As Matt woke up to the incessant annoyance of his own self inflicted pain, or as you might know it, an alarm. He groaned deeply, reaching over in an attempt to silence it, whacking his arm on the wall instead. Rays of sun filtered through the drapes of his run down apartment bedroom. As the fear of change that he so desperately wanted got him up as per usual routine, he stood up waltzing clumsily into his bathroom to get ready for the day. But how could he ever be ready for what unknown to him was bound to happen today. By fate some may say, as he drives down the lonely freeway of his tiny town, he notices despite there not being a single cloud in the sky it was dark and the sun seemed to have disappeared anyway while rain started to lightly sprinkle his windshield, and the skies a dull hazy gray. “Odd” He remarks quietly, but ignores it. Then he reaches one hand over to the wipers and activates them, as his hand returns safely to the wheel the shadow on his arm doesn’t move? No that’s not possible, he’s just imagining it. As he drives down the road he noticesThen a flash of lightning hits next to his car making him jump in his seat. “I hate storms” he grumbles to no one in particular, but he shakes it off and focuses on the road. After a few minutes driving in silence, a thought occurs to him. “Did I miss my exit? I’ve been driving this road for a while longer than normal.” However he looks at his watch and it has changed by only… five seconds? Even though he thinks something is off he keeps driving, after being sure that he should be on the main road by now he looks at his watch and it shows that two minutes have elapsed since he last checked. At this point he has a gut feeling that something is wrong so, he turns on his hazards, pulls to the right and stops. He pulls out his phone and the moment he does, without a cloud in the sky it quickly becomes pitch black, and heavy rain starts pouring on the car. He turns on his screen and the time is now eight hours ahead? Something seems very wrong but for some reason it just feels… right? 

“OH SH*T!” He exclaims loudly as he hears a sharp and loud shock of thunder, before watching as a searing white streak of pure electricity strikes the hood of his small Toyota Civic. But The Streak Doesn’t fade away, and neither does he as he expected. In fact it seems like time has stopped entirely. The only sounds being his own breathing, and heartbeat. Completely shocked, as should be expected he stutters “W- wh- wha” *Knock Knock* He jumps, and his head snaps to the left as he hears a knock on his driver side window and someone’s muffled voice 

“Hello? Are you okay? Do you know what’s happening?” What he sees next is dang near impossible to comprehend. It’s a Wolf? But human-like? Is this the personification of death? He opens his mouth to say something… But what? What could he possibly say, how would he even articulate it? But somehow he just knows what to say. As he reaches out and quickly taps the door handle expecting a shock. But none comes. He grasps the handle firmly and slowly pulls it unlatched, and opens the door. As he steps out he is greeted by what should be impossible. Despite the current crazy situation, for some reason, the natural human curiosity, he can’t help but stare at the sleek and agile, but strong looking build on a humanoid body, that shows no skin, where instead there’s white and black fur with some light gray spots throughout, complete with the head of a wolf, front facing piercing yellow eyes, an extended snout, a black nose with a little gray spot, sharp canine ears, the slowly moving tail behind him that definitely looks like a wolf tail, but well huge, human-like hands but with fur. 

“W- what are you? Who are you?” Matt asks suddenly. Not realizing he is likely just as alien to the guy in front of him. The wolf guy frowns somehow, his ears perking up slightly, his tail wagging slowly, perhaps in anxiety, or stress, and he eyes Matt extremely wearily.

“This is very odd. What is this creature?” the wolf thinks to himself. “Why should I have to answer his questions?” He silently complains to himself. He has always struggled with this, he has always been very self preserved, never can bring himself not to be and think selfish. “I’m a wolf obviously. My name is Thorne Rivers, good to meet you” 

The Wolf holds out his paw, his hand, whatever it is. Before Matt fearfully, but swiftly and politely takes it and shakes. “Mathew Anderson, uhhh Matt.”

The wolf notices the trembling, and fearful expression on Matt’s face. “Why does he appear frightened?” Thorne wonders to himself. “You don’t need to fear me Matt. I am not sure what’s going on either.” He pauses for a second. “ Although I may have a slight Idea”

Matt hears that and feels a small bit of hope shine through. “Well I don’t… so any kind of idea would be helpful” Matt replies kindly, yet still in awe.

The wolf takes note of his behavior and muses quietly to himself “He is so respectful, and he trusts me to give him an answer to an impossible situation, yet he does not know me. Interesting.” he gives off a sigh and begins. “In my universe,” That is assuming this is a different one “there is a long war between species that has been going on for hundreds of years. It's political at its roots, but legends throughout all species talk of a hero who will come from another universe.. presumably this one.” Again assuming we’re in a different one. “And that he and one of each species will meet in a dream-like place and he shall be given the choice to come back with us, that he will be our savior, he will successfully broker peace between all species back home, however once he does he may never return to his own universe. Matthew, I think that’s you. So what do you say, Will you save our world? Or will you return to your own?”

Matt pauses, he has a life, his mother is back on this world and she would be left alone without him. And yet he can’t bring himself to actually care. She had abused him for many many years, and now expect him to care for her, and yet for some reason the answer seems clear to him, stuck between two seemingly impossible things, a position which he has always hated more than anything yet, right here, right now, he’s calm, he’s content, it’s confusing to him, yet peaceful at the same time. The fact that he so easily made his decision baffles him, but in a good way? He stares into those sharp yellow eyes, and what he saw was so incredibly human, and within those eyes he finds a deep calm within the storm, he finds peace, and it’s something he has longed to feel for a very long time. And for once he sees with perfect clarity that he should not fear the change he so desperately needs, that this kind of peace, the peace that comes with change, is all he needs. And now he knows he made the right choice. He chose what felt right, and sure it may be fate, may be some predetermined sure thing. But it seems like something more… something beyond comprehension of any kind.

 With peace at heart he replies “Yes, My new friend, I will help you.” He says solemnly but light hearted. With a grin, he continues “I haven’t got much waiting for me back home anyway.”

“Thank you, Matt” The Wolf says with happiness evident in his voice alone, and wonders to himself. “Who is he? He is a stranger yet so willing to drop everything for me? On my word alone.” The thought is alien to him. Yet so incredibly comforting, and admirable. It was insane, truly. But as he stared into Matt’s eyes, he couldn’t help but find bright white light, peace, joy, and the thing he had been missing for his entire life… Hope. It was something that seldom came around in his world, and he sure as heck wasn’t going to let it go. He was captivated by this stranger's kindness. “Thank you so much.” He said breathlessly. “Where do we go from here?” He asks.

Matt smiling still, replies “I don’t know, but for once in my life I’m ready to just go and find out” 

The genuine smile on both of them is unmistakable. “Maybe I can learn to like storms after all.” He says, to which Thorne laughs heartily as they then silently, but peacefully walk together towards the sun that finally shone through. 

{Insert song: Into the unknown by Panic! At The Disco} 

”The way I see it if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain” -Unknown- ‘Associated with Dolly Parton’