“Get yo ass up! Let’s go,” Luke yells. “I told you about sleeping all day. It’s 10:30 in the morning. You ain’t that tired.” Ashton wakes up while rubbing his eyes.

“It’s only 10:30,” he replies. “I don’t care. I said get up,” Luke says. Ashton’s father walks down stairs to the kitchen to make his cup of coffee. While he leaves Ashton throws the covers off of him and begins to get ready for the day. “And get dressed. We're going to get our haircuts today,” Luke yells up the steps to Ashton.

They both get in the car and head off to the barber shop. During the car ride there is nothing but silence between the two with the sun shining through heating up the leather on their skin on this very hot summer day. Luke pulls over to a donut shop for a bottle of water and iced tea and returns to the car.

“Which one is mine?” Ashton asks.

*chuckles*

“They both for me,” Luke responds while laughing. After they finish their trip to the barbershop Ashton goes straight to his room and closes the door.

“Why was I cursed with him as a father?” Ashton says to himself. “All he does is treat me like shit. I don’t get it. I don’t.” As Ashton continues to talk to himself, his hands begin steaming, after a while his whole body. “What is going on? Smoke? From where?” Ashton wonders. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” After he completes some homework, Ashton falls asleep.

“Hey Ash, dinner is ready,” Marley says. “Woah why are your eyes so light? “They never were before.”

“I just woke up,” Ashton replies. That happens to a lot of people. Here I come now.”

“Here’s your food. Oh my god why are your eyes so bright,” Barbara asks with an alarmed look on her face.

“Mom that happens to a lot of people when they wake up from a nap. I was pretty stressed out with the homework too and I think some of the hair from the haircut may have gotten in my eyes,” Ashton replies with a stern look on his face.

“I know you wasn’t up there crying?” Ashton dad Luke says jokingly. “yo. Don’t forget you have the chores tonight and them dishes better be cleaned right because there was shit still on them yesterday,” Luke says to Ashton without making any eye contact.

“I didn’t even have to do the dishes yesterday. Marley did,” Ashton replies with a confused look on his face.

“I don’t care who did them yesterday. I’m telling you now to make sure they cleaned. Matter a fact, hurry up and finish eating so you can start them now,” Luke responds. Now having an attitude with his father, Ashton decides to continue to eat his dinner at his own pace. “What did I just say. Hurry up and finish your food so you can do them damn dishes,” Luke says.

“Luke calm down. Let him eat his food. The chores will get done,” Barbara tries to calm Luke down as she begins to see his frustration with Ashton.

“See every time I tell the kids to do something you always have something to say about it,” Luke responds.

“I do not.” Barbara now begins to get angry with Luke. “You over there rushing him to eat so he can wash dishes. If it’s bothering you so much, why don’t you clean them? He shouldn’t have to rush and eat because you want him to do some damn chores. He can enjoy his food like the rest of us.”

“No mom he’s right. Let me stop enjoying my meal and go do  these dishes even though I didn’t dirty any of them. Excuse me,” Ashton stands up.

“That’s what your want to say out your face? You can do the chores for the rest of the week then since you want to be a smart ass,” Luke says while smiling. Trying his best to keep his anger under control and to himself so he won’t get into even more trouble, Ashton quickly walks over to the sink. Both his sister and mother go upstairs as they prepare for bed and get ready for tomorrow since the week was beginning again. Luke walks into the living room and watches tv.

“I swear I hate him so much. Who gives a fuck about these stupid ass chores,” Ashton murmurs to himself. While washing the dishes his hand begins to smoke again, causing the water to heat up rapidly. He takes his hand out and bangs it on the countertop forgetting his dad was still down stairs. *Bang!* when Ashton pounded the countertop with his fist, a burst of fire flashed from under his balled hand.

“What was that?” Ashton thinks to himself. He slowly picks his hand up to check for any burn marks.  “Fire? Why didn’t that hurt?”

“Aye!! What is all the noise in there?” Luke yells. Luke gets up and walks over to the kitchen.

“You in here crying again?”

“No,” Ashton replies, but doesn't look up at his father.

“Then why does your eyes look like that? And why is the trash still in here. That’s apart of the chores. You see its full. Take it out.”

Ashton continues washing dishes since that was what he was told to do first.

“What did I just tell you to do?” Take this fucking trash out.” Luke grabs Ashton and pushes him at the trash. “Why are you so damn hot? You sick or something?” Luke quickly pulls his hand back from Ashton after feeling his hot skin. “probably because you got this water on too high. Turn that shit down. Take that trash out.” Luke walks away and heads upstairs. Ashton remains on the floor. Palms on the ground. His eyes turn a bright yellow and his arms begin enlarging. He groans, as he tries his hardest to hold in his anger and rage towards his father.

“He’ll pay for this. This…...This humiliation. I’m supposed to be his son, but he treats me no better than this trash in front of me.” Ashton says to himself. Ashton begins taking deep breaths as he tries to calm himself down, knowing that he still has the chores to do and he needs to get to bed. “One day,” he says. “One day.”

“Ashton you’re late. You know what that means,” Ms. Greene tells Ashton.

“But it wasn’t my fault. The train was stuck at a stop for about 15 minutes. What was I supposed to do?” Ashton responds.

“Whether it’s your fault of not, that’s 2 points off of your grade. Be here on time next time so you can now turn your 69 into a 70,” Ms. Greene adds.

With all of the class eyes and attention to the conversation that Ashton and Ms. Greene were having, Ashton feels a little embarrassed considering the fact that everyone knows about his struggles in english class. He races to his seat next to his best friend Kutcher.

“Don’t worry about it man. I’ll help you if you need it.” Kutcher says as he tries to reach out to his friend.

“No. At this point I don’t really care and if I can’t do it on my own then maybe I deserve to to fail. I’ll figure it out,” Ashton says.

School is over and the boys just get off the bus and begin walking towards their homes.

“Hey Ash. Seriously, if you need anything just let me know. You know I’m always here for you. Look at me man. Is everything alright?” Kutcher tells him.

“Yea. Everything is fine and I know. Thanks. I do appreciate it.” Ashton tells Kutcher as he walks off and turns down the block to his house leaving Kutcher.

“Something isn’t right. I know it isn’t.” Kutcher begins thinking to himself. “It’s probably because of what happened in class today, but that wasn’t all that big of a deal and Ashton wouldn’t let something like that get to him so easily. Maybe its his dad. He always tells me the problems he has with him. That has to be it. I’ll wait and see how he is doing tomorrow.”

“Kutcher! Kutcher come here.” Ashton pulls Kutcher aside before they both enter school. Before Kutcher could say a word. Ashton begins speaking again. “Ok. Something weird is happening to me and I don’t know how to explain it. Yesterday, When I came in the door, of course that bastard starts yelling at me again for the dishes not being washed good enough and he claims that I did not sweep at all last night because the floor wasn’t spotless. I had enough of it. I was fed up with all of his shit so I exploded. I began cursing and yelling and I just felt so much anger building up. My dad grips me up and throws me against the wall and punches me a few times. He tells me to go to my room and not to come out. This where it gets weird. I was so angry I felt like I was getting hot. And I really was. I noticed there was smoke in the room and it was coming from me. I could see it off of my hands. Just as I became worried I overheard my dad talking about me to his friends, so I got angry again. That’s when it happened. Fire was coming off my hands. I quickly ran to the bathroom and put them under water. It was weird cause as I was doing that, my hands started hurting. They didn’t hurt when they first caught on fire, but when I put water on them it did. What should I do?” Kutcher stands there for a moment in disbelief.

“Dude. You have fucking powers man. That’s awesome. I wish I could turn into fire,” Kutcher says with excitement. “Come on, let’s talk about this in class.”

Ashton and Kutcher both approach the table where they eat their food, making sure they are away from everyone so they can discuss what has been happening to Ashton. “So can you control it?” Kutcher asks.

“Uhm I don’t think so. It just happens sometimes. I notice it only when I get angry.” Ashton replies.

“Maybe it only happens when you’re mad. Get angry so I can see.” Kutcher suggests.

“I can’t just get angry. Let me see if I can push it out. Come over here.” Ashton grabs Kutcher and takes him to a secluded area.

“Ok. Here goes. haaaaaaaaaa!” Ashton begins to yell and push as hard as he can to get the fire to erupt inside of him. Kutcher begins to laugh.

“Dude you look like you’re constipated and the shit is like right there but it won’t come out.” Kutcher begins to laugh.

“Really man? See I was trying to be serious and show you something,” Ashton begins to walk away. Kutcher continues to laugh

“Ard man calm down. You should have seen your face though. It looked so funny from my end. You looked like Goku from Dragonball Z or something,” Kutcher says while laughing.

“Wait a minute your eyes do look a little red from the….. (Kutcher pauses for a moment) oh never mind that’s just redness from when you were screaming and pushing like you had to shit.” Kutcher begins laughing again. “Come on. Let’s get your silly ass to gym class. It’s dodgeball today.”

“Alright class. I hope you are all prepared for class today because we are playing dodgeball. I’m going to split you in half and who ever is on your side is on your team,” The gym instructor splits the class in half into 2 different teams.

“Hey look who’s on the other team,” Kutcher looks in the direction of a group of teens and points. The group begins laughing at both Kutcher and Ashton. One of the girls whispers into the ear of one of the boys.

“I will. Don’t worry about that.” The boy says.

“Alright the game is about to begin let’s go. We don’t have all day,” Mr. Lou yells. “On your mark….get set….dodge those balls.”

Mr. Lou blows his whistle and the kids race to the balls. Everyone starts to run around with balls flying everywhere. Ashton and Kutcher catch a few and throw them back.

“Hey Ash! Come closer to me. Let’s work together!” Kutcher suggests.

“I got you Kutcher.” You know who I want to hit, Jason.” Ashton turns his attention to Jason and begins eyeing him down with balls flying everywhere forgetting all about Kutcher’s plan.

“Ashton, where are you going?” Kutcher loses sight of the game and gets hit in the face by Jason’s girlfriend Letisha.

“Oh that bitch. She hit Kutcher!” Ashton begins dodging balls as he shifts his attention to Letisha. He throws a ball with all his force at her. Jason, with a ball in his hand deflects Ashton’s ball and together they throw their balls towards Ashton. Direct hits as the balls hit Ashton in his face and head. Ashton falls to the ground grabbing his head. Jason, along with his friends began pelting balls at Ashton while he’s down.

“Hey hey hey! That’s enough. He’s out already.” Mr. Lou yells. “Are you alright son.”

Mr. Lou grabs Ashton’s arm as he tries to help him up.

“Yea, I’m fine.” Ashton tells Mr. Lou.

Mr. Lou quickly pulls his hand back from Ashton’s arm. Ashton picks his head up slowly as he looks up at Kutcher on the sideline. Kutcher notices Ashton’s eyes are a bright yellow.

“Holy shit,” Kutcher says to himself.

Ashton pushes Mr. Lou back to the bleachers and stands up with his arms three times the size they were before along with his body steaming. He grabs a ball and throws it at one of the friends. The ball is released with such force that it knocks the guy back a few feet. The class is stunned as everyone noticed the fire tailing from the end of the ball. Ashton grabs more and throws them all at the group. Becoming more enraged his hair catches fire and his arms begin to grow even more. The class scatters with fear. Letisha and Jason exit the gym holding hands.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ashton says.

With his enhanced speed he runs and grabs a ball and throws it through the door catching the back of Letisha’s head. She quickly drops to the ground without moving a muscle. Jason continues to run.

“Jason, you’re next.” Ashton continues to chase Jason while laughing hysterically as he closes in on him with each step.

“Dodge this!” Ashton jumps into the air and throws the ball with all his might at Jason. The ball hits him in the back and Jason drops to the ground.

“How do you like it. I hope it hurts. It still doesn’t make up for all the pain you caused me over the years. Get up.”

Ashton grabs Jason and holds him against the wall.

“Why won’t you look at me? You never had that problem before, Jason.”

Ashton begins to chuckle. Ashton’s body begins to flame. He drops Jason and breaks a whole in the wall as he tries to escape the water from the sprinklers above.

Just as he leaves Kutcher runs up to him.

“Ashton! what the hell man. Is this what you were talking about? You can turn into fire?” Kutcher asks with a concerned look on his face.

“Yea Kutch. This is it.” Ashton’s last words to Kutcher as he blasts into a sprint leaving the ground where he once stood on fire.

Ashton is no where to be found for hours. He finally arrives home after his outburst at school.

“There he is. I was calling your phone. It’s nine o’clock. Where the fuck were you.” Luke begins to raise his voice as he stands up.

“I had a long day ok,” Ashton tries to go upstairs.

“Uhm where are you going? Bring your ass over here,” Barbara yells.

“No calm down Barbara. Don’t even get mad at him. He wants to stay out late, let him. He doesn’t live here anymore. Get your shit and get out,” Luke says.

Just as Ashton reaches for his book bag, Luke grabs it first.

“No no. This mine. I paid for this. Just leave since you want to be disrespectful and only do what you want to do.” Luke pushes Ashton towards the door.

Ashton grabs his father’s hand and pushes it back.

“Who the hell-” Just as Luke was talking, Ashton turns to his parents and bursts into flames. His hair is on fire. Even his eyes become flaming.

“I’m sick and tired of this. You think I’m disrespectful. I’ll show you disrespectful!” Ashton says.

Ashton blasts off the door and lets out a loud roar with fire coming out of his mouth. He pounds the ground repeatedly causing the porch to cave in as fire blasts from around him. He walks into street throwing fire balls at cars and the sky.  He stops and stands in the middle of the street and lets out another loud scream with a fire vortex forming around him, lighting up the night sky.

“Are you happy now dad?” Ashton shouts as he begins to laugh with an evil smirk on his face. He takes one look back at his home and sees his sister Marley standing on the sidewalk. They lock eyes and at that moment, Ashton begins to cool.

“Marley get over here!” Luke grabs his daughter and pulls her back in the house. “That’s not your brother anymore. He’s a monster.”

Ashton overhears his fathers words to his family and he begins to flame again.

“I don’t care if he’s on fire or not. He’s still my brother,” Marley says with a tear sliding down the side of her cheek.

“What kind of freak are you?” a man says as he stops at the top of the block in his car, astonished by what he sees in front of him. Ashton’s anger begins to take over his decisions as he charges at the car at full speed. He launches himself into the air and jumps down on the car, leaving nothing but blackened metal, a blackened man with fire surrounding him.

*Knock Knock*

“Ashton? Dude what is going on? We been hearing weird noises lately. Like explosions.” Kutcher says with a worried look on his face.

“I know. I did them. look.” Ashton’s hands and hair catch on fire. “I just came here to say goodbye man. I can’t stay here. Not like this”

*Police sirens*

“Back away from the house and keep your hands up!” The voice on the megaphone says.

“I’m sorry Kutcher.” Ashton takes off into the night leaving destruction in his path.

Police knock on the door of Ashton’s house.

“Ma’am, we want to do a DNA test on your son. We need to figure out what he is so we can stop whatever it is that is making him like this,” The detective says.

“Yes, of course. Here’s his mouthpiece.” Barbara hands the detective Ashton’s mouthpiece.

After a long discussion about the whereabouts and actions of Ashton the detective finally leaves.

*Barbara begins crying*

*Marley begins crying*

“My son. What has happened to my son.” Barbara drops to her knees. Marley comes to comfort her with tears running down her face.

“we’ll get him back Barb. Don’t worry,” Luke says.

*Knock knock*

“Mr. and Mrs. Brown. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions pertaining to your son?” the detective asks.

“No not at all.” Barbara says.

“Ok we found that his skin cells have a yellow ember around them and are enlarged. How was your pregnancy with your son?” The detective asks.

“Luke, that explains why his eyes were always yellow. As far as my pregnancy. I did smoke with him, but so have a lot of mothers.” Barbara responds.

“Did you eat anything particular with him?”

“I did eat a lot of spicy foods. That’s what I craved with him. I couldn’t help it. We were also in Death Valley because of my husband’s job at the time and Ashton was born on the hottest day of the year.”

“Well there it is. While inside of you his body must have adapted to all of the hot temperatures he had to endure during your pregnancy. I guess as he grew, the cells became more advanced and now he turned into this. When did you guys first notice any weird changes?” The detective ask.

“Oh I know. When I told him he had to come eat that one day his eyes were yellow and the room was a little foggy.” Marley says.

“When was this Marley?” Luke asks

“Oh about 2 days ago. He seemed mad when you guys came back from getting your haircuts,” Marley adds.

“And then the loud bang when I asked him why was he crying. His eyes were yellow then too. Then he turned into fire when he came yesterday when we were yelling and screaming at each other. I think it’s triggered by his anger.” Luke comes to realization.

“So it was you who did this to my baby. You're the reason why he’s so angry?” Barbara begins to stand up.

Barbara begins yelling and screaming and starts to cry once more.

“We need to find him and get him back now!”

“We will do whatever we can to bring him back Mrs. Brown.” The detective reassures Barbara as he heads out of the door.

Barbara runs upstairs to her room and slams the door.

“Daddy, will we ever get Ashton back?” Marley asks with a concerned look on her face.

“I don’t know Marley. I do not know.” Luke says as he places his hand on Marley’s shoulder. She quickly pulls away and runs upstairs. She enters her room and slams the door. She sits at the foot of her bed staring out the window.

These were her final seconds. Her last chance. All she has to do is accept it and help me out. I need her to work with me and come back. She could hear me, right? She has a pulse, she just needs to wake up.

"Mom! Mom, its me your son Mason! Please, wake up mom! I need you..."

Burying my face into the sundress she wore I cried. I cried because I prepped myself for this moment and I failed. She had been sick for a year and I knew her death would come soon. But, now I couldn't bare the thought of actually losing her. I worked so hard in fighting fate, when I should have just accepted and faced it. She was gone and not even the artificial heart and animare cells could keep her alive.

I wiped away my tears and walked over to the monitor. As usual everything looked fine and the monitor showed signs of a pulse, but she didn't move an inch.

“I guess you can’t beat death, huh mom?”

Silence was her reply. I slowly pressed the off button on the monitor and sat next to her in silence. I closed my eyes and rested my head by her arms. Memories of her rocking me to bed when I was young faded into my mind. Songs that she sang to to me with her soft whistle like voice came to mind and soon the tune hummed through my lips. Like it was happening all over again. Doing this my heart beat slowly and I regained some peace. I felt a cool rush to wind blow in from the only small window in my mother’s room, but I ignored the goosebumps that crept onto my skin and stayed comfortable in my mother’s possession. Since this would be the last time. But the suddenly I felt small faint movements within the bed. Knowing how my mind can play tricks on me I ignored it. Assuring myself that it was a figment of my imagination. But, then pokes of  dry crusty fingertips prickled along side of my arm and then my hair. I lifted my hair quickly as possible in shocked of what could be happening.

“Mom!” I shouted to her as I looked into her deep brown hazel eyes hoping she'll reply like “My baby or pudding,”

and a bright chocolate smile would appear upon her face. But all I got from her was

“Who’s Mason? And why do you keep calling me mom?”

Stunned by this reply I sat there and watched as she slowly sat up, caressing her head in her withered hands.

“She wants to see you now. She’s in room 306.”  Doctor Heath said with sorrowful and heavy eyes.

“Thanks.” I replied. I didn’t know what else I could say. Walking down the hospital halls, each step I took felt heavier to the point where I felt like I couldn’t lift my feet anymore. So I stopped, turned to my left and saw a family surrounded by an old women who appeared to be smiling at me. Her bright smile seemed to bounce off the chrome walls of her room and touched on me. I was smiling too. But once her smile had a ripple effect on me, her heartbeat had slowly left her and it was announced to all her family members as soon as she slowly closed her eyes with the monitor making that dreadful sound and that beautiful smile still on her face. Hoping none of her family members saw me staring, I quickly turned aways and began to walk again forget about the illusion of my heavy feet. Two rooms away and I heard urgent worried voices. No. One voice. It was Doctor Heath's voice and he was talking to someone I had never seen in the hospital and usually never forget a face. But he look familiar. For some reason I stopped to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Is it true? Can it really bring back the de--” Doctor Heath said

“Shhh.. there’s cameras.” said the other guy. Then, he took Doctor Heath's arm and pulled him aside to a corner where a camera wasn’t monitoring.

“Listen, it took 3 -4 days but so far the ape has responded to the animare cells and  has a pulse. We need to do further research on how he responds to our test of fully ---” said the man before he heard my almost crushing a gum wrapper. Stupid robotic janitors must have missed a spot. Before he could move to see where I saw I made it to my mothers room. She was staring at the ceiling holding onto yellow sunflowers with a goofy smile on her face.

“Mom? What are you doing?” I chuckled,

“Oh hi my darling. I was practicing my pose for my funeral. With the flowers or without? What do you think?”

Mother always did have a way with serious situations. She liked to think of the bright side of even the worst case scenarios.

“I think that you have plenty of other important things to worry about then the pose you make when you're dead. Besides it wouldn't exactly be up to you, it would be up to the people who prepare you.” I’d always be the one to bring her back to reality.

“Not if I write it in my will,” she argued

“Oh mother,” I chuckled as I sat beside her and held her hand. “I love you.”

With her free hand against my cheek, “I love you too sweetheart,”

“Alright, how is my favorite patient doing?” interrupted Doctor Heath,

“You should know,” I replied back. Mother squeezed my hand as a hint to be nice. Doctor Heath always spoke nicely and respectfully but I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about him. To me at least he always showed signs of being robotic. As if he had no true feelings and did what he was ‘programed’ to do.

“Well we all know. Her heart is getting weaker and bigger by the second and her body isn’t strong enough to continue on with the state that she is in. What’s even worse that we’re seeing is that the chambers are having trouble filling with blood. So what we can do now is simply hope for the best and pray.“ he said, as if he ever prayed.

Mother looked away at what he said, trying to fight back tears. His phone rang before I could insult him on his incompetence, once he saw the caller he rushed to get out and said

"I need to take this. I’ll be back with your blood test results."

While rushing out the door a piece of paper that loosely hung outside of his back pocket fell to the ground. I picked it up and opened it. While going back to the seat next to my mother and caressing her back with on hand I read what was in there paper in another. It was the researchers inquiry.

'DNA animare cells give life' under the heading was a picture of an ape. So that was what Mr. Heath and that strange man was talking about.

“Mason,” startled by this I hid the paper.

“Yes mom,”

“Can you do me favor?”

“Of course mother,”

“Take this,” she pulled out an envelope and handed it to me.

“Mom-”

“Take it,” She said interrupting me. “One day you’ll need it. And one more thing?”

“Anything,” I looked into her eyes.

“Can you remember me and tell your kids stories about when I die?”

“Mom, you can never be forgotten and thats a promise and I’ll make sure your grand babies don’t forget about you either.” I gave her a smile

She chuckled.

“Little tiny Mason’s running around,” she said as she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

As much as I wanted to stay as close to my mother as possible I had to find out more about those cells. Since they could possible help her. Although the thought of putting random cells into my mother’s body sounded creepy and untrusting with her being in her condition I had nothing left. She was going to leave me soon and we both knew it. But with these cells she could possible could stay just a little bit longer.  I went to the basement to find the old macbook pro my father gave to my mother when they were dating. I always tried to avoid looking at this thing. It was dusty and had a couple cracks but it was the memory of my father. He liked to do things the old-fashioned way. Inside of the front screen I see sticky notes covering everything, but the mid-center. No one ever touched his laptop because well it reminded us too much about him and his death almost destroyed my mother. After he left I put it in the basement so she wouldn’t have to remember. No one ever knew his password but my mother and I. My father was old, but he was smart. His password was a series of numbers and letters. I was surprised I remembered it all. As soon as I opened it there was a typed letter on display.

‘Dear Mason,

My darling Mason. If you are reading this then you are on the right track and your father and I have taught you well. In the envelope I should have already given you, there is a key. Your father, as smart as he is has been saving up since the day I told him I was pregnant. Now darling don’t get too excited but this money is for you to continue your studies in college. The key opens a safe that is in the back on the closet where we use to put all of our old shoes. If you pick up some of those old shoes and feel your way through you’ll feel a hole. That hole is really an opening to a small door. Open it. Once you do, you’ll find the safe. In that safe there should be about 3 million dollars. I know you’ll put it to good use. You father and I raised you beautifully. Baby boy, if and when you read this I should be in the hospital because you know my condition doesn’t allow me to live long. Please don’t cry or even feel sorrow. God will build a way for you and for me. I shall meet you father once again and we’ll be watching over waiting for you to join us. Please live a long and fulfilled live and continue to make us proud my love. I know you will do and discover brilliant things just like your father. If only he could see was wonderfully you have grown into an eighteen year old man. Our little Mason, a man. I love you and I know with all my heart your father does too. Bye now my darling.’

I looked inside of the envelope and it was a key. In the key was engraved my father’s password. That probably was the hint from my mom. 3 million dollars? Why save it when she could have used it to get new organs or even better treatment? As tempted as I was to take the money and rush to the hospital so they could help I knew it’d be too late and my mother wouldn’t accept it. For her condition a heart-lung transplant for her would be almost one fourth of that sum. So I continued on with my search about the animare cells. My father use to work for NASA and I’d always be around whenever he did his research. I use to always be so fascinated about how he conducted his experiments. I started by searching anything about animare cell in different search engines. I saw many articles that popped up like the one that Doctor Heath dropped. But they all said the same thing and I needed more than what those articles covered. Then, I started reading my father’s stickies around the laptop. One that really caught my eye. “DNA cells reanimate brain?” I quickly went to the search bar of the macbook and typed in “cells”. Many different searches came up. But I chose the one that said ‘DNA Cells’. In that was a word document. In that document seemed to be a journal in which my father wrote all of his thoughts down about what he knew about cells reanimating the brain. It would be a serum filled with micro highly advanced brain cells, blood cells and organisms that stimulates the human brain and heart. It turns out my father was the one trying to create this new technology, but because he died he was unable to finish it. But, who did? My father only had only one partner in NASA that he actually trusted. Rubert. Rubert was his high school buddy that my father entered into NASA with. My father always thought it to be  blessing that they both go in. I call it a conspiracy. I could have sworn I saw Rupert trying to make a move on my mother and since that day I never trusted the man. He could have been the one to take credit for my dad’s work and have tried to finish the process my dad started. I’d believe it and I’d find a way to make hims pay for it too. No wonder Rupert came by the house asking for my father’s laptop. It’s a good thing I lied about not having it. There was another sticky note that said “DNA cells prt 2…” I searched it up and found another file but this one happened to be cut off. The basement was my dad’s own personal laboratory. According to the journal he had created his own serum and wanted to try it on a dead animal out on the street before trashbots got to it. I guess he never got the chance. It says that he placed the serum in the mini fridge to preserve it. There was two.

The next day mother wanted to be let got from the hospitals care. She knew that she wouldn’t survive so she wanted to spend her last days home. I didn’t mind. I told her everything that I found and my plans. I still didn’t get the chance to look at the 3 million dollars, but she knew I’d find it and find out about father’s old plans. She too went snooping around his laptop. Though she didn’t want me to try it on her.  I tried to respect her decisions but she didn’t try to respect or understand how much I needed her by my side. She was all I had left, yet she still believed I could make it without her. I couldn't see that happening so I continued on with my research. Every since I got a job mother made me a bank account to manage my own money in my own way. That afternoon I took 1.5 million dollars from the safe and put it into my bank account. Then I spent the rest of the day with her. I cooked for her, laughed with her, and watched movies with her, lying that I finished all my work in school just so I could spend her last moments with me. Together. Just like how it use to be. That night when she went to sleep coughing I tucked her into bed and gave her a kiss goodnight. Then, I went online to amazone in search of the perfect artificial heart and surgobot to perform on mother. WIth the right amount of in the year 2043 you can find just about anything. Once I found right functioning heart with mother’s blood type, a 4 starred surgobot, and asked for express shipping the total cost rounded up to about 1.5 million. This is my mother’s life on the line here. I pressed accept without a doubt in my mind. I went to bed and looked at the article that I saw come out of Dr. Heath’s pocket. I’ve read the article a million times now at school, but for some reason I wanted to read it again.

The next morning mother grew even more ill. Each time she continued to cough blood would usually be the product of it. Whenever I tried to call an ambulance for her she’d just stop me and say “No. Just hold me hand.” And so I did. But I couldn’t bare to see her in this condition. I want to remember her as they way we were yesterday. Beautiful and happy. Now she is weak and exhausted. I closed my eyes and prayed for God to find another way for her. But it didn’t seemed to be working. She just just kept coughing out blood. When she finally stopped she looked me in my eyes and said

“You always did look just like your father. My darling, remember that I love you,”

My first tears in all of this began to fall from my eyes because I knew these would be her final moments alive. Thought my plan could work it there was still that chance that it wouldn’t and it crushed my soul to lose her.

“I love you too mamma,”

“Forever and ever?” she said hoarsely

“Forever and ever,” I replied

Then she closed eyes to what seemed like she fell asleep, but she lost her grasp in my hand. I knew she was gone.  I sat there in silence and a minute later the doorbell rang. I went downstair from her room to get it and saw it was a man with a clipboard, a high definition robot holding a large package.

“Are you Mason Smith?” he said looking up from the clipboard.

“Yes,” I said.

“Sign here,” he said as he handed me the clipboard to sign. I signed it and handed it back to him.

“Here is the manual for the surgobot. He is already programed as you asked and ready to perform. That is the organ,”

“Thanks,” I told him.

“Here’s the number of the seller if you need any help. You have a good day sir,” he said as he walked away.

“Alright. Let’s get to work surgobot,”

“Surgobot 5000 is ready to go,”

“Surgobot carefully take the box all the way upstairs and then go to the first room to your right. Wait for me there,”

Then surgobot proceeded up the stairs. I ran straight to the basement and took one of the serum. My father wrote that too much could possible cause brain damage. I went back upstairs to my mother’s room and found surgobot standing there, waiting.

“Surgobot,”

“Yes master,” it responded

“Please. Do as you were programed to my mother,” breathlessly I pointed to my mother’s dead body and surgobot got to work. I watched it all. I sat down and watched as surgobot 5000 opened up his chest and display of all different types of surgery utensils came out on a tray and took some things from the package and hooked my mother to a monitor. I watched as surgobot cut open my mother’s chest, took out her weak and enlarged heart, put back in the heart I bought, and sew her back up. All the while, all I thought about was my father. I thought about what was he planning to do with this serum. Did he already know about mom’s condition before she even did? Why did he pursue to do such a thing? Maybe , it was because we worked in NASA and he mind just wondered to those things. Maybe he just wanted to discover or create something new. Maybe he knew something. I was wondered and could never figured out what was would go on in my father’s mind, but my mother could. It was like she was a psychic. Which is probably why he loved her so much. Mother understood father like no other. Mother understood me also. I wonder if she knew what I’d be doing. Oh God, please let this work. I can’t loose all I have, not now when I need it the most.

“Master?” surgobot said interrupting my thoughts.

“Yes,” I replied. Within 5 hours of constant nail biting and piercing thoughts rattling in and out of my head surgobot 5000 was finished.

“I am finished what I was programed to do. Is there anything else you would like me to do master?”

“No. Thank you surgobot,”

“Have I done a good job?”

“Yes, you may now go to sleep if you please.”

“Thank you master,”

Surgobot found a corner and put himself to sleep. The monitor now had a beating sound which meant a pulse, but she needed more than just that. she needed the serum. I opened up the top and poured the serum into her mouth and watched as it went down her mouth. Then, I sat down beside her and waited.

YOU’RE DOING EVERYTHING WRONG.

SLEEPING. EATING. EXERCISING.

BE BETTER. REACH YOUR OPTIMUM CONDITION.

BE OPTI-HUMAN.

Learn more at ohsproject.org

Sometimes, the life you have and an ad like that is all it takes to give into it. Eight months ago, I saw that ad on my bus ride home. Despite the less-than-bold font, typical stock photo of a first world citizen in distress, and cheesy content, I was drawn to it. It could be my ticket out, I thought, and began to reach for my phone in my back pocket. Pulling up the browser on my phone, I punched in letter by letter the website I was eying on the ad across from me. What came up after hitting “Go” seemed like such a joke. Out of desperation, I played along.

* * *

It’s now day one seventy three of experimentation at the OHS—Opti-Human Sanctuary. In a week, everyone here will change units for the second time since our arrivals. I’m not sure I’m ready to move out of this unit though; I like it. In the Sleep Focus unit, the main thing to focus on is… well… sleep. The scientists here are pretty creative with names for these things, obviously. But, more specifically, in the sleep focus unit, we sleep how we’re supposed to. No fetal positions or burying your face in your pillow. Go to bed earlier and without distractions; wake up when you’re sleeping the lightest. The rules are only there to help you and the scientists. And the rest of the world, supposedly.

It does feel like it helps, though. Falling asleep is no longer like a hard task, and it’s not involuntary, either. They place you in a dark room, close to but far enough from others in the unit practicing the same concept. Your own bed is soft — not quite the sinking of memory foam but not the bouncing of a mattress full of springs. Once your body hits it, though, there is no way you’d want to get back up. There are no distractions. The bright screen of a phone or digital clock doesn’t exist in these rooms. If your eyes are open, you could think you’ve gone blind, because what you saw was identical to what you’d see if your eyes were closed. Every night of sleep felt like a peaceful, welcoming death and waking up to a whole new life.

Experiments like these make me wonder how normal people in the world outside OHS even got to function on such poor sleeping habits. I wish the rest of society prioritized their citizens’ health the way they prioritize the market, entertainment, and all the other unnecessary things we… or they, succumb to like sheep. But, if all goes well, and there’s enough evidence of humans in optimum condition, the world can gradually change into a society like this. Will they want to — that’s the real question.

Seeing as though I’m in the first batch of experiments, probably not. Or, maybe, the ads weren’t specific enough about what the goal was; they were very vague. Only those in search of an exit from their everyday lives — besides death — probably found their ways into this isolated place.

It was rough at the beginning. The day I saw the ad and got home, I did all the research I could find (which was scarce) on this OHS ad. Apparently, there were few ads of OHS that people saw and felt compelled to write about on the Internet or elsewhere for that matter. I dragged my finger across the trackpad of my laptop and clicked when the cursor got to “More Information” on the website from the ad. Less than two seconds later, a page full of more boring font from the ad appeared on my screen.

Through skimming, I assumed for myself the details: a group of scientists had the idea to begin a society with more reasonable aspects of an American’s everyday life to meet the actual criteria for how humans should be living.

“And that’s where we come in?” my friend Georgia asked over the phone the following day.

“Exactly. Also, since it’s an experiment with humans, there’s money involved, just like they do for like testing cosmetics and stuff,” I added.

“I don’t know about this, Des… You sure you’re okay with your life and everything now…?” The tone of Georgia’s voice seeped through the speakers into my mind with her unforgettable face that matched it.

“Georgia, I’m as fine as I’ll ever be. Please do this with me. Think about how amazing we’ll feel afterwards! It’ll be like studying abroad but coming back healthier instead of more culturized, yeah? What have—”

“Yeah, what have we got to lose, right? How much of that website did you read anyway?” she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, and realizing Georgia couldn’t see that, I said, “Enough of it.”

“Oh, enough? All the fine print that probably binds you to the project for even after your year of being at that sanctuary, the absence of insurance of your own life at that place.. You’re allowing yourself to be their test rat! How do you even know if they’re real scientists? I mean, Odessa, do what you want, but just know this is how I feel about it. I don’t think you can count me in this one.”

“Oh, alright… I’ll let you know if I get to go in a few days, I guess, then,” I said, and we hung up.

Two weeks after I’d sent out my application for the program, I received a letter in the mail with more specific instruction, which sounded more and more like a voluntary kidnapping — we met the scientists at a place that isn’t very busy, they gave you a codename and either you got in their van or you didn’t. From within the van, you couldn’t see where you were going unless you were a passenger up front. The look on the staff member next to me’s face was crumpled into itself, looking just as disappointed as I felt.

“I guess it’s going to be a long ride then,” I say out loud, turning to face him. He caught my glare but didn’t maneuver towards me until I smiled politely. His face was still a little twisted — eyebrows furrowed and lips in a tight line and cheeks approaching the color of tomatoes. Maybe I wasn’t the only one nervous for this trip.

“Well, yes,” he finally replied, “about six hours according to our driver.”

“Whoa,” I said, truthfully. “Where is this sanctuary supposed to be anyway?”

He paused to glance at another worker who nodded, and then said, “It’s located in a small city not far from Boston.”

Not knowing what else to say, I said, “Oh cool…”

We didn’t speak again until everyone boarded off the van. Outside of it, the sun was high in the sky, with some clouds behind and around it, and we were all standing on concrete outside of a tall, fortress-like wall that went on for what seemed like miles in both directions.

Before we could go any further towards the fortress, the workers instructed us to line up against the walls with our belongings while we waited for other vans to pull into the lot, one by one.

“Welcome to the Opti-Human Sanctuary, everyone,” a woman’s voice from a megaphone said when most vans had arrived. My eyes wandered around the crowd to find the source of this voice.

She continued, “You will all be spending at least a year here, and we’ve broken up that year into different units in which you’ll study and practice different ways of living — the right ways of living. We still want you to be as free as this experiment can allow you. Once we get inside, we can match up your applications with the scientists you’ll be working with in your first unit.” The only noise you could hear besides her voice was that of her heels hitting the ground in a slow, saunter-like pattern. The megaphone sounded as she lowered it from her mouth and to her side, and, by her heels, I could distinguish her from the rest.

The woman had a short stature, her cherry red pumps raising her a good four inches off the ground. On the left side of her blouse was a nametag — I couldn’t make out the full name, but I think the first word had said “Dr.”

* * *

The worker from the van showed me to my living space after registration. The world behind the fortress wall seemed like a new one entirely — even on the other side of the wall the air somehow felt cleaner and crisper; every breath I took was a deep one, as the scientists asked that we’d do if it wasn’t too difficult for the first day. Hundreds of other people in the experiment seemed very on edge, so maybe that was it. We had no reason to be nervous, though.

The worker led me into a plain room with a closet, bed, and small but tall desk with a lamp atop. The chair was missing. I looked at his shirt for a name tag like the other woman had. “Where’s your nametag?” I asked.

“You’re quite the curious one, aren’t you?” he answered, smiling.

“You must be feeling better than you did on your way here, huh?”

“Oh, yeah. It was my first time outside of the wall for quite a while, and this time we brought back live experiments. Many people don’t know what this means to our team,” he said. “I’m Doctor Ren Sewell.”

The title “Doctor” took me aback, and he chuckled lightly after seeing my eyebrows and eyes raise at the term.

“For fun, I dressed as a worker to help with the rest of the team in getting our first bold batch of future opti-humans. How does it make you feel that you’re starting history by being a part of this?”

“Well, I never looked at it like that… I just needed this to get away from my life at home for a while, or maybe longer… I’m Odessa… um… Colton. People call me Des for short.” I offered my hand, which Dr. Sewell took in a firm grasp before letting his own fall back to his side.

“So, they’ve instructed me to tell you that your first unit of focus is exercise and other physical practices. Not everyone is starting at the same unit. In a few months, we’ll be rotating the experiments around,” he said, and I nodded, looking him in the eye. “The goal for everyone in this unit is to gradually adjust to practical everyday human things the way they’re supposed to be done. For example, sitting for less than three hours a day can add about two years to your lifespan. Some have linked excessive sitting to cancer, diabetes, and heart problems for the future. Watching the television while sitting adds even more to that…” He trailed off for a few seconds, as if he were pondering something in his own life that related to that. “We’ve already been sitting in that van for more than six, so I suggest you get up and move around or something. Exercising is a larger part of this unit, as you can tell.”

I slowly rose to my feet. My bottom did feel a little sore from such a long ride. “You guys’ll let us know more stuff as we go along, right? It’s a lot to take in at this very moment,” I said.

“Oh yeah, of course. We try not to put much stress or pressure into the subjects — it has potential to alter the results. But, there are ideas you should try to keep up on. And finally, here’s a little map of the sanctuary for you, just so you can get around. It’s great for this unit, because instead of sitting they can walk around, explore, and meet other people.” He walked over to the tall desk and opened a drawer, bringing the map out, which was folded in three parts like a brochure.

Dr. Sewell opened the brochure briefly, glanced at inside the cover, and stretched his arm out to hand it to me. “Thanks,” I said, taking hold of it.

“No problem. So I’ll just leave you to it, and I hope you enjoy yourself and live better. Listen out for announcements on the overhead.” He pointed towards the ceiling before stepping out of my room, closing the door behind him.

For the next several weeks, I spent less and less time sitting and more time doing all things else. I mostly explored the new grounds, which probably went on for miles in all directions. It really was a “sanctuary.” By exploration, I found a massive gym where many of my unit members went daily, even if they weren’t going to work out. Also, I noticed there were even children and their parents in the society, and wondered how the kid felt about living differently from all his peers from before.

My first friend in the Sanctuary besides Dr. Sewell was named Nat; who came from the food unit part every other day to use the gym facilities as scientists suggested for him. Whenever we weren’t focusing on our units during weekdays, Nat and I would talk about our lives before OHS.

“I lived in Cali, going to school for acting,” he’d told me one day.

“So is that you or a character you’ve played before?”

“No no, it’s the real me. I was going to school for a reason, Des,” Nat said, “I can’t act!”

“You wanted to be an actor that bad? My parents would have made me become a lawyer or something before sending me to school for something I knew little about. You Cali kids…” I snickered playfully.

“Oh yeah, us. But what about you? Where are you from?” he asked me.

“I’m from good ‘ol Philly, just outside of it. Decided against going to college.” My eyes wandered towards the ground in between where we were standing.

“Oh really?” he said, reaching out to lift my chin with his hand. “Why is that?” he asked.

I shifted before saying, “I dunno, man, school just wasn’t my thing. It drove me crazy trying to do well, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand another four years of that in college.”

“Ah I see, so what do you do instead?” Nat asked, still interested.

“I’m kind of a job hopper, but I normally work for a firm and do wedding photography on the side,” I answered. “It’s really not all that interesting…”

No matter what day it was, we still never got tired of each other’s stories. We also had a little trouble making friends besides each other as it was — maybe it was that we didn’t want any more friends.

* * *

After the rotation from the physical health unit, I moved into the sleep unit, which, thankfully, Nat was also a part of. We could spend more time exploring and practicing not sitting for that long, even though that wasn’t my focus anymore. After exercising all the time and taking big day adventures all the time, I felt like sleep was a good way to level all that out, even though I would probably be doing mostly the same things.

The scientists said that depending on the medical history provided, the sequence of units you’re placed in should build on each other. Like I’d already said before, the sleep unit was the better of the two units I’d already experienced. With a week left to spare, however, I spent more time focusing my unit, which the scientists in charge of it didn’t seem to mind. Dr. Sewell stayed in the physical focus unit, but we still saw each other around the sanctuary from time to time, talking if he wasn’t in a hurry to get somewhere, like yesterday.

“Scientists are always a little busier around the rotation period. We have to think about who’s going where and how they might cope with the new environment and how it’ll build on their old one,” he said.

“I’ll never understand how you guys can do all this, it must be so much work and dedication to the outcome of this project.”

“Well, yes, it is difficult at times, but we all look forward to the results of the experiment. Those are the main motivations for all of us, I’d like to think,” he said.

We were sitting at one of the few park benches. You’d think that by now everyone would get sick of trying to stand more often, but I guess it was really just me being lazy that day. I cast my gaze on the tree above us, rubbing my eyes sleepily. It was only midday.

“How are things over at that physical focus unit?” I asked, opening my mouth to yawn. “Excuse me,” I murmured, covering my mouth.

“Things are going smoothly, you know? People here are getting more used to the practices here, which is great — they’re adjusting faster than what we’d predicted. Maybe this batch of experiments is just a motivated one, you all,” Sewell said, placing his hands on his knees.

Just as I was about to throw out another conversation topic, a watch on his wrist beeped a few times, pulling him back into his regular duties as a scientist. “Well, Des, I gotta run now, but we’ll talk more after rotation!” We both stood — I felt like my three hours for the day was almost over anyway — and we headed in opposite directions. He went towards the main scientist headquarters, while I headed for the gym to try to lift my sudden tiredness.

There, of course, I ran into Nat, who was speaking to another girl he must’ve known from his first unit. Seeing me, Nat sprang up farther into his feet, for he was already standing. His eyes glowed with excitement while mine remained neutral. Nonetheless, I smiled because I was glad to see him.

“This is Des,” Nat told the other girl. Turning and gesturing towards her, he said, “And Des, this Elle, like the French for ‘girl.’” Elle giggled, bringing her hand up to her mouth.

“Nice to meet you, Des,” she said, extending the same hand to shake mine, which I took.

“Same to you, Elle,” I replied, curtseying and holding out my imaginary skirt while doing so.

“What unit are you part of?” she asked.

“The sleep focus unit, have you already been in it?”

“No, I’m in the psychological focus unit, and I was in the food one before with Nat,” she said.

“Well, it’s amazing. You’ll never sleep better in your life!”

“I agree with that,” Nat added.

“Oh yeah? I hope that’ll be my unit then next cycle,” she said.

“Well, we have two more days to find out,” said Nat.

“What’s this whole psychological focus unit? I haven’t heard much about it,” I asked Elle.

“The scientists said it was an experiment within the experiment. It’s kind of hard to explain. There’s just a lot of exercises for keeping your brain and emotions manageable, especially if you’ve had a rough time in the past. It’s like therapy without all the talking. You get the knowledge, and help yourself however you want. They also want you to work on how you interact with others so that everyone can be a little more decent to each other in the future, if this project is ever extended to the rest of the world, you know?” she said.

I could only stare as I tried to make sense of what Elle said in my head. By the twisted look on my face, she said, “Well, I guess you don’t. It’s really cool, though. My favorite of the two units I’ve been in so far. It just helps create lots of peace within yourself, which was something I needed.”

Nat glanced at me at this, and getting bored with the conversation, said, “You guys wanna go for a jog? I feel like I want to be outdoors right now.”

We agreed and ran our regular route around the sanctuary, taking in all the sights of this internal group working their ways up to being opti-human.

That night would be my last in the sleep focus unit, so Nat and I decided to head on back to the sleep unit building after grabbing a bite to eat with Elle at the food unit and walking her back to the psychological unit.

Outside the sleeping room, Nat and I stood against the wall talking for a bit.

“What are we gonna do next rotation? We probably won’t be together again,” Nat said.

“Well, we weren’t together the very first unit, and we still met each other then. We’ll always be around each other,” I said, trying to comfort his seemingly petty worries.

“I guess you’re right,” he said, stretching his arms to the ceiling. “Ya bruh’s gotta sleep now, Des. I’ll see you in the morning,” Nat patted my head and walked past me into the dark room.

“Enjoy your last amazing sleep,” I called after him. I stood for a minute, and followed his trails into the room but into my own bed.

* * *

Hands were all over. A groping, followed by a flash of light to the face. It was so blindingly bright that I couldn’t open them long enough to know what was happening. I felt like a bat in a cave. It wasn’t just me that felt hands all over, but everyone in the sleep unit. Murmurs everywhere. The figures that moved around were probably scientists, I assumed. Though nothing like this ever happened before, I could only think of them as a reasonable explanation for all the madness.

“Everyone, we’re sorry for disrupting your sleep, but please exit the building and stand outside until further notice. Let’s make this easy, now,” a voice from the overhead said.

I did as he said, groggily trudging out of the unit building and into the dim light cast by the night sky. Nat found me within minutes.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” he asked me.

“No, not at all… I was looking for Dr. Sewell to see if he had anything to do with it,” I answered him, feeling the heaviness of my own foggy breath leave my mouth.

More and more people were pouring out of the units while Nat and I watched. Whispers around us were all mentioning something about the psychological focus unit, and I could not for the life of me guess what was going on. Thankfully, Dr. Sewell, who was standing by a light pole, caught my eye. I grabbed Nat’s hand and dragged him over to where Sewell was.

“What’s going on?!” I said.

“They’re all saying that someone has escaped the sanctuary.”

“Escaped? Why would anyone ever want to escape?”

Nat, Sewell, and I all exchanged eye contact.

“Do you know who it was?” Nat asked Dr. Sewell.

“A woman from the psychological health unit. I believe her name is Elle something.”

“Wait, our Elle, Nat? Are there any other Elles in that unit?”

Nat sighed before answering, “I guess it was her… I had no idea she planned on trying to leave the place,” he trailed off.

“So you knew about this?” Dr. Sewell raised one eyebrow at Nat.

“Look, I suspected something was up with her. She puts on a happy front around everyone else, and is probably acting like the psychological focus unit is helping her. Truth be told, from the things she’s said to me, Elle seems far from healthy.”

“In what sense do you mean ‘far from healthy’?”

“Just generally unhealthy. She talks about how sad and angry she gets at herself all the time, and how there was no hope for her. I don’t think I’ll ever grasp what made her feel that way, but I’m guessing it was a problem before she came here.”

“Do you have any idea of where she might go if she’s left the grounds?” Dr. Sewell asked him.

“She always said she’d wanted to go to Canada one day,” Nat replied.

“Alright. Thanks for your help, Nat. I have to be getting back to work now, they’ll need a search team for her pretty soon I bet.” Sewell glanced at both of us before disappearing into the crowd.

After that night, though, Nat and I never saw or heard from Elle again. I hoped the best for her, wherever she was. What Nat said about Elle and her mental health hit me personally. Even though I’d only known her for a few hours, I reasoned that we had more in common with each other than what we originally saw. What if she came to OHS for an escape just like me? But, if it was so good for her why did she run away? My questions would never be answered.

* * *

The next rotation unit I was placed in was the food unit, so Nat and I weren’t together as often. Without him, though, I would think about what to do after the experimenting year was over. Maybe Elle left because she figured everything out. Or, maybe, she needed to fix something. I imagined her taking it to heart with the directions “learn your brain and then fix yourself how you’d like to.” I found that no matter what time of day, my thoughts always seemed to stray back to her. I was just so curious. It also inspired me to do what I thought Elle might have done by leaving the opti-human sanctuary.

Day in and day out, I would plan things out in my head — while eating, exercising, even before I slept I thought about my old life. The days and nights of it were long and complicated. My work in the firm was miserable and lifeless. I relied on my wedding photography to lift my spirits, but no one getting hitched wanted Odessa to take their pictures. My best friend, Georgia seemed to agree with me less and I still hadn’t talked much to my mother and father since graduating high school a year and a half ago. Because of where I lived, I was constantly reminded of it, too. OHS was the perfect way out. Throughout the second half of my stay at the sanctuary, I grew more and more conscious of my responsibilities as a growing human — not only my physical health and lifespan, but my life around others.

* * *

The final rotation: Nat and I were together once again, for the psychological focus unit. Elle was right about everything they taught. What made me feel better was that I was already figuring things out for myself before the brain lessons. Nat heard about my plans too, while we were on a jog one afternoon close to the end of the year there.

“Give me all you’ve got, girl,” he said.

“You’ll be so proud to hear all this.”

“Go go go, I’m listening.” Nat gently ran into my side.

“Alright, so, I’m staying away from Philly. It’s home, but it’s a reminder of all the complicated things. I’ll quit my job at the firm. As for my parents, I think I need to say something to them. It’s ridiculous not to talk to your own family just because of the choices you make,” I said.

“Completely agreeing with ya.”

“I’ll expand my wedding photography business, too, and move somewhere people marry more,” I continued, stopping jogging to tie my shoe. Nat slowed down next to me.

“Wonderful. You, Miss Colton, have gotten your life together. There’s just one thing you’ve forgotten about.”

“And what is that?” I smirked at him and raised my eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

“Your destination. But I have an idea for that.”

“Go on…”

“Room with me. We can keep each other in check.”

Surprisingly, the idea had never crossed my mind.

“But… I thought you were in college. Don’t you live in a dorm?”

“Comfortable apartment, with a spare room, actually,” Nat replied.

“Oh my god, Nat, you don’t know what this means to me! Thank you so much.” After I finished tying my shoes, I stood up and threw my arms around his shoulders. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you,” I said into his shoulder.

“Nah, thank you! I prefer company besides by own, and you’re an incredible person, Des. I need to keep you around, you know?” We pulled away from each other.

“So it’s decided,” I said. “When the year is over, we’ll opt to leave the sanctuary and deal with our lives head-on. Two weeks.”

“We can stay healthy too, I’m way too used to this lifestyle anyway. I’ll find a compromise. We’ll compromise,” Nat said, nodding his head.

That was that, and we were set in stone.

* * *

“Wake up Remy you have to go to school.” I awaken, rub the crust out of my eyes, and do my early morning stretching. What’s the point, I think to myself as I ponder about going through another year of high school.

“Wake up!” my mother yells. My mother urging me out so that she may call her suitors over. She pretends to care about my education; I know what she really wants. Some early morning loving.

“I’m up Ma! Calm down.”

I go into the bathroom and scrub the filth from my body, then put on my Levi Jeans and army fatigue shirt for the first day of a new year. I walk downstairs to see my mother laying on the recliner, drinking what seems to be her fourth beer of the day while empty cans crumple under my feet on the way out the house.

“See ya ma. I’m going to school.”

School was never really for me, it’s not that I didn’t understand the material or I had bully problems. It just all seems pointless. I know I have a bigger meaning, a bigger purpose in this sick world we live in. I know I’ll change the world, for the good of mankind I don’t really know yet. But for now I have first period science class.

In class my teacher Mr. Bentz introduces and urges the class to pay attention so they we may strive. Right from hearing this I go to sleep until the bell rings signaling the end of class. I rise quickly and dart out the room.

“Give me your lunch money.”

“No, please.”

“I said give me your lunch money before I whoop your ass.”

“Ahh, help me. Help!”

I run to the screams, that lead me to a dark hallway with faint lights flickering in the distance. I see the bullies taking advantage of this poor kid. I don’t know if I should help him or not.This isn’t my problem after all. The bullies and I make eye contact for a split second before I decide to walk away to my next class.

Now in PE I can clear my mind of my mother, bullies, and whatever’s to come. I decide to hit the weights and work on my arms. I pick up the 30 pound dumbbells, to begin my sets.

“One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eig...,” said Remy.

“Yo, did you rat on me?”

“Nine, Ten.”

“I said, did you rat on me!”

I look up to see the bully towering over me with his fists clenched. His friend is behind him like some sort of body-guard. Trouble always seems to find me.

“No I didn’t say a word to anyone. Now let me finish my sets,” said Remy.

“I don’t believe you, now stand up and fight me like a man,” the bull replied.

Damn, I didn’t want to get into any kind of trouble the first day. But since he was asking for trouble, I had no choice. I stand up nice and slow and put the weights away. Before he knows it my fist slams into the bullies face. Crack. He drops hard to the ground rubbing his nose. He signals the rest of his friends for help. At least seven more stocky teens run towards me. Damn, I know I’m in trouble. I turn and run for the doors. I sprint through the hallways trying to find an escape or some type of hiding spot. I see a pair of doors in the distance that I go towards. As I went to open the doors they wouldn’t barge open. I turn around looking for another way out only to see the 8 bullies staring me down.

“You don’t want to do this. Just let me go. We can pretend it never happened,” I say, as I try to reason with them. My words don’t phase them, for they continue giving me evil blank stares. They charge me and slam me to the wall. They begin to punch and stomp on me aiming to crush and bruise my ribs and head.

“Now this is what you get bitch,” says the lead bully.

“Yeah dumb ass,” says another.

Blow after blow, I fade a bit more thinking of what my father would do in his troubled times. Half conscious, I begin to feel a sensation as my heart begins to pump faster and faster. What are they doing to me? My skin begins to tremble and vibrate and my body begins to steam ever so slightly. The bullies stop pounding me and back away a couple of feet. I caress my face only to feel massive bruises and a stream of blood flowing from my head on the green grid printed school floors.

“Ahhhhh”, steam begins to rise from my whole body. I stand up and look towards the bullies.

“What have you done to me, help me”, I plead out.

I look in their leader’s eyes and see fear, as he signals the crew to slowly back away. Suddenly my hands go ablaze. My eyes widen as my hands are on fire but I feel no burn. I’m not hurt. The fire consumes my body and heals my wounds. The bullies run away screaming.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!”

I step towards them, leaving a burning trail behind me. One of them pulls the fire alarm, the cold water puts the flames out. From the fire alarm I get dizzy and pass out.  

Opening my eyes, I see a white light dangling from above my head. I lift my head urging myself to get up but it’s a struggle as my body is completely in pain. I manage to lift myself up, but my head is still in circles. I lift my head up and notice I’m in the principle's office. I see my mother in near distance speaking to him. My head is in so much pain that I’m seeing in my mother in doubles. It takes a while but my senses start to come too. Damn, what the hell happened?! Once my mother and principle Philips see that I’m awake, they signal me to come sit in the empty chair that is beside my mother. I walk slowly to the chair, as I have no clue of what’s to come. My heart pounds and pounds, it feels like it may  pound right out my chest. As I sit down I stay I stay silent, waiting for them to reprimand me. The principal glares at me, while my mother wipes the sweat from her clammy palms and slightly shakes as she looks at me.

I look towards the principle, “What seems to be the problem?” I ask.

“You, my boy, are in deep shit. It seems you like to start fires. You’ve picked up some bad traits from your father and just like him you’ll eventually end up in jail. Just like him, you like to burn shit up.” says Principal Philip.

“What are you talking about? I didn’t start any fires. It just sorta hap ... happened. I’m telling the truth.” I was trying to plead my case as best as I could without knowing the true facts myself.

“I have witnesses that say you started a fire, so since you are clearly lying I ought to kick you out of the school. But since your mother has convinced me otherwise” he continued, smirking in my mothers direction, “you’ll just spend a week in detention.”

“That’s not fair, I haven’t done anything.”

“Not fair?! I should send your little arsonist ass to jail. You should be grateful you’re only getting detention. But for now I’m sending you home with your mother. You’ve started enough trouble for the day.”

As I walk to my mother’s old BMW three series, I think about what principle Philips said to me about my father. I’ve never known my father but apparently he seems to be an expert. Maybe now my mother will finally talk to me about my father. The rusted material on the door squeaks as I open it. I sit on brown ripped pleather seats. My mom gets into the car and we drive off. From the look in her face she doesn’t seem angry but she begins to sweat every time she looks my way. What’s on her mind? Does it have something to do with my father? Is the expense too much to handle?”

“Mom, I know there’s no true way to try to explain myself, but you have to believe it wasn’t intentional and I’ll do whatever I can to help pay off the damages.”

“No, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. It’s about your father and fire and well we’ll talk about it when we get home.” I see my mother’s face begin to drip in sweat like she’s made a big mistake or something. I’m sorta relieved though; I finally get to know about my father. She’s kept him a secret from me for so long I had almost forgotten he existed. It’s a long drive home in the car driving on the dirt desert road. While getting out the car, we rush in the house as we see a pack of wild coyotes in the distance hungry for meat. We manage to make it inside without them noticing. My mother and I sit down in the 2 recliners. She looks and messes with her own hands.

“Do you want a glass of lemonade?” she asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

“I’m going to get you a glass of Lemonade.” I can tell my mother is really stalling and trying to stray away from this talk. This is driving my patience to another level. I wait 15 minutes without her return. I then clench my fists. Bam! I bang on the table, causing it to crack at the core. I feel a stream of blood flowing down my hand before noticing my hands steam again like before. Oh no, I’m starting to feel that special sensation. What’s happening to me? Just before my hands combust into flames, my mother rushes to my side and pours ice water on my hands.

“That was a close call!”

“So you know what’s happening to me. You know what I’m going through.” I look into her eyes trying to find an answer. My hands are sore from the liquid relief. I search my pockets for some Advil.

“You have to learn to control your emotions. Your fire capabilities are directly linked somehow. Your father couldn’t handle that task. That’s why he’s dead now.” My heart drops; even though I never knew my father, I’d always imagined that we would meet up someday, that I would have the chance to meet this notorious man. But I guess I won’t be able to.

“How’d my father die... who was he? Did he use his powers for the greater good or for the downfall of mankind?” Questions of curiosity fill my head as I strive to learn about the lost stories of my father. I know he must have been a great man, regardless of what my mother will tell me, I just know it.

“Slow your roll Remy?, Calm down,” my mother said.I relax myself, sitting up in the seat and eager to learn about him.

“It’s a long story, starting on August 6, 1945 in the town of Hiroshima,” my mother began.

“That date sounds familiar.”

“The date should sound familiar, or all of Arizona’s public school teaching is a complete failure. It’s the time America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima killing over 135,000 people.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I can smell the beer on her breath as she tells me the story. I can’t really tell if she’s being sincere or if she’s on a drunken rant. For now, I’m going to decide that whatever she says is the truth. Maybe she’s finally telling the truth after years of lying and deception.

She continues, “Your great grandfather was a refugee there when the bomb hit the town. He was one of the lucky ones who didn’t die instantly from the blast. But, unknowingly, he had been affected with radiation poisoning that wound up killing him years later, after he had kids. Something happened to your grandfather before his death though. He was changed... Somehow, the radiation from the bomb changed his genes and DNA strands. Every other person affected by the radiation lost eyes, hair, or at the most grew extra fingers or toes. But, no, your great grandfather was special. The radiation gave him fire powers.”

“Fire powers?”

“Yes. Your great grandfather, grandfather, and father were all wonderful men before they discovered their capabilities. The fire took control of them, and they couldn’t control their emotions or capabilities. Before they knew it, the ones they loved were in danger. I thought, prayed, wished that this vile curse would end, and that it would skip over your bloodline, but it didn’t. Tears roll down from her face.

“Don’t worry, mom, I’m not like my father or his father before him. I’ll control my capabilities.”

“I don’t want to take that chance, so from now on I’m keeping you home until I can trust that you can control your emotions. Don’t try to plead, either. This is very serious and I don’t want you burning your classmates to a crisp when one of them steps on your shoe.” Even though I didn’t agree with her decision, I would have to accept it. From now on, my main thought would be control. I did research on being calm and watched a lot of superhero cartoons to get tips. I’m not going to lie I watched about 100 cartoons to 1 stress relief video. I was trying to find if any heroes in the cartoon world went through a similar dilemma, to find out if superheroes go through this a lot? I needed to practice using my powers on command. First, I went out back and set up a shooting range, basically a bunch of cans and bottles lined up that my mom didn’t need anymore. I needed to use the energy inside on command, and not by anger. I focused long and hard on my hands hoping they would come ablaze but never did. What was it? Why couldn’t I control my powers. I thought back to the comics and cartoons and didn’t really remember any tips on control but they were the goal I had set. I wanted to be one of them, to be a hero, someone that the public could look to for safety, someone my ancestors could be proud of. From this my ambition to be great helped me focus to where I created the sensation all on my own and before I knew it my hands had combusted into flames. I was still fascinated how my hands were engulfed yet I felt no pain. I managed to spread the flames to covering my arms and eventually the rest of my body. I can’t lie, the power felt good, real good. I take my powers into play as a shoot down the targets with ease, I’m a natural.

My mother just came from work was standing silently at the door observing me. “Just like your father.” she said. I  then looked in her direction, she looked scared as if she’d seen monster. I didn’t want to make her cry so I relaxed my body to shut my powers down.

That night before falling asleep, I thought of a plan that would make my mother proud of me, just like the heroes in the comics. She’s never told me she loved me or that I was special to her. We never had a real connection, I was determined to change that, I would make her want to praise me as a son. I then practiced my capabilities non stop until they were under my control. I was so good that I could light a candle from a mile away.

After a practice session outside in the back of my house, my mother approaches me with some lemonade.

“I’ve seen you’ve done a lot of practice on controlling your powers,” she says.

“Yea ma, I think I’m ready to go back to school now.” She puts the lemonade down and gets serious in her tone.

“I’m not to sure of that though, see you’ve managed to control your powers, which I congratulate you on but yet to have control over your emotions.

“But aren’t they same thing since they are so called “linked” together.”

“This is the same thing your father thought before the fire took over his body and pushed him to his breaking point.”

“I’m not my FATHER! I will never be like that clown, he’s not me, he couldn’t do what I can do. I am all powerful.” My head and body light into a flame uncontrollably.

“AHHHH” I scream and shoot fireballs into the air, it feels like my body is being taken over.

Coyotes from all around see the flames in the distance and come rushing towards us, damn. It’s hard to concentrate, it feels like my head is exploding. These coyotes aren’t scared of my flames but instead attack with no let-up, I guess they were hungry. At least 20 blood driven, red eyed, coyotes with sharp fangs and tearing claws charge towards me. The pain from the overpowering flame is causing me to see in doubles, I don’t know what wolf is real compared to the fakes. Trying to fight the coyotes off and protect the family is a tough task, but I have to get through it for the survival of the family. Before I know it, I focus on my goal of being a hero again and i’m able to control my abilities a bit more. I see 2 charging coyotes, I quickly burn them in a flash. More coyotes come to the fight to where my mother and I was getting shredded alive. I had no choice and unleashed my flame, causing my flame to spread turning all the coyotes into ash. I had done it, saved the day. Afterwards we went into the house to rest from the epic battle. Going through the fight in my head, I realized if I were ready I would of handled that situation a lot better instead of killing off a whole pack of coyotes. Good guys don’t kill and I did it effortlessly.  I couldn’t let my mother know of the concern that I had with my abilities so I pretend that everything it Ok.

“Mom I told you, I’m ready for the real world I clearly had things under control.”

“Oh but you hadn’t, it’s your fault that we were in that predicament in the first place.” Surely enough she had realized the same thing I had. As hard as it was I didn’t want to believe it but she was right. I caused all that fight, unintentionally but caused an unnecessary fight. I put my head down and mope to my room. I known know that these powers aren’t a gift, aren’t a way for me to do something great, but a curse like my mother said. She was right about everything, I would follow the footsteps of my dad and grandfathers. Even though wanting to be good, wanting to be a hero, I’m not destined for that sort of greatness. Rethinking my plans on what i’d do now with my life is a hard thing to do. I can’t go back to school because I might burn it down which wouldn’t be a bad idea. Theres no point in training anymore since controlling my powers are pointless, the flame inside of me is uncontrollable, it’s energy is pure evil which I can’t overcome. My mother is scared of me and hates me because of the monster I am.

Later on I hear a ruckus downstairs, I walk half way downstairs to see my mother and about 10 men in police uniforms. Knowing my mother, she must of did something.

“Mom what’s happening.” She doesn’t reply at first but points towards me so that the officers may get a clear view of me. There’s faces don’t look to pleasant.

“What seems to be the problem officers?” Again at first no response but they start to move in my direction. I’m sweating through my shirt and my hands begin to steam.

“Son, we have to take you into custody. Your mother has informed me that your a serial arsonist that has no sympathy for human life.”

“No that’s not true, I swear.” My body begins to steam a bit more. I didn’t want to combust and to prove my mother right, so with all my strength I held back the flame inside. The officers then reach for their pistols.

“What are you doing?” I look towards my mother, trying to urge her that this isn’t the way, that I didn’t want to die.  

“Just do it already, KILL HIM, KILL THE FIRE BOY!” said my mother. My heart sunk to the bottom of my stomach after hearing those vile words. I then knew that I wasn’t the monster, I wasn’t the demon, she was. She was the bad mother who never showed me any type of love or affection. She would rather be with her boyfriends than her own son. She couldn’t believe in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. She brought me this low level of self-confidence. She just wanted me out of her life.

Chapter 1:

I don’t know how I got here, living under water, but i know I want to explore above the water.

“What else is out there?” I asked my parents when I was younger.

“Nothing. Everything is down here.” They would always reply.

But if that’s true, then why are we the only people who lie down here? Not even animals are under water with us. My parents never talked about it, but I knew that they have been to earth before, they just did not want to tell me, knowing I would get curious and want to leave to explore whats above us. I knew they were lying to me, but never really cared and wanted to pursue my thoughts until I got older.

Before Thomas was born, when his parents were still living on earth, their neighbors figured out that they had gills on their bodies and that they were not humans. His parents decided to escape and start a new life under water before their neighbors exposed them to the world.

That’s when it really hit me: my teenage years. Being a teenager, one would want to go out and have fun with their friends, but me, I had no friends. My friends were literally my parents. Everyday I would wake up, clean the house, and cook dinner. My parents didn’t have jobs. They just sat outside the house all day and read books. They left me in the house all day everyday to think about how I was going to get to the top of the surface. And so, I began to think of a master plan.

Knowing that my parents know where I’m at, every single second of the day, I need to come up with an elaborate plan that would trick my parents into thinking that I was doing what I normally do while I make my way up to the surface to discover what is up there. I knew this plan would take time, so I started as soon as possible. First I took a few pieces of paper from my dads office to map out my ideas on how I’m going to get to the top of the surface. I figured that I would need to come up with a plan to get my parents to stay in the house for a good ten minutes while I make my way up to the surface. I knew this wouldn’t be easy and I had no help but I was confident that I could accomplish discovering what is up there.

Chapter 2:

I knew that this would be hard, but I didn’t know it would be this hard. My parents basically lived outside. From the crack of dawn, until it was time to eat dinner and go to bed while I stay in doing the work they don’t want to do. So there it was, I then figured out that the only time I could make my way to the surface was when they were sleep. I needed to also plan out how long I planned on being up there? Maybe just before my parents wake up, then I can come back down I thought to myself. What if I get caught? I don’t want to spend the rest of my life stuck inside a house. The night drifted on as I started to second guess my plans on going above the surface. It all started to turn into a bad idea in my head. But I couldn’t go much longer without knowing what is up there. Without knowing there could be a better life for me above the surface. More opportunities for me that my parents never took advantage of maybe. I have to do this. Theres no backing out now, I have to do this for my self. I repeated these words in my head everyday day and night until I was ready to leave home for the first time.                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Chapter 3:

Today is the day. The day I’m gonna go explore outside of home. I figured that I would leave about 2 hours after I knew that my parents were actually sleep, like sound asleep and nothing could wake them up. I chose to leave out my window, I had tested it out earlier: if it made a lot of noise when I opened it and it made a little, but not enough to wake my parents out of their sleep. My supplies bag was light, but there was so much more that I wanted to bring with me. Even though I don’t get out much, I found ways over the years to keep sane. There aren’t any opportunities here, and so there is no reason for me to stay. Yet, I don’t know the world outside of these waters. But if I am ever going to do something with my life, I have to try.

Slowly, I raised my bedroom window. The rust from the window left a slight residue on my hands. Quickly, I wiped it on my shirt and kept pushing upward. Peeking my head out of the window, I could see the top of the water. A beautiful full moon guided my trail, as I swam as fast as my body would allow. The thrill of the water rushing across my body was so oddly familiar, and I have missed it greatly. The moonlight was perfect enough to keep me on the path to the top. Suddenly, I sensed something along my path. From the looks of it, a great white shark was headed near me. My mother once warned me of their relentlessness, so I immediately panicked. There was no turning back now, but I was its prey. Gripping my back sack close to me, I tried to shoot up to the top of the water. It was the only sure way to throw off the shark.

My timing was too slow for the shark, and it inched closer to me the more I panicked. I wish I could just disappear that very moment. Forget getting to shore, I just don’t want to die. If it bites me, I will be the next full course meal. I felt its nose graze on my foot.

Chapter 4:

What is this place called? It’s nothing that I expected it to be. What is this stuff that ‘Im breathing? As I catch my breath for the first time I’m distorted. I stubble over into the sand thats all around me. I look up and see big buildings, bright flashing lights and loud people. Well I guess there people. They resemble my parents a little, but they’re using their feet to get around. Underwater, we get around by swimming. I thought to myself.. I wonder if these things know how to swim. I hesitantly move a little bit forward, not sure where I was going but I was trying to get used to how people get around out here. I see a long wood made elevated surface that people are walking along. They often stop at these house looking things but with things inside of it such as clothes and shoes that everyone could see. So I decided I should go over there and see.                                         As I start to move, I feel this sharp pain in my foot. I had stepped on something sharp in the sand. I stop and try to make out what it was. It was dark outside still so I decided to pull out my flashlight and point it on the bottom of my foot to see what it is. It appeared to be some type of shell. It took me a while to get this thing out of my foot, and when did a read watery substance was leaking from it. I was in so much pain, I feel into the sand and held my foot for a while. I started to get tired so I thought I would just go back home, I knew that I could come back another time to discover this place even more in depth. Drifting off into sleep, I woke up and it was bright outside. My heart raced as I thought about how much trouble i would get in when I returned home. But then, I saw someone. A woman running along the beach. She was running towards me, and I knew she was looking at me, but not looking in a normal way.

Chapter 5:

It appears as though she was running towards me, and every second that she got closer, I knew she was coming to say something to me. I tried to avoid her and act like everything was ok. But I still had a pain in my foot. She stopped me to figure out if I was ok and did I need any help. I was startled. I didn’t know what to say. I never had a conversation with anyone other than my parents.

“Hello, are you ok?” She said again.

I replied with a “yes”, but it seems that somehow she knew I was lying. She seemed to be so concerned with me, that I let my guard down and told her that I had something stuck in my foot and could not get it out. I told her that I was in so much pain and could barely walk. She took me in as if I was her own child. She pulled out a kit full of band aids and alcohol to treat my foot.

“Where are you from? You live around here?” She had asked.

“I’m from out of town, I was just visiting a few friends.”

Knowing I have never had a friend in my life. I had told her I didn’t know where they lived nor did I know how to get in contact with them.

“So how are you going to get back home?” She replied in a concerned tone.

“My parents are coming to get me in a couple of days I think.”

“You could stay with me, well you could stay in my garage if you want to. I wouldn’t want you sleeping out here on the beach.”

“Thanks, but I know my friends are looking for me and I think it would be best if I stay here.”

“Ok. I hope your foot gets better.”                                                                                            

I thanked her for all of her help as she started her run back up the beach. Is everybody up here as nice as she is I thought to myself. Maybe I should take her generosity, at this point I think that I really need it considering I have no idea what I’m doing up here. Maybe she could show me around. Basically she could give me a tour of this foreign place. She had not run that far away so I decided to call her back, but I didn’t even catch her name. I managed to get her to turn around by yelling “hey.”

Chapter 6:

She turned around in shock, stood there for a couple seconds then made her way back to me. I think staying in your garage would be a good idea I told her. I do not have anywhere to stay now that I think about it. She looked at me and smiled. I’d be glad to have you stay with me until your parents come to pick you up.

“Want to go grab something to eat?”

I shook my head yes, not knowing what the food up here was like. Underwater, we ate fish that were swimming in the surrounding area. We go to that long thing made of wood were all of those house looking things were.

“Lets go into this store, I really love this shirt.”

I followed right behind her, scared of what was going to happen next. But I discovered what these house looking things were. They were called stores. I was looked at strange by everyone in the store, like I was an alien or something. I knew that I didn’t fit in, so I tried to act like they were. I began to look around the store, pick things up, then put them back down. Thats what everyone else was doing. We leave this store and go to another. But this one was way different.    

They didn’t have clothes in this store, they had what appeared to be things that people up here eat. Surprisingly they had what appeared to be fish. It was kind of brown and crunchy but it still tasted like it. She had got a salad, which back at home was seaweed. Up here, she told me that it was called lettuce, which was a vegetable and that it was good for their bodies. So I decided to try some. After we ate, we made our way to her home. It was kind of a long ways to go, but my excitement overcame me feeling tired.

Chapter 7:

I know that I should go back home, but I’m torn. We arrive at her home. This feeling of excitement, but scared at the same time, we walk through her door. She shows me around her house, then shows me where I’ll be staying for the next couple of days. I figured I would only stay for the night but a feeling came over me. I was torn between staying here to figuring out more and going back home, knowing my parents were worried sick about me. Wasn’t this the point of me leaving home? To experience what else is out there? I’m starting to feel like maybe I wasn’t ready to leave the nest. A couple more years at home with my parents wouldn’t hurt me. Then I thought, when I return home, I’ll probably be in so much trouble, I’ll be there for a long long time. She came to check on me only one time that night. But I knew inside that she was becoming a friend. My first friend and I must admit, it felt great to have someone that cares about you; other than my parents. I never had to make such a hard decision in my life before. I knew that I would eventually go back under water, but whether or not it would be anytime soon was what stuck in my head back and forth for the entire night.  I only got about 2 to 3 hours of sleep, waking up to the sound of her walking down the steps and opening the garage door. “Good morning” she said enthusiastically as I slowly opened my eyes. I yawed and told her Good morning back.

“Want to go for a run with me this morning, get some exercise?” What the heck is a run I questioned in my head. That thing she was doing yesterday when I first met her maybe? Whatever it was, I decided to go along with her. Why not learn more new things.

Chapter 8:

Unaware, His gills seeped into his skin overnight and that meant that he couldn’t go back into the water. His gills had suddenly disappeared from being up above the surface of water for a long time. I got up, got dressed and waited for her to come back to tell me she was ready to go for this “run”. Remember, try to fit in with everyone else. Do not stand out too much I told myself. I don’t want anyone to notice anything weird about me. She came down stairs with this strange attire I had never seen. Maybe I was the one who was dressed strange for this. I didn’t have to proper clothes so I guess this will just have to make do I said to myself.

“Are you ready?”

“Ready as I can ever be” I said. She opens up the garage door and the bright light from the sun blinds me. I’m not used to this type of sun. of course I can see it from under water, but the impact it had up here was a million times different.

“We’re going to run to the beach and back ok?”

“Ok.” I replied.

Little did I know that was about a mile, which I was not capable of doing, I barely knew how to walk and now I have to run, great. We started our run and she wasted no time getting there. She was so far ahead of me I would lose her once a crowd of people appeared. I could see the long thing that was built with wood. I knew we were close to where I entered this place, she was closer than I though.

Chapter 9:

We reached the beach. Now we started running on the sand. Excused from running, I decided to swim in the ocean at the beach while she continues her run. Little did she know i was trying to go back under water with my parents, but when I hit the water, I could no longer breathe under it. Did I come adapted to breathe up here now? I started to suffocate, and once again she came to my rescue.

“What happened! Are you ok? Why would you ever get into the water if you do not know how to swim?”

“What?” That you can just magically breathe underwater without holding your breath or something?” She said in a tone of voice I have never heard from her before. She sounded really upset with me. I think I should tell her what I really am, where I really come from and why I’m here. I could risk getting into more trouble than I imaged, what if she thought I was crazy and reported me to the police? I have so many reasons why I shouldn’t tell her about the real me, but I also have one good reason why I should. She’s my friend. My only friend. Listen, I’m not what you think I am, or what you portray me to be. I come from under the sea. That’s where I live. I came up here to discover something new. I was tired of being stuck in the house everyday and wanted to really just find myself and mature. This adventure didn’t turn out the way I thought. I thought that I would be back home by now and had got enough experience that if I wanted to, I could come up here again. But now its like, I don’t even want to leave. I’ve learned so not only much about this place, but about myself and what it’s like to have a friend. I can even prove it to you. Still, she doesn’t say a word. He lifts up his shirt to prove to her that he can breathe under water. When he lifts up his shirt, he expects her to see gills, but it was the complete opposite.

Chapter 10:

She sees that he doesn’t have gills. Theres nothing but skin in place of where his gills should be. He looks like a liar to her, but he begs her to stay, because he can’t explain what happened. I need your help more than ever he pleads to her. Can you trust me? I’m telling you the truth. My home is underwater I made everything up. I was not staying with my friends and got lost. I came up here to discover new things. I wanted to experience something new. My parents never let me outside. We’re the only people who live down there. I never had any friends, ever. Please don’t leave me. How will I return home? “You're crazy!” She screamed at me

“Are you insane?”

“No I am not! I’m telling you truth, why can’t you just believe me?”

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

“But I thought we were friends. Aren’t friends supposed to trust each other?”

“I mean we are, but this is just crazy. How am I supposed to believe that you’re really from under water?”

“Because you just have to believe me. That’s what friends do.”

“Im sorry, I just can’t.. nice to meet you.”

“Please, you have to help me find my parents.”

“Louis! Get downstairs. Breakfast is ready!” said my mom.

As I was rubbing my eyes trying to find the courage to get out of bed, I couldn’t help but want to stay asleep. To keep my mom quiet, I found the strength to flip over, push the covers ff, and trudge downstairs to the kitchen.

“Eat breakfast and get ready for school.”

I nodded my head in a reply and ate my cereal. Another damn day at school. I powered back up the stairs, put on a white tee shirt, brushed my teeth, and walked out the front door.

“And please .. do NOT be home after dark,” said my mom; giving me that stern look she does every morning after she says this statement; in hopes that I don’t forget.

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I don’t blame her though. You see, living in Huttson; which is right outside of Pennsylvania, wasn’t the safest place in the world. It definitely was the cheapest. The population was quite big and that’s because owning any home around here was under $30,000. Things have changed since the early 2000’s. It was  2050 and they all said life would get better as the world continued to evolve, as technology advanced, and blah blah blah. But no one was safe and no where was paradise.

In Huttson, it washighly recommended by every parent, teacher, priest, mayor, and even news reporters that you were supposed to be in your house before dark. Because if not, you just might be in trouble.

There was a group of members; no one knew their names, faces, or where they’re from. So, we gave them a name ourselves - the Hunters. There were six of them. They just simply showed up and attacked. And it happened every night after dark. Some people simply couldn’t help but be home after dark. Families worked late jobs, kids left parties. It was all up to chance whether or not you would make it home safely. When your mom used to warn you about the scary monsters under your bed; that’s what this was like.

So far my mother and I haven’t encountered interactions with the hunters and we don’t plan on it. I hung out with my friends for two hours after school, then I’d go straight home. And since it was just my mom and I, her shift at the local hospital ended at 5 o’clock. However, it was tough on the weekends. It was hard for my mom and I to make night plans because we were simply too scared to take the chance of trying to go home after dark - we were all we got.

The aftermath of these incidents wasn’t what Huttson was afraid of. It was just the actual experience. Because in Huttson, the aftermath of someone getting hurt, the wounds, the scrapes, the damage, didn’t concern us. Each house in Huttson was supplied with a first aid kit.

No, not the kind on television or the one that your school nurse pulls out of her drawer when you scraped your knee. In the kit was a spray bottled called “Mend-On”. The spray heals all wounds or illnesses, like the ones you go to your school nurse for. Or, the ones that you were faced with when you're faced with the Hunters after dark.

The spray contained cells that mend on to the person’s wound to redevelop the skin that damaged. The cells were from healthy skin from those who get paid to donate some of their skin cells. There was a big laboratory in Huttson that used the skin cells that were donated to produce even more cells, to create the spray.

Now you can see why the population was so big here and why it stays that way. No one dies. We all live pretty plain, simple lives. Which was why we were afraid with being faced with the adrenaline of dying from the Hunters; even though we knew we were covered.

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I finally got to school and met Liza at her locker. She was the only one at Huttson High School who has been face to face with the Hunters. I’ll never forget the story: It was my 14th birthday and we had a party dinner at my house. Her parents were both working so they couldn’t pick her up. And she only lived around the corner. So she borrowed my bike and went home. It was 8:30 at night. No one was outside which made her even more scared. As she was pedaling, she turned her back to see if anyone was behind her. She was cleared. As soon as she turned her head, the Hunters jumped out and attacked her. They broke the bike and broke her arm. This was before Mend-On came to Huttson.

I forgot to mention - Huttson doesn’t have any hospitalization since Mend-On was produced. As I told you before, my mom worked at the local hospital; in other words - she was working there to pack up her things and find a new job since all of the hospitals were closing in a few weeks. Its been a debate for a year now whether or not hospitals should still be running. They just made it official that the money can be put to use for other things.

The only downside to this was that my mom losing her job. Besides that, Mend-On was the best! We all love living here even though it can be scary. Unfortunately, Mend-On can’t fix damages that were created before its time. So, Liza has had a broken arm for 3 years now. It was casted up and was good for no use. I couldn’t do anything but feel guilty for letting her go home that night.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day went by pretty fast, thankfully. It was raining outside so I rushed home. I wanted to invite Liza over but my mom has always been on the fence about her coming over since she broke her arm. She doesn’t want her having to go home late at night again.

My mom wasn’t home yet, which always worried me because sometimes I’d have thoughts that she won’t make it home; if the hospital extends her shift for too long. So, I did my homework and too a nap to distress myself from the bittersweet reality I live everyday being in Huttson.

“Louis, I’m home. TV dinners will be ready for super soon.”

“Thanks Mom.”

We sat at the dinner table and told each other how our days were. Things were pretty quiet in our house. I admire my mom a lot. She plays all the roles I need to have in my life and she does it very well. I think my mom feels the same way about me too. We depend on each other for almost everything.

“Mom, I have a question... What if we run out of Mend-on? And one of us gets attacked by the Hunters? Then what?”

“Oh God, Louis. Don’t say such a silly thing. That will never happen.”

My mom went on a rant for the next three minutes about how I have to stop being pessimistic. But I couldn’t help it. Sometimes you have to think that way, in order to prepare for the worst. My biggest fear was being faced with death and knowing that there was nothing I could do to stop it. But my mom was right; that’s just non-sense.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------        Since my mom decided to catch an attitude during her rant, I went straight to my room after dinner and texted Liza.

“Wyd?” I asked.

“Bio HW. Hbu?”

“Laying down. I miss you,” I said. Fuck it, I clicked send.

“I miss you too bestie!”

Oh God.. “Bestie”? It was times like these where I tried to figure out what exactly my feelings were for Liza. I knew I liked her; it was obvious. But everyday, she hit me with the “bestie” title and I shut down. I guess I’d let that dream go. It was clear she didn’t like me. After that text message I was too irritated to reply. I went right to sleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up in an irritated mood from what happened last night. I don’t know why it got to me every time; its as if I wasn’t expecting her to not respond like that - I should’ve already been prepared for the disappointment.

It was another day; so I went through the same process of my routine. I flipped over from my bed, pushed the covers off, and went downstairs for breakfast. Luckily, I beat my mom to the kitchen, so she didn’t have to yell up the stairs forcing me to come down.

“I found a new job!” said my mom.

“Where at?” I responded immediately.

“An animal shelter. I start tomorrow night!” said my mom.

“Tomorrow night?” I said, extremely confused.

“Yeah that’s the thing ... the shift I have is after dark. But they said they really need me and the pay is great.”

“No mom, I won’t allow it. Has what’s happened to Liza not mean anything to you?!

Doesn’t that scare you?!” I couldn’t even finish my cereal; I was too disturbed.

“Yes it scares me but we need the money Louis. I already set up a cab transaction. The driver will be at the front door of the shelter at 10 p.m when I’m off of work; and will drive me straight home. Everything is going to be great!” insisted my mom.

“Whatever.”

I stomped upstairs and got dressed for school; having to rush because I was too focused on what I just encountered. After getting dressed, I left out through the front door without saying a word.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I saw Liza in the hallway when I got to school but I pretended like I didn’t. Surprisingly, she came up to me first.

“You okay? You never responded to my text last night,” said Liza.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Haha, good. Alright, I’m going to first period. I’ll see you later; maybe you can come over after school.”

“Yeah, I gotchu.”

Man, she’s so beautiful. And she asked me to come over! She never did that. Could this mean something? Ha, I’m funny as shit to think something of it. Just two “besties” hanging out after school .. Great.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                 I could barely concentrate throughout the entire day at school. I felt like there was so much on my mind and sometimes I thought: what if I didn’t live in Huttson? Would I be live a better life? I used to think Huttson was great; that we were all happy and untouchable - nothing could hurt us; especially because of Mend-On. All these great people to meet, no one can go broke - we were all living at reasonable costs, and we can basically live forever. I was very wrong.

I rather live in a normal town and live a normal life. Here, we were given unlimited power to live because of Mend-On but what good was it when I have had to totally limit my life and organize what I do, so I don’t have to be faced with the damn Hunters.

But it was okay .. Just like my mom says. Everything was going to be okay. I hoped.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I decided to go over Liza’s house. I met her on the front steps of school once the bell rang.

“Ready?” she said.

“Yeah, we taking your car?”

“Yeah, I don’t mind driving. And I’ll drive you home too.”

She never said that before either. I’ve known Liza for too long and we’ve always been close. But she’s never done things to go out of her way and be super friendly. Maybe I was just over thinking things because of last night.

I haven’t been over Liza’s house since the incident. We just thought it was too risky ever since she got severely hurt.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We got out the car and went in her house. No one was home.

“Let’s go to my room,” she said.

“Okay,” I said.

What the fuck? In all my life of being friends with Liza she has never asked me to go to her bedroom. I wasn’t sure if I should be excited or confused. Would this have been the time to kiss her or just straight out tell her how I felt?

We walked upstairs and she put a movie in the DVR. Every time we hung out, we’d watch “She’s The Man”, starring Amanda Bynes.

We laid on her bed and watch the movie. I sat down and laid back first; completely shocked that she decided to lay down right next to me, with her arm on my leg.

“Okay Louis.. Try not to panic. Calm down before she feels your heart beating fast; you fucking freak,” I repeatedly told myself in my head.

The room was silent.

“Can I tell you something?” said Liza. I was kind of happy she was the first one to speak.

“Go ahead.”

“I don’t think you feel the same way, but I like you. I always did. That’s why I brought you here,” she said, looking down at the floor.

“What the fuck, so what’s up with all the “bestie” shit?”

“It was just my way of covering up my feelings. Everyone sees us as best friends and that’s how I thought you saw us - just as best friends,” she said without hesitation.

“Liza, I’ve liked you since day 1. That’s why I didn’t reply back to your text last night. I was too mad - I thought I was in the friend zone.”

“Haha, not at all.” She smiled, coming towards me with a kiss.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stayed later than I should have at Liza’s house. It was already 8:00 at night and I had 5 missed calls from my mom.

“Sorry, I got caught up at Liza’s house. I’m coming home now. She is giving me a ride - don’t worry. I’ll be home in 10.” I sent her a text message.

Liza and I both fell asleep after holding her in my arms and watching the movie. I tried waking her up.

“Liza! Wake up! Its past dark!”

“Oh shit. Okay, let’s go. I’m not letting you walk home.”

We walked downstairs and ran to the car, locked the doors, and buckled our seat belts. We looked left and right before pulling out of the drive to make sure we were clear of the Hunters.

We hurried up and drove to my house. The good thing about driving to my house was that the Hunters don’t carry weapons. All of their defense and violence was with their bare hands. So, there was no way they could get through to us if we were in the car.

We pulled up to my driveway; looking left and right again. I saw a black blur down the street but I wasn’t sure what I was looking that.

“Is that who I think it is?” My hands were shaking.

“Louis, its the Hunters. Get out the car now! Hurry!”

“No, I’m not leaving you alone here.”

This was the first time I was faced with the Hunters; and the second time for Liza.

“What’s it like?” I said.

“What’s what like?”

“Being faced with the Hunters,” I replied.

“When you see actors in scary movies running away from the killer.. and you think wow, it looks so convincing. I was the actor; but I wasn’t acting. You feel everything happening right in front of you but it goes by too quick for you to stop it. You just use that adrenaline you have from being so scared, and you experience it. You don’t know when it is coming and you don’t know when it is going to end.”

As I took in that message, I looked over in the rearview mirror and saw the Hunters approach us. We tried hiding by slumping and scrunching up in the car as much as possible, hoping they didn’t see us. My palms were sweaty, my heart was beating, and I was panting. I looked over at Liza and she was calm and content.

I heard the Hunters inching towards the car trying to look through the windows. Luckily, they don’t stick around for long - they didn’t notice us.

We waited another five minutes before we decided to lift our heads in safety.

“Shit, that was scary.”

“Yeah I know, I wasn’t tryna break my other arm,” said Liza, while chuckling.

“Haha, stop that. But you right. Okay, I’m gonna leave now,” I said

We kissed.

“Be safe Liza.”

“You too Louis.”

I ran out the car, opened the door, shut it behind me, and locked it.

It was such a weird night. I checked on my mom, but she was already fast asleep. Even though I was sleeping for three hours at Liza’s, I jumped into bed and went o sleep immediately. Too much has happened in one night; I needed the rest.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up. Same shit, different day. I first went to my mom’s room to check up on her.

“Mom, you okay? I’m so sorry I came home late last night. Did you get home from work alrigh?”

‘Yes, I was fine. Coming home to find out my son isn’t home!”

“I know, I’m sorry. I feel like I should tell you - I saw the Hunters last night. Don’t worry; I’m fine. I was in the car, hiding with Liza. They peeked in the car, but didn’t see us.”

“Louis! That’s the kind of shit I’m talking about! You see what happens when you try to come home late?!” She got out of bed and left the room.

I followed her downstairs to the kitchen.

“I know mom! I’m sorry! It won’t happen again.”

She didn’t reply so I went upstairs to get ready for school.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I met up with Liza and we entered school holding hands. It was nice. I kissed her goodbye as we departed to go to our classes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 3rd period, so I met Liza in the library for lunch.

“My mom was mad at me last night; I think it was because she was scared. But she’s okay.”

“Good.”

“So what are you-” I started talking as I got interrupted by the loud speaker.

“Attention! Students and teachers! There is an important announcement! The Government has just announced on international news that Huttson is currently experiencing an economic crisis! They are unsure of how this is going to play out. All they know is that all around the world prices for housings have been raised, and stocks are dropping. Some of us might be losing jobs. You will be notified when school will proceed. There is going to be a rapid dismissal immediately after this announcement. Associates from the governments are going door to door in all neighborhoods of Huttson as we speak to collect your Mend-On kits. The city might sell the invention to other town, so we can have money for all of the people. More information about this will be announced on the news tonight. Please get home safely to your families and do not leave the house! Beware of the Hunters!”

“Holy shit, I gotta go home. My mom can’t go home after her shift that late at night without Mend-On! What if the Hunters get her?!” I said as my voice was getting louder and louder.

“Louis, everything is going to be okay. You just have to keep calm. We will work this out. Let’s just get home.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I get in the house and it was silent. I’m assuming my mom heard about the announcement. I think everyone in Huttson was being informed about it.

I sent her a text to check up on her then started working on my homework; hoping I could concentrate. The door bell rang.

I walked downstairs and opened up the door. Two men in suits stood before me.

“Can I help you guys?”

“We are from the Mend-On agency; here to collect your kit.” They both said, in deep voices; gesturing their badges towards me.

I lead them to the cabinet in the kitchen and handed it to him.

“Do you think we will ever get Mend-On back in our homes?”

“That is undecided, kid. Have a good day.” They shook my hands and walked out the front door.

I went back upstairs, jumped into my bed, and stared at my phone.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I rub my eyes and flip over on my bed. Fuck, I fell asleep. I check my phone for a response from my mom... nothing. My eyes were drawn to the corner of my home screen on my laptop. What the fuck! It was 7:30 at night. I looked out the window. It was dark. I jumped to my phone and called my mother.

No answer.

Okay, Liza told me to stay calm. Fuck that. I texted Liza to make sure she was okay.

“You good? Is your family home?”

“Yeah we’re good. Is your mom home?” replied Liza.

“No, and I’m worried. I’ll text you when she gets here.” I clicked send.

I go downstairs, pacing back and forth, staring at the front door - waiting patiently for it to open.

I decided to cook a TV dinner to stall time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 10:30 at night. My mom fuckin’ drawlin’. Fuck it. I put on a jacket and went outside to walk towards the animal shelter. She should have been home. As I was walking, I kept calling her phone.

Still no answer. I’ve been worried; but now I was past worried.

I start picking up my pace.

“Mom!” shouting out to the neighborhood.

“Anne! Where are you?! Its Louis! Answer me!” I kept shouting.

I started running out of breath, so I slowed down. As I was walking, tears fell down my eyes. Was my mom being faced with death right now?

I got to the animal shelter and banged on the door.

“Hello! Is anyone there?! Someone help me! Where is Anne?!” I kept shouting.

No one was answering. I turned back around and started heading towards home.

As I was walking, almost arriving at my house, I saw the same blob and blur of blackness that I saw last night when I saw the Hunters. Could that be them?

I hid in a bush. Oh shit, there was a woman being attacked. I paniced all over again. Fuck, what do I do?

As I got closer and closer to the scene, my entire life flashed before me.

Its my mother.

“Get off of her!” I’m running towards them at full speed.

This time it was only three of them.

All this adrenaline and power poured out of me; it was completely unexpected. I punched one, kicked another to the ground, and stomped on the other. Long enough to make them all unconscious.

I ran towards the pavement where my mother was lying.

“Mom! Say something! Wake up!” I kept tugging on her, crying.

“Louis. I’m so sorry,” she said softly.

Blood was rushing out of her head.

“Mom! I’m calling the hospital!”

“Louis... there’s no point. Its over. I should have listened to you,” said my mom with her last breath, barely keeping her eyes open.

My mother was faced with death and she lost. Nothing could save her. No doctor, no Mend-On kit, no God could rewind this night and stop what just happened.

I froze and sat there for the rest of my night. I had no physical or mental strength to get up. I was now on my own for the rest of my life; no family to live with.

I knew this day would come but I didn’t know it was going to be so soon. I knew that one day this bittersweet town would have been in trouble. That time was tonight.

As I tried to stand up, I turned my head and right in front of me were all six of the hunters, alive and standing.

It’s 2048 and the earth has just begun it’s slow demise. The sectors of North America are each experiencing painful attacks; carbon fog roams the streets of Bruhan, only Lemons will grow in Gemack, the sun glares too brightly in Sict, constant earthquakes create thunderous sounds of things falling it Horen and the sulfur burns noses in Gruch. People all over are in constant pain while scientists desperately toil over what they can do to fix it. Finally the find solutions to each of the problems, although they fear for the discomfort it may cause.

“In the new proclamation,” the man with the tie started strongly, firmly; but he tightens his tie with shaking hands and continues, “In the new proclamation there are some rules, rules that must be followed.” The crowd falls silent. They’re standing in neat rows. Children of the age of 5 stand clean and proper behind a sign with a big blue 5 on the left side of the stage. Farther to the right are sequential numbers that went all the way up to 20. Then behind those neat rows were more signs “21-30,” “31-40” and so on up to “81-90”. As the numbers went on the people in the rows got taller, and then paler, and then more shriveled.

“Ahem,” The man tightens his tie again, “These rules, are quite different than the rules we live by today. They are stricter. Safer.” His eyes harden, his confidence returns, “I know many of you have been hearing rumors about us leaving the earth, but No!” He slams his pale fist on the wooden podium in front of him, “We have found a way to keep you safe here.”

The captive audience murmurs and whispers. Energy flies through them. The man with the tie stands still, waiting. The crowd notices, and stops, in sections. The 5 year olds continue making noise until everyone else has stopped. “Ahem,” he clears his throat again, “The formal statement:” ‘formal’ straightens peoples backs and focuses their eyes. “The world has begun it’s fight against mankind, releasing toxins into our air and food. Scientists have been working hard to stop the pain caused by these toxins so that we may continue our lives as naturally as possible. The solution they have found is to remove the sense that is causing pain to our people.”

Energy surges through the crowd. The neat lines loosen and turn into globs. Sweat, nerves and power course through the man’s veins and he slams his hand again. The stress hits him that second, putting tears behind his eyes that he quickly blinks away. He resorts to the only thing he knows, “I WILL HAVE ORDER.” He screams and a vein pops out of his forehead. The crowd freezes. Two women in the 21-30 section have stiff arms against each other’s shoulders. A woman from the 31-40 section has already pushed her way through to section 7 and is clinging tightly to a child. The majority of children from sections 10 and under are merging themselves into the teenage lines, searching desperately for older siblings. The small group of men and women standing in sections 71-80 and 81+ are clearly deep in conversation, a man and a woman holding withered hands. Only one person did not move in the mayhem, a boy in section 17 stands military straight, staring at the man with the tie. Then slowly, as if molasses had spread over the crowd with an invisible knife, they turn their heads, taking steps to reform lines. They aren’t straight or clean. Everyone who used to stand with hands at sides, now stand comfortably with arms crossed or hands on their hips. Everyone, except the boy in section 17, whose arms still hang firmly at his sides.

“Better.” The voice was firm, “But not good enough!” With shocking speed the crowd mimics boy 17. Hands at sides, feet together, back straight, “Now, that’s what I like to see.” The man smiles. The kind of smile that is normally described as evil or sadistic. But this man, with the tie and the power, is happy. They’re listening because they have to, because he is holding their lives in his hands. “Good cooperation, let’s continue.

“The statement reads, ‘Although it would be ideal for the people to retain their abilities, this solution is the best protection we can offer our people,’” In the crowd hands grip behind backs, showing the whiteness of knuckles. Bodies rock forward, pushing weight into toes. “No!” Both hands slam down leaving prints of sweat on the wood, “The senses will be limited,” The man stares straight at the crowd, speaking slowly without regard to the script, “Each sector of the country will now have. Only. Four. Senses. This will vary based on location because, as you all know, attacks have varied.” His lips push upwards, exposing his teeth and spreading warmth down his body.

“You can’t even do that!” Boy 17 screams. He’s wearing faded jeans that fit loosely around his hips, a plain white t-shirt, and canvas sneakers that seem to be more holes than fabric. His face is jeering but his posture stays straight. He appears secure with this expression. It’s clear that he’s the kind of person who enjoys a good joke, especially at someone else’s expense.

The man points, the smile falling from his face, “Would you care to be our example?” He points to the boy and then to the ground next to him. The boy just stares at him “Oh, I get it,” The man says, his fat belly leaning forward onto the podium, “You’re scared.” The boys eyes narrow, the left side of his mouth twitching up.

The boy steps out of line and his faded jeans carry him forward, avoiding the stairs and jumping onto the stage.

“What’s your name, boy?” The man with the tie asks.

“Is that actually important to you?” The boy’s voice is surprisingly soft. He feels as though there’s a rock at the bottom of his stomach but he keeps his expression and body calm. His mind floods with the sensations of his life. The plush silk of his dog’s fur against his cheeks. The bright reds and blues of his 8th birthday party. Sarah’s face, the olive skin with almost black hair. Her smell, soft flowers mixed with lavender. The pungent plastic of his sister’s dolls when they were little. The sirens that bled down his street last week. The whispered word, “You look really handsome,” his mom’s voice transforming into Sarah’s through his dreams. Mac and Cheese. Garlic Bread. Sarah’s mouth.

The man laughs a full belly laugh, bringing Boy 17 back to the present, “You enjoy pushing buttons don’t you?”

The boy doesn’t respond.

“Well then, let’s show these people what’s going to happen! Boy, where do you live?”

“Bruhan” He speaks casually.

“Ah,” The man with the tie clicks his tongue and begins to circle the boy, “You, my dear boy, will lose your sense of touch.”

A gasp rushes through the crowd, but the boy doesn’t even flinch. A woman rubs harshly at her eyes. She is slim the way he is, with a similar nose and curly brown hair. She stands in section 41-50, sneakingly holding the hand of the tall man in front of her. Boy 17’s parents. He just turns his head slowly to the left, staring at the man with the tie, “How?” The word comes out slowly, loudly and the gasp dies away. The tall man squeezes his wife’s hand, a silent statement of it will be okay.

“You underestimate today’s technology.” The man with the tie’s voice sounds like a whisper on the speaker loud but soft, threatening but obvious, “In the olden days there was a disease called Hypothyroid. We found a way to cause this through a special little cream. It’s going to work like this. You’ll give me your arm and I’ll put this special white stuff all over. It may burn a little, but you’re a big boy,” The man taps Boy 17 under the chin, “You’re not afraid. Then I’ll send you away, unless you want to get undressed on stage of course, you’ll finish getting covered and as soon as your skin absorbs all the cream, you won’t be able to feel a thing.”

The majority of the crowd is frozen with shock. The smaller children have collapsed into balls on the ground, some holding their hair or their eyes with tiny fists. The adults rock back and forth, knowledgeable on the consequences of speaking out. The elders clasp hands, the strongest rebellion they can muster. Boy 17 tugs his t-shirt with forefinger and thumb, cooling his chest and stomach, “I never said you couldn’t, I just asked how, now I know.” His voice comes out clean no cracks, no shakes.

The man with the tie can see fear in his audience. He sees the rational thinking that they possess, his brain attempts at logic and fails. “You won’t ever have to feel the pain of Earth’s smoke,” the man tries to soften his voice but Boy 17 wonders what pain? “Victoria, can you bring up the first box?” he calls to the left and wipes the back of his hand on his wide forehand.

A woman in a deep purple pencil skirt steps on the stage. She has dark chestnut hair that falls in intricate braids to her elbows and carries a small metal box. She carries it to the podium and places it on top. She refuses to look the man with the tie in the eye. On the top of the box is the word “Bruhan” written in thick black ink.

The boys hands are shaking as the man steps toward the box. He slides a heavy palm against Victoria’s waist and she sidesteps to the left. He wiggles his fingers above the box, ignoring Victoria’s rejection. “Ready?” the whisper again. The boy nods, quickly. The man grabs the box and nearly shoves it open on the hinge, “Come here,” he beckons the boy closer while the woman steps farther away, all the way off the stage and down the steps, darting back behind the guards.

The boy turns toward the man, takes a few steps and stops, he looks at his shoes, “Can I do one thing first?” His voice cracks, quickly losing its softness for a twinge of fear and a pulse of anger.

“Want your last touch to be something special?” It’s mock concern.

The book looks up, his eyes heavy and dark. His voice strengthens, “Yes.”

“Well, do tell us what that is.”

“My dog’s fur,” the boy hardens his face, “It’s not a request, it’s a demand,” and hops off the stage, clapping his hands and calling, “Roger! Roger!” He hops down between the sections 20 and 21-30.They spread away from him, some with looks of shock on their face and others with looks of pride and reverence.

A large dog with thick white fur comes bounding down the aisle, “There you are,” the boy grips at his chest and buries his face in the dogs back. 3 men push between the lines, disregarding all things. The man on the far left has a bushy black moustache with shorter bristles covering his chubby cheeks. The man in the middle has a thin face but large muscles. The man on the left has slightly smaller muscles and a very clean face.

“Well isn’t this just the sweetest?” The man with the tie grabs the back of the boy’s neck and drags him back onto the stage. The dog whines and the crowd tenses. The man in the middle of the three men in black scoops the dog over his shoulder and the walk single file back to their spot surrounding the circle. The boy just lets it happen. Half walking, half pulling, the man and boy ends up back at the podium with the open box in front of them.

“I’m ready.” The boy closes his eyes and whispers while the man grabs at plastic gloves and plunges his hand into the small box.

“Hold out your arm,” the boy did as he was told and the man grabs his wrist and spreads a silvery pink cream against his hairline. The boy tries to flinch away and gnaws at his lips.

“That hurts,” he breathes.

At the same instant a girl in section 17 cries, “He’s still a kid!” She has olive skin with heavy dark brown hair waving over her left shoulder. Boy 17’s eyes widen and he sways. “This isn’t okay.” The same three men are walking towards her, Boy 17’s knees hit the wood of the stage.

“Sarah,” he whispers, “Don’t.” The three men stand to her side, the one with the moustache touches her arm softly. Boy 17 bends in half, a ball on the stage. The children of the audience scream and the adults begin to talk to each other. A teary-eyed Sarah is being led away from the audience. She seems quiet, not up for a fight, only the people around her saw the way that moustache man looked at her. The way his hand held her wrist, angry and passionate. They saw the fear that hit her face, they saw the defeat.

“Everybody, quiet!” The man in the tie called, “We’re not done yet. The girl will be fine. She was merely experiencing hallucinations because of the earth attacks.” The man in the tie has officially decided to try and soothe the crowd, this is getting too intense, they will see his power later. He crouches next to the boy, “I promise she will be okay, but you must be strong. He holds a hand out to Boy 17, who stands up without taking it. “I think we need some positive energy here. This meeting is about happy news, let us cheer for, you never told me your name.”

“Alex.” Alex’s eyes bend down toward his holey shoes, defeat spreads across his shoulders and lips, red bags already forming under his eyes.

“Let us cheer for Alex!” Children try to wipe their tears. Teens and adults clap respectfully. The elders frown, still holding each other’s hands. The man in the tie smiles broadly, raising his, and Alex’s hand above their heads. Then he turns his head, “Are you ready Alex?”

Alex closes his eyes, breathes deep and inwardly cringes at the squish of the man’s hand against his, “I’m ready.” It’s barely a whisper and he only manages it for Sarah. The man covers Alex’s arms in the burning cold pink cream. He wipes it around his neck. Alex’s mind flicks to the idea of strangling, Please he closes his eyes, please kill me if Sarah is not okay. He thinks for a moment it’s happening when the burning pierces through his skin, but he keeps breathing.

The man scoops one last section of cream from the box with his right hand. Using his left he spreads it across Alex’s forehead. Alex lifts his eyes, holding some kind of connection with this man. The cream is placed along his hairline, jaw bone and nose, “You have to stop crying,” The man says it quietly but harshly, not into the microphone, “Your tears will stop it from working.” Alex just stares at him. The man takes the edge of his shirt and pushes at Alex’s cheeks. The touch isn’t rough which frustrates Alex, he hadn’t even realized he was crying. The cream is spread across his cheeks but this time he doesn’t feel the burn.

“It’s time for you to go, there’s more skin to cover that we don’t want to see here.” The man with the tie puts his hand on the small of Alex’s back and leads him off stage. Alex can feel the pressure and realizes that this may be the last time that happens. He looks down at his arms, swaying against his sleeves and realizes he doesn’t feel anything. “People of Bruhan, follow Alex.” Alex stumbles down the three stairs into the arms of Victoria, she smiles at him but still, he feels nothing.

Men in full black walk down the aisles from the back carrying tall wooden signs. Each sign has a word. Bruhan. Gruch. Gemack. Sict. Horen. The crowd flounders for their family, desperate to go through this pain with the people they love.

The children cry quietly, unsure of what’s going on. They’re carried to proper sectors by parents or older siblings walking with a nervous confidence. A few try to run but the men covered in black tighten around the crowd, standing so close that their shoulders touch. People of all ages plead with the guards, begging them for escape. The guards only looked ahead, pretending as hard as they can that they can’t hear. People shake violently, they know what’s going on. The man’s words on the stage did nothing to help. The elders walk calmly through the crowd, touching the shoulders of people crouched on the ground. They held hands and elbows, they hugged and wiped tears, whispering words of confidence to the children it will be okay. Then leading them to where they belonged.

The man with the tie looms behind the podium. The noise of the crowd increases and nervous faced citizens step up to the men holding the signs who pointed them to tables now set up in front of the stage. These faces, connected to shaking bodies found their way to the tables and slowly, slowly, lost one sense. Often the one they revered the most. A young girl with a passion for singing becomes deaf. An up-and-coming chef loses his taste. One artist loses her sight while another loses her touch.

Women holding children push to the middle. Trying desperately to save their children who cling with small fists to the cloth on their mother’s breast. A father steps into the circle, grabbing his wife’s shoulders and kissing her. “It’s okay,” he whispers, “They’re only taking our taste. We’ll be safer.” He doesn’t believe it but he knows that now is not the right time for a fight.

Alex was led to a small room behind the stage. Victoria followed him inside, closing the door and turning to a counter-top. “You’ll have to take off all of your clothes,” her voice was soft and afraid.

Alex made no movement to take off his clothes, instead saying, “What happens to you?”

“What do you mean?” She whispers.

“What happens to you?” He repeated himself, his words void of emotion, “You’re in the government. Are they doing this to you too?” Alex can see her hands tense against the countertop. He’s hitting a nerve but he doesn’t care.

“I have to go.” She moves her hands to the doorknob, “I’ll be right back.”

“You can’t leave. Then they’ll definitely do something to you.” Alex could sense bitterness within him but he was unable to understand it, “They won’t if you do what you’re told, will they?”

“They already have.” Her soft voice deepened and her muscles clenched inward.

“You’re lying.”

Victoria turns around, tears sitting on the cushion of her eyelashes, she sticks her tongue out, showing the raw skin that it is made of. “It hurts,” she said. Alex feels no sympathy.

In the end no one was saved. In the end, everyone had four senses. In the end, everything was different.

That wasn’t all the change North America faced that day. Fences were constructed. Fences that you couldn’t see in Sict. That you couldn’t feel in Bruhan. Couldn’t smell in Gruch. Couldn’t taste in Gemack. And couldn’t hear in Horen.

         Once upon a time, there were aliens who abducted the earth where humans lived. One night a team was on a road trip because they had important games to play. If they win they would have the opportunity to play in the basketball league championship game.  As the team arrived at the hotel in New York coming from New Jersey they were getting off the bus, and suddenly they had heard strange noises.

“Yo! do you guys see that light over there?”, said Matt.

            The team looked up and saw a green light beaming down onto earth. Matt was the best player on team and he was also the captain. As they begin to walk in the hotel, the light just disappeared out of the blue and they were all was confused. “Where would it have gone?” Some of his teammates questioned. As they players settled in the rooms they started to unpacked and discuss what the light was coming down onto earth. After unpacking and talking then had went to sleep, and got ready for the next morning. At the crack of dawn, everyone was awakened to the television in the hotel. There was breaking news that aliens were coming to earth to take over our planet.   

“Matt, are you okay this morning? We have a important game today and we have to get our heads in the game”, said Alex.

      Alex is Matt’s closest friend and who also was a captain of the basketball team.

“I am okay I am just worried about what's going to happen and why aliens trying to come to earth. I’m thinking that the green light we had saw while getting off the bus was from the aliens.”

    As the boys sat in silence in the locker room thinking about the aliens the coach walked in.

“Now boys lets stop worrying about this so called aliens and lets go win us some basketball”, coach said.

      The boys begin to get ready for the game as they ran out onto the floor not worrying about the aliens. The game begin with their opponent coming out aggressive and with a lot of energy. Matt and his team just could not focus and they were playing poorly with the result of no energy. The game had finished with the other team beating Matt’s team. As the game had finished, the team went to go sit in the locker room when they were suddenly hit with bad news. News that had has reported to the whole basketball sports nation. The coach had found out the bad news and he decided immediately to tell his players and all the staff on his team. The coach walked in the room with a sad face.

 “I have some pretty bad news. Its been happening around the league for a while now”, coach said.

      The team sat in silence with worried faces as the coach started talking again.

“The news is that different players, along with the teams have been taking drugs to improve their skills while playing during a game. The league does not know where the drug is coming from, but they are now banning it from the basketball league. Different players and teams who have been found taking this drug now are facing serious consequences. Come to find out, the team that we just lost to took part in using these drugs”, coach said.

       The team sat in disappointment shaking their heads with sad faces.

“How can this drug affect you on the court and affect you later in life?”, Matt said.

“The drug can change the way you play during a game, but the drug can also affect you later in life. It can also make you sick and you can die from this drug. This drug comes in a round bottle and the tablets are orange. I don’t want anyone taking this drug or you will face some serious consequences from the league, and will be kicked off the team.”

“Yes we understand coach”, said the team.

         Days went by and the team have been preparing to face more intense games to determine whether or not they would make it into the final round. Matt has not been acting the same lately and Alex noticed during the team's morning workouts. Alex walked over to Matt.

“Matt lately I have notice you're not acting like the usual you. I don’t know if you're still worried about the aliens who came to earth, or the drug situation that's been going on”, said Alex.

“Ok honestly, I have been thinking about both, but these couple days I have really been focusing on this drug thing. I think we should find out who has them so we can take them and win this championship!”

“Are you crazy, did you not hear what coach was saying? What if we get caught then what, we would not being playing ball know more.”

        Matt sat there looking confused on what to do or what to say next.

“You take that drug if you want, but I am not facing any consequences with you when or if you get caught”, Alex said.

“You don’t have to, but I know it will help us get the championship and win it.”

        The night before the game, the team had went out to dinner and celebrated before their important game. Matt had dismissed himself from the table and went outside to take a walk to think about everything. As he began walking, he heard that same noise from the first night they had arrived to New York, and the glowing green light from the sky again. He began looking around scared.

“Who is there?”, Matt said.

         Matt was looking up at the light as the aliens started coming down one by one.

“We are the aliens and we came to give the humans our drugs”, said the aliens.

          Matt begin thinking about what he said to Alex and if he should take the drug.

“Why are you guys doing this? What’s the purpose of you guys giving us this drug?”

“We are not here to hurt you guys, we were told that the drug was to help you and that humans would need it.”

         The alien handed Matt the drugs that was in a round bottle, with a tiny cap and a bunch of words around the bottle. Matt had opened the bottle and had seen over a hundred orange tablets. As he sat there and looked worrying about what should he do the light came back with the weird sounds out the sky. The aliens had then started going back into the light as he still sat there staring at the bottle fill out tablets. The team was coming out from the dinner place checking out if Matt was okay he hid the medicine  behind his back. Matt and Alex had made eye contact as he was hiding the bottle behind his back. Matt and Alex did not exchange any words but Alex knew what Matt was up to. They had then went back to the hotel to get ready for game to determine if they would their season without discussing anything about what he was hiding. As the team got ready for the game Alex walked over to Matt and Matt tried to avoid him as the made eye contact.

“Can we talk about the decisions you're about make before this game start?”Alex said.

“I don’t know what your talking about I am making a right decision”, Matt said.

“I know you have them drugs, where did you either get them from?”

“Okay I do but I am having second thoughts on if I should take it. And do you remember that we had seen that glowing light out the sky and heard weird noises.”

“Yes.”

“Well that was coming from the aliens who had abducted the earth and they came back last night well we was at dinner. The aliens had then told me they're the ones with the drugs and their not coming to earth to hurt, but they want to give us drugs.”

“So the aliens have the drugs. I knew you were up to something last night and why you wanted to hide it.”

“I didn’t want to get in trouble because I had them, but I don’t know what to do let me just think about what my decision going to be.”

“Well I believe you would make the right decision I will see you on the floor warming up.”

         Alex headed out the locker room leaving Matt alone. Matt begin getting dress and tried hard not thinking about the pills the aliens had gave him. After he stop getting dress he started running out the locker room as he tripped over the chair and with his bag falling out the chair. As the bag fell off the chair the pills then fell out the bag, and he heard the movement of the tablets inside the round bottle. He paused as he looked at the round bottle roll up next to his leg. The bottle had stopped at his leg and he picked it up staring at it. He was looking around the room as he opened the bottle top seeing if anyone was coming. Matt was turning the bottle upside down to take out some tablets as he came across a section on the bottle that said, “only take 2 tablets every 6 hours.”  He knew this was an important game so he decided to take 4 so he could have the best game in his career. As he heard the horn he knew the game was getting ready to start so he decided to put the lid back on and put it back on the bag. Matt started running out as the coach noticed he was there on the floor.

“Where is Matt the game is started in any minute?”, coach said.

“I don’t know last time I talked to him he was in the locker room. Nevermind there he is coach”, said Alex.

      As Matt was running up, “Where have you been boy?”

“I was in the back just getting ready”, said Matt.

“Are you okay? Why are you sweating so much?”

“I am okay I just have pre game nerves, but I am ready to win this game.”

“Well go out there and win this game as a team and make me proud.”

      As the game started Matt came out with a different amount of energy then he have in all the previous game. He was more focus on the game and had nothing on his mind like other games. He was leading the team to victory but taking over every moment of the game. Matt and his team went into the locker room at halftime leading the other team by 13 points. When the team was sitting in the locker room Alex walked over to Matt with a curious face on how his game just change out of no where.

“Matt I know you didn’t do what I think you did”, Alex said.

“Alex calm down I just took one tablet and I feel perfectly fine, I will be okay don’t worry.”

“That’s not the point you heard what coach said, you might feel fine right now, but it would affect you later on.”

“I am going to be okay, but you have to promise you don’t say anything about this.”

“I promise.”

         Alex walked the away furious at Matt decision on taking the tablets after he promised he won’t say anything to anyone. As the team was running out the locker ready to finish the game strong Matt stay behind. Matt decided to take another 2 tablets without 6 hours even passing. As Matt was putting the tablets in his mouth one his teammate left his warm up shirt behind and seen him taking the medicine. Matt didn’t see his teammate looking at him as he teammate was hiding the door where the coach office was. After taking the medicine Matt ran back on the floor ready to warm up with the team. One of his teammates decided to stay behind to see what Matt was taking before he had ran out the locker room. He picked up the medicine opening the lid and seeing the little orange tablets. As he sat there and stare at the orange tablets he thought about what the coach said to the team about the medicine and what the description of the medicine was. He slowly put the lid on without taking any tablets and put the medicine in his locker hiding it from Matt. As he walked back on the court to the bench he said no words to the team on Matt taking the medicine that was banned from the basketball league. As he sat on the bench he watched Matt take over the game at another level ending the game with a career with 30 points. After the teams win they have advanced to the last round to go win the championship. The team was showering and getting dressed after a hard game with a very loud locker room on Matt’s career performance. As the locker room was emptying out because everyone was leaving Matt was still behind getting dressed. As he empty his bag to put all his things together he noticed the medicine was missing. He began to search the whole locker room tearing the place apart. He decided to go back to the hotel knowing he couldn’t find the medicine and there was nothing he could do about it. He sat up all night thinking about where could that medicine go and if Alex had something to do with it. The next morning arrived as the team had to get ready Matt was quiet the whole time. Alex walked over to Matt.

“Why do you look different?”, Alex said.

“I feel the same, but I have to ask you something”,

“What is it?”

“Have you seen the medicine I have been taking?”

“No I haven’t seen it and you need to find it for the coach puts his hands on it. If the coach see the medicine all hell will break loose in that locker room.”

      Matt walked away from Alex as the coach blew the whistle letting team know practice is starting. Matt wasn’t the same as before he was moving a lot slower from previous games with and without taking the medicine. He stopped practice early because he told the coach he was feeling light headed and like he was about to pass out. Alex walked over to Matt as he laid down on the bench.

“What’s wrong Matt?”

“I am feeling weird and not feeling good.”

          Alex walked Matt to the locker room to get his things so he could go back to the hotel to go to sleep. Well the team was heading out the locker room after a hard practice the coach had stayed behind to work on plays for the team. As he was straightening up the lockers in the locker he opened up a locker and came across the medicine. He grab the bottle and decided to open it as he heard the sounds of the tablets moving around in the bottle. He had an upset face as seen orange tablets all around inside the bottle. He wasn’t sure who medicine it was and who was taking it so he can only find out one way. As the team got ready for the championship game the coach called a meeting for the team because of what he had found. The team walked in the locker confused on what was going on and why they had a team meeting. The team sat around as the coach stood up looking at every player in their eyes not even knowing noticing that Matt was missing from the locker room.

“Do anyone know why I called this team meeting before practice?”, coach said.

“No”, the team said.

“Well someone on this team have been sneaking around taking the medicine that the league banned.”

       All the players on the team look around the room confused and what was going on even Alex and the one teammate that knew who have been taking the drugs. As the players looked at each other it was quiet and no one had anything to say. The coach then pulled out the medicine and was holding it up so the whole locker room eyes were focus on what was in the coach hands. Alex then took his eyes off the bottle of medicine and noticed that Matt was not in the room.

“How about since no one wants to speak up about who medicine this is everyone would take a test. The test would determine who is really is telling the truth and who is lying about taking these drugs in my locker room. Practice is off, everyone is dismissed and everyone would be taking the test tomorrow in the morning. Whoever have been taking the drugs would face serious consequences”, coach said.

     Everyone walked out the room quiet with nothing to say on taking the test. Alex had went straight to Matt finding him in the bed not feeling good. Alex say next to him while Matt laid in bed.

“I have some really bad new I should share with you”, Alex said.

“What is it?”

“Coach found the drugs in one of the lockers and we had a team meeting.”

“Oh Gosh, I am going to get in serious trouble. Did anyone who was taking the drug?”

“No that’s the problem he don’t know who took the drug because the room was so quiet, and no one was talking. He decided to give us a drug test tomorrow as a team and everyone has to be there.”

“I’m going to get caught and have to face the consequences. Did he even notice I wasn’t at the meeting.”

“No you should be okay, you only took 1 right?”

“No I took way more then 1 and I took more than what the bottle had told me to take. I think from me taking so much I am becoming sick.”

“Well either way you're going to take that test tomorrow sick or not.”

“I will be there now I have to get some rest for tomorrow.”

“Well either way you're going to take that test tomorrow sick or not.”

“Okay I will now let me get some rest for tomorrow.”

“Alright I will see you tomorrow in the locker room.”

     Alex had left the room and Matt tried to get some sleep. He couldn’t because he was so nervous about the coach finding out about the drug he has been taking. Matt was stressing about so much that he finally close his eyes and feel asleep with a lot on his mind. As the morning arrived Matt was still feeling sick walking into the locker with all eyes on him. The whole team was waiting for him so everyone would take the test at the same time. The test was for each player on the team to take a urine drug test to determine who have been taking the drug. The room was very quiet as each player went one by one to take a urine test in the locker room bathroom. As Matt turn was coming up to go take the urine test he whispered over to Alex.

“I am coming up what should I do. I don’t want to take test, but I think I should just tell coach that I am the one who have been taking the medicine. I think I should tell him where I have got all the medicine and why I took it too.”

“Honestly that’s no good just don’t say anything. You might even pass the test you never what’s going to happen, so for right now just take the test and pray.”

        The coach came in the locker room.

“Matt your up next”, coach said.

        Matt begin walking towards the bathroom very slowing as everyone was quietly watching as he took each step.  Matt sat on the toilet after locking the bathroom door so no one could come in. As he felt in his pants pocket it was a hand full of tablets in his pocket. He pulled them out his pocket looking at the tablets very hard knowing that these pills was the reason he have take this test. He knew that he was the only one on the team taking the test so he didn’t want to face the consequences. As the team sat in the locker room waiting he was in the bathroom sitting there taking one tablet slowly after another. The team didn’t know what was going on as they sat there quietly waiting for Matt to come out the bathroom. After a couple of long minutes the coach came in the locker room curious looking for Matt. The coached walked over to Alex.

“Umm Alex where is Matt?”,coach said.

“Coach I don’t know he never came back from taking his test from the bathroom.”

     The coach walked away very furious because Matt was still in the bathroom. He walked to the bathroom door very slowly.

“Matt, Matt, Matt.”

      There was no reply from Matt as he began touching on bathroom door turning the knob slowly and finding out it was locked. He was knocking on the door and Matt was not replying so the coach ran back out to the locker to the team.

“Boys come here quick its important”, coach said.

     The boy began running quickly following behind the coach. They knew it was something serious because the coach looked very scared as he came in the locker. Alex was walking behind the team and coach praying it had nothing to do with Matt.

“Matt is in there the door is lock and he will not answer”, coach said.

     The coach went in his office and grab the master keys to unlock the door. He came back with the team surrounding the door all crying. He didn’t know what was going on as he walked closer he seen Alex laying next to Matt holding him up off the floor.

“Coach he is dead”, Alex said.

    Alex had heavy tears coming down his eyes holding on to Matt. The coach put his head down slowly in his hands as he started to cry. The coach heard someone say, “coach” as his head was down. The coach slowly picked up his head as he seen Alex holding Matt hand out. Matt was holding the orange pills in one hand and the other hand was around his chest as he laid there.

MY

To start up, I really enjoy working with my group. We communicate really well using email, and we all taking our responsibility to finish the work we assign as a table. I also want to thanks Siannie for taking the leader. She organized the project really well and as a table we got a lot of thing done that is plan to be done. For this project me and my table first working on the proposal together. I fill out all the part that need to be done.  The second part we need to do is to watch the movie we pick, and take note on the google doc. In the google doc there are a section for each of the member to take note as they watch the movie so that we can use them in our project. I took the note and write down the time in the doc. After taking note we need to write the script and pick the part we want to talk about. During that class I also research on different thing that could be involved in with the lens that are being use in the movie. After everyone had  write the script we start to record. Everyone suppose to make an appointment with Siannie so that she can record. Before the record we suppose to practice our line so that we can sound natural. I did my part to practice them and do the record on the day I schedule. After record my part I help siannie record her part because she can't record herself.

The moment of collaboration that I most proud of is we all listen to other opinion instead of try to do everything the way one person wanted. Everyone also helping each other out. I know that I have a hard time writing my script but they help me put them in words and it sound really nice. The fact that we be honest with each other if one person didnt get it done as a table we try to help them and we end up finishing the project that are well done

ALEXA

I have a thing for being in control of everything and having things done. And I hate working with people. Absolutely hate it. But, I have to admit that this group was pretty good with communication and keeping up deadlines. I appreciate that at the beginning of the project we all admitted our strengths AND our faults. Sabian kept up with the deadlines, My was good at try to find understanding and making sure she understood the concepts and meanings of the movie before she made any moves. Sieanna did a really good job with the story line and the recording. She jumped right on it and made sure we were on track. This is probably the first good functional group I’ve been in. When it comes to te structure of this project, I think it would have been a better idea to link up people with different strengths. Not grouping by same strengths. I tried to focus more on feminine aspects of “The joy luck club” so that my notes would be more on point. I helped do my part of the lines and I printed them out and tried to sound natural while recoridng so Sieanna wouldn’t need to edit so much. I think the most proudest collaboration is my analysis of the movie. I had lot’s of quotes and opinion to put in there.

SIEANNA