Vinlo came back to consciousness very slowly. One sense at a time. First, his touch came back to him. He grabbed onto the strange material he seemed to be bedded on and rubbed it around in his hand. It felt like a microfiber cloth, like the ones he would steal from his siblings because they felt nice. Then came his smell. All the new smells came to him in a jolt, which surprised him, but it wasn’t an unpleasant surprise. It was a mix of flowers, wilderness, and people. Vinlo never had an above-average sense of smell, but with none of his other senses really going off, he had all his focus on his smell. That was until his hearing returned and he could hear the murmurs of the people who he had just noticed by their scent. There seemed to be a boy and a girl discussing something. Either that or it was two boys, with one having a really high voice. Of course, he then realized there was the third option of it being two girls, with one having a deeper voice.

He just had to know as he started straining his muscles to sit up. bad call His muscles burned and he was sure he felt blood leaking from somewhere on his arms. After a little bit of his struggling, one of the two people talking had decided to assist Vinlo in sitting up. This was when Vinlo’s sight started returning. His vision was very blurry at the start, with him struggling to even keep his eyes open for a while, but after a while of trying, he managed to open them and looked at the two figures with his eyes still glazed over. The figure who had come to help him up seemed to be a boy, probably a young adult by his height, with a blur of white hair on his head and a black jacket. The other figure, who was sitting on a chair on the opposite side of the room, was sitting cross-legged in what Vinloa assumed to be a floral dress with what appeared to be long and straight teal hair. Vinlo dismissed it as either a hate or a dye job and returned his attention to his surroundings.

He clearly wasn’t on the side of the train tracks. These clearly weren’t people from the train. And he clearly wasn’t on the train. He was in a room with a beige wall color, bookshelves lining all the walls, and a plastic fan spinning indefinitely on the ceiling. He was sitting on what seemed to be a couch made from lens wipe material. It seemed pretty normal, other than the lens wipe couch. As he finally got the glaze off of his eyes and figured out his surroundings, he noticed the white-haired one talking again, but this time it was directed at Vinlo himself.

"Hey, Hey! Can you hear me, buddy? Did you jump off the train?"

It took Vinlo some time to process the words this man was saying. He then just looked at them. They could just be hired actors from his family as well. He decided to play it smart.

"I can hear you just fine." And how would you know that I jumped off the train?"

Vinlo was very proud of himself for this answer and awaited the answer from the white-haired man. While he waited, though, he got his sense of taste back and his mouth was bombarded with the taste of blood. He had probably bitten his tongue during the fall, but he stayed quiet about it.

Well, I didn't know before, but I know now. Can I ask why you jumped now? "

Damn. This guy was good. It was like he was milking the answers right out of him. He would have to be smarter.

Vinlo was not smarter.

"I jumped by accident."

The man just smiled and stood back before saying something.

Well, you clearly didn't jump on purpose, but no matter how you got here. You're here now and I assume you're not leaving anytime soon, taking that little "accessory" on your neck.

The man gestured to the Notaec on Vinlo's neck, and Vinlo suddenly remembered the parasite.

"Well, it's a long story."

The man sat down on a chair opposite of Vinlo and waited for Vinlo to go on.

"Well sir," We have all day to hear your story, so please continue. My name is Watson, by the way. And that lady right there "

He pointed to the teal haired lady filling something out at the back of the room.

"That lady right there is my sister Paige. Now introduce yourself and get on with the story. "

Vinlo thought about the guy. He was being nice. too nice. There was something unsettling about him, but he was sure at this point that they were probably not part of the prank. There was no way his family accounted for him jumping out of the train.

Well, my name is Vinlo, and my story starts with an envelope from my now-deceased grandfather...

Vinlo recited the whole story along with commentary and his theory that it was one elaborate hoax designed by his family for Paige and Watson. Mostly Watson, but Paige listened in every so often.

"So what are you trying to tell me, Vinlo?" Is that you were trying to get to Ordinary Island? "

"Yes, and now I'll probably never get there because I left my pass with the conductor."

This was one of the many things on Vinlo's mind at the moment, but it wasn't the most pressing one.

Vinlo, I have some bad news for you.You've reached your destination. "

"Huh? Ahh. Don't tell me that I somehow arrived on Ordinary Island because you guys brought me here after you found me unconscious. "

Because that would be so many levels of cliche.

Well, that's exactly what happened, Vinlo. Look outside if you don't believe me. "

Watson stood up and propped open the door for Vinlo to look outside. Vinlo attempted to stand up but hobbled around a little before getting his bearings and through the doorway. Firstly, the sun was bright and Vinlo had not mentally prepared for it. After Vinlo got past the ability to keep his eyes open outside, he started looking around. And lo and behold, right across what seemed to be a large concrete bridge lay an island which, according to the sign on the bridge, was called Ordinary Island.

Vinlo was just in awe of the sheer size and shape of the island. It was shaped like a large jelly-bean with the bent side up, resulting in a large hole through the center. There was what seemed to be a forest on the far left edge. What seemed to be a small town with interesting looking buildings dotted along the right side. And a lighthouse that was built on the top of the island and penetrated through it all the way to the ocean. The lighthouse wasn't very reminiscent of a lighthouse because it looked like it was under construction. It had multiple interlocking sections and tarps covering other areas with one single light at the top that signified it as a lighthouse.

Vinlo was wordless at the sight.

It's great, isn't it? I felt the same way when I first came here.

"Yeah, This is great. "

Vinlo quickly remembered something and pulled out his letter.

I'm terribly sorry to ask for one more thing, but do you have any idea if there was a Char Residence or land here? My grandfather left it to me in his will. "

Vinlo showed Watson the letter, and Watson read through it and looked out at the island for a second.

"Char? Char... char... where does that name sound familiar? What was your grandfather's name?"

"He was named Simon Char."

"Ahh! Old Man Simon. That's his handwriting all right! Your old man was a special one. He's the one who designed the whole lighthouse from top to bottom. Of course, no one's been to the bottom before due to how low it goes. "

Well. My grandfather was famous here. And he gave me a lighthouse. I feel like I have big shoes to fill even when no one is comparing me to him.

"Could you perhaps give me a tour of the island if you're free sooner or later?"

Watson just smiled and told Vinlo to wait for a moment.

"I thought you'd never ask!" One sec, I gotta tell my sister. "

Vinlo just smiled back and let out a great big sigh as he looked back towards the island.

Maybe this place wasn't going to be that bad.

Vinlo would soon realize that he had forgotten his luggage, but now was not that time as he was dragged along by Watson along the bridge to tour Ordinary Island.