Prologue

An old man slept in his antique pine tree wood bed. The bed even had a ceiling, though the cloth which used to adorn the sides was gone, probably to save in cleaning chores. Small oil-paintings with dark brown frames hung at different heights from the white painted bedroom walls. The paintings once pictured lush forests and mighty mountains, but the old paintings were now dull-brown and cracked. Besides the loud ticking of an old-fashioned metal alarm clock next to the bed on a dark brown nightstand, the only sounds came from the old wheezing man.

"No... Don't do it... It's too risky..." The old man mumbled in his sleep.

From the opening of the door, a man in his mid-thirties leaned against the doorpost and stared at the old man. A woman, about the same age as the man, joined and noticed the old man mumbling in his sleep.

She looked with dreary eyes at her husband. "Is he mumbling about it again?" She asked.

"Yes..." He replied. "I feel so conflicted." He added, and sagged even further against the door post.

"Don't worry darling." She tried to comfort him. "Have you asked him again?"

"Yes, but he kept saying it was a bad idea." He turned to his wife. "He said it was even dangerous! I don't understand. He just wouldn't...! I don't know why!" In frustration he raised his hands, but then let them sag again and sighed. "It pains my heart knowing that I'll be working without his blessing."

"It's alright darling." Sad but solemnly, she looked in his eyes. "I'll be there for you, the kids will be there for you. Everyone supports you."

He smiled and looked back in her eyes. "I love you sweetheart." He kissed her on her forehead.

"I love you too darling."

The couple quietly closed the door and left the sleeping old man mumbling.