Autonoetic

***Written By CastAway***

"***Autonoetic consciousness is the human ability to mentally place ourselves in the past, in the future, or in counterfactual situations, and to thus be able to examine our own thoughts."***

The air was a crisp, kind of cool and the leaves whirled about as I made my way down the sidewalks of the lonesome town. I took a sip of the latte I had in hand and continued to walk.
 It was the first Tuesday of the month, October. People had already decorated their doorsteps with the bright colors of autumn decorative’s and pumpkins. All the children were either in school or outside playing on the neighborhood playgrounds.
 I took another long sip of the latte, a warm pumpkin spice flavor with a hint of cinnamon added in. I’ve lived in this town for quite a while now. It was the same year round. I breathed in the crisp cool air taking in the noise of my surroundings. Cars driving past, faint conversations of the people whom I don't know and don't show any interest in knowing, leaves crunching under peoples footsteps, and the tree’s too.
 I sat down on the bench and pulled out my favorite book, *Looking for Alaska* written by *John Green*. He was a good author in my opinion. I loved the messages his books left. I continued to read from where I left off letting time pass by as I took the time to imagine the scenes of what was going on in the book like I always had.
 About 2 hours had passed and the schools were letting out. Little ones climbing into their parents cars, climbing the steps up to their school bus, or just walking along the same sidewalks I’d walked for the past twenty five years of my life making their ways back home where there mothers had dinner sitting on the kitchen table for them.
 I sighed, then placed the flower I used as a bookmark back into the old and worn book I’d read for many years it would seem. I stood up and placed the book back into my bag.
 The sun was setting, leaving the sky with a welcoming warm orange, but what people didn't know was that this town wasn't so welcoming.
 I began to make my way up to my door but stopped at the sight of a box left directly at the doors step. It never crossed my mind that anyone would stop to deliver such a thing to my doorstep. I never got much anymore, besides the birthday cards and christmas gifts.
 I pulled out my key and unlocked the door placing it back into my pocket. I carefully picked up the box carrying it inside placing it on the coffee table. I went back and closed the door making sure to lock it like always. I went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and walked back into the living room. I opened the box with the knife then set it down.
 I opened up the flaps gently with care and peered inside. It was packed with all sorts of things. It surprised me with how whoever had sent the package was able to fit everything inside of it.
 I pulled out a couple vinyls and placed them next to the package on the coffee table. Then, I pulled out a cassette player along with a couple cassette tapes too. There were plenty of other things that were inside the box of course but at the bottom was a sealed envelope. I pulled it out and set it down along with everything else.
 I took the knife and placed it back into the kitchen leaving the box by the door so I would remember to get rid of it sooner or later.
 It was late, besides the fact I was tired and didn't have anything really to do.
 I placed everything in its own little home and took the envelope. I sighed, not bothering to even look to see who it was from. I climbed upstairs and walked into my bedroom.
 I live in a 3 story house all on my own. I mean, it can get pretty lonesome here but I’ve gotten used to it.
 You would just walk through the front door and step right into the living room. Your greeted with the wooden flooring and a beige coach that go along with the two matching chairs. A nice looking coffee table and another against the back wall with a flat screen placed on the top of it. A delightful fireplace and shelves along the walls decorated with picture frames and little trinkets i’ve received from time to time too.
 Then you have the kitchen that has a nice island counter and the same wooden flooring as the living space. The wooden walls and wooden paneling are a nice touch too.
 Then theres the stairs that lead up to the second floor but instead of the stairs just being, well, stairs they hold books. Which I put in myself since its just my kind of thing since I absolutely love to read.
 On the second floor you’ve stepped into a nice little box like lounge I guess you can call it.
 Theres a room I have just dedicated to what I like to call my “setup” which consists of my video game consoles and obviously video games. This would also include my two pc’s with it too.
 Theres another room that is based only for the purpose of guests, which I don't get very often but nice to have every once in a while. That, consisting of a queen sized bed, a window seat, a couple shelfs along the walls with a nice decent sized vanity that had a closet next to it.
 The only other room on this floor was my own personal library. I’ve been collecting books for quite a while and I always persist on reading them all. Which most of them, I have.
 Once you’ve climbed the second set of stairs your greeted with the joy of my room. The same old wood flooring but with a plush white carpet and a queen sized bed. a tapestry hanging behind it too. I have a bedside table and a vinyl player on its stand in the corner. my vinyls are stacked neatly according to the mesh wired box I kept them in. I had a glass circular coffee table in the middle of the floor surrounded by little circular pillows you can sit on. i had what you call invisible book shelves on my walls so it looks like I just have random books floating on my walls which i think is kinda cool. I decided to not install a light into my room so I use candles and little christmas lights instead which I think is nice. I have plenty of maps on my walls to since I’ve always dreamed of traveling the world but I’ve never really gotten the chance to yet.
 But I guess you could consider this a great description of the little place I like to call home.
 I was consumed by the cool air that seeped all around the room as I stepped in. I placed the envelope on the bedside table, and changed. Then, slipped into bed where I seemed to drown in my thoughts each and every night. I turned the strand of lights that were strung along my room on and gazed up at the ceiling like always, and some how some way like each and every night, fell into a wonderful slumber just to be greeted with another day.
 I woke up that morning the the little bit of light peering in through the corners of the curtain along my window. I decided I would stay in bed for another thirty minutes or so, which of course I did.
 Once I was fully awake, I got up and started my daily morning routine. This consisted of getting dressed, brushing my hair and teeth, and plenty other things that would fall under the daily necessity category.
 Once that was finished I grabbed the letter from my bedside table and headed down to the first floor to make myself a cup of coffee. I set it on the kitchen counter.
 I opened up the refrigerator and poured half a cup of warm coffee and the other half of just regular milk stirred together.
 I sat down at the kitchen counter and opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, and I scanned it for who it may had been from. I found it, at the bottom.
 It was addressed from one of my childhood friends, Anastasia whom most of the town calls Anna for short. I sighed, thinking of all the memories for a moment. It was nice, it really was.
 The letter was written in a manner for which it appeared to be urgent. As for what it consisted of it seemed to be so in a sort of manner. She wanted to meet back up with me and talk about a couple of things along the lines of my sister.
 One week from now, two years ago my sister disappeared.
 She’s older than me only by four years, making her twenty nine. Her disappearance left a major impact on the town as a whole around us. She seemed to be what kept this town outgoing and different. She was the one who always helped coordinate our town events, fund raisers, and plenty other things that made this place very well known. But ever since she disappeared it just hasn't been the same.
 I have little hope left in them ever finding her. I lost most of it when they decided to close the case about a year and a half ago. But they just recently reopened it.
 I took the last sip of the cup of coffee I had and placed it into the sink to clean later.
 I looked out the window and began to think. My mind seemed to be like an open canvas now, waiting for an adventure to be placed along its dull set.
 I picked up my book bag and began to gather somethings to put in it. I grabbed three notebooks, a couple pencils, a town map including the towns that surrounded the area, and lastly a camera, because why not.
 I picked up my cell and texted Anna that we would meet at a *Starbuck’s* that was in the middle of the town close by to the library.
 We gave each other fifteen minutes to get ready. But, me being me, I was clearly already, ready.
 I grabbed my key and walked to the front door. I put my beanie on my head and wrapped my scarf around my neck. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and opened the door stepping outside just to shut it and lock it right back up again.
 It was nice today for some reason, it really was. I checked my watch and it was eight twenty five.
 A breeze whirled by sending the smell of cool autumn leaves under my nose, I started walking.
 I did my best to keep my mind clear of everything so I could start off with a fresh mind set but all I could really think about right now was my sister and what had happened from what I recall was told.
 I reached my destination and pulled open the door. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and cinnamon filled my nose making me crinkle it a bit. I sat down at the table in the far corner closest to one of the windows. The same table I’ve sat in for a good couple of years now.
 I pulled out one of my notebooks and began to draw a store front in resemblance to a couple of the ones in our town. Little did I know that this was soon to be interrupted.
 I heard the door’s bell ring, which meant that someone had opened the door, it was Anastasia. She was the kind of person whom everybody could fall in love with in an instant.
 Her hair was an unnatural shade of vibrant red that resembled plenty of little beach waves. Her nose and cheeks were sprinkled in a dozen freckles, her eyes were a forest like green. She had nice cheek bones to which were a good thing to have in a town along a kind like this.
 It didn't take her that long to order. It was what she would tell the baristas so being the usual.
 That consisted of a Vanilla Bean Frappé in the size of a venti. Which was a large, with three pumps of raspberry syrup with a dollop of whipped cream.
 She took a seat across from me, then decided to tap her finger on the top of the page of my notebook, that I had been drawing on.
 I looked up as a way to acknowledge the fact that I recognized that she had arrived and wanted to let me know she was there. Despite not wanting to make me jump or scare me as you would so say, I guess.
 “Hey,”
 “Hi,” I said in response to the greeting.
 “Whatcha drawing?” she asked. I looked up and smiled at her. She already knew the answer to that. I was drawing the building that Lillian and I grew up in as children. It was just like the store fronts in our town except a home. It was a regular three story building. I would spend my time reading, drawing, writing, painting, and plenty of other things. While Lillian would be online programming, coding, and all of that tech kind of stuff. She’d taught me alot of it before she disappeared, but now I’ve seemed to distance. She smiled back at me, then took a sip of her drink. “They reopened the case” Anna said. “I’ve heard” Which I responded rather quickly than I’d have liked it to be. She looked at me for a long moment. I continued to look back at her, picking up my cup taking a sip from it without leaving the trace of my eyes. “We need to do something about it” she said. I did a long sigh. “Is it ok if I stay with you?” She asked. “I don’t mind” I replied. We finished our drinks and headed out the door. We walked in silence heading to my house. Once we arrived I unlocked the door and held it open for her. She said thank you and I nodded in acknowledgement. We spoke like usual, “Im going to head up to my setup” I said casually.
 She knew I was a Youtuber. Most of the town new too. I knew alot of other youtubers as well too. Infact I knew *Dan Howell* and *Phil Lester*. I collaborated with them alot when they came to America from time to time.