at me. My wrist hurts, but I ignore it. I get up, walk over to the entrance, lean my bike against the wall, and go inside. They're still laughing at me.

Even though this market is small, it seems like there's endless aisles in it. Aisle eleven is where I need to go down to buy some bread, but I'm too busy realizing that there's nothing left for me in this small town. I'm getting out and leaving. Tomorrow.

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