Beyond the Borderline

Chapter 1: "Mistakes"

    “Help!” shouting deep from my lungs.

    “Someone, please!” begging as my call was swallowed by the crackle of thunders.

    Hope were all abandoned, the light was nowhere to be seen but the flashes of lightning above. It appears that the powerful and the all-knowing deities gave no pity, for that now my twisted body lies in the land where God has forsaken, the Outlands. Every move I felt was as if death is dragging me down to the lands of Hades, for the pain grew even more than my call for aid; some fingers of my right hand continue to twitch while the rest were as ugly as the face of Hephaestus, my noggin was as if it was a broken egg, as my legs felt like shattered glass.

    My visions were useless, for which the hard fall of rain felt like the wrath of the divine. Nowhere to go, nowhere to find the light of hope, the storm kept falling stronger in every second as my soul was being dragged away by the winds of Thanatos. With every urge, with my last living straight, I grabbed through the muddy flood with my left hand and shove my fingers into the wet grassy soil, groaning as I dragged myself to somewhere the rain was lesser. Mud, twigs, and pebbles were everywhere; grinding through the left side of my head all the way down to my scratched neck, sharp pebbles crawled inside my nails like ants. But by the life-giving luck of the trees, Gaea favored me so little, for that now I gave nothing more than thanks. At least this way, in every move I made, in every reach I can reach, the rain was seemingly lesser by the leaves. My arm was a waste, dragging my whole body along with it while grasping my last hope of dignity. Crawling desperately; the agony kept hugging back, tighter than the last. For the rain was in every inch of my skin; even though the darkness of the night was freezing me to death, even from my cold night swim as a wild hog, internal bleeding was having fun alongside my open fresh wounds. Supporting my bizarre bruised torso along with my bone fractured right arm, I continued to crawl my way back near or at least, closer to the Wall, but I found myself getting nearer a big tree instead. For choosing my spot wasn’t an option, I crawled faster even if it felt like a thousand piranhas are chomping through my flesh. My legs as a mermaid’s tail, it slowed me well, but reaching a point where the tree somewhat helped, that made a smile along my shut shivering lips. Very peculiarly, an intimate glow appeared out of nowhere, appearing quite far but noticeable, it was surrounded by the roaring thunder and the slashes of lightning, the somewhat firefly flew very calmly. Later on, while I was still crawling, I felt the tree bent in a way that gave me more shade; its trunks cracked, twists as its roots popped out of the muddy soil. Scaring the life out of me, the thinner roots crawled down and gently grabbed my torso along with my puppet-like arm. Pulling my threads, I was getting closer to its domain.

    From the name of science, I cannot explain what was happening nor reason with it, for that my mind not only focused on the agony, I might've damaged my head from the fall so hard, I could be losing my mind like what happened to me in that damn test room. Slowly and terrifyingly strange, the tree continued to pull me closer right until I was under its massive roots. Like a baby giant that is about to feast upon its midnight snack, I knew, this isn't an illusion anymore. The storm was constant, but once its slim roots covered me, it felt more than a hug, aside from the wet coldness, I felt the warmth of hope. Soon after, I was given at least the aid that I wished deeply, temporally. And as I saw the little light flew away, all I could do was thank him/her or it. For the shade of the tree helped a lot, not only I was thankful for its numerous umbrella-like leaves; I was now harshly thanking the asshole that pushed me into this mess, literally. Vengeance took over; after all of the torture I had to go through, all of the living nightmares I have to face alone, I swore to myself this very moment, as the thunders continue to crumble alongside Zeus’ anger. I’ll come back for him; whatever it takes, vowing that I’ll walk out of TALOS along with not only his head but the man of the root with it. With the last crackle of thunder, I was brought back to the new day when everything started; the days before hell breaks loose, counting down as the pieces of the checkered-chess board was being set for a royal play.

    So maybe I was too excited yesterday night, for in the upcoming days I’m turning 15. Leading me to sleep late; celebrating by reading a book, I spend most of the night listening to a podcast about countless mind-blowing science topics. And so here I am, all drowsy and sleepy as the freezing shower somewhat helped me a little to steam up.

    Once I slid down my last book, I headed down from the second floor to the kitchen. Of course, my parents were already gone, off to their shifts. The walls of the kitchen were always the same, my father planned to repaint it before my birthday, my mother on the other hand was going to bake me a cake with grandpa, but plans were changed. Ever since grandpa died two weeks ago, mom hasn’t baked anything in the oven, those two loved baking all sorts of pastry. From silly-looking cupcakes to deformed duck-looking birthday cakes back when I was just five. It felt like only it was yesterday; grandma alongside dad, laughing at my reaction when I saw my cake that day. The five-year-old child from the past cried in laughter so hard, I blew the candles wishing that mom would bake a cake better than Grandpa one day. Unfortunately now, mom couldn’t even dare touch the oven, perhaps my wish burned out. The kind-hearted man she cared about all her life, died at the hands of a man who had a gun in the alley of the bakery. He was almost at retirement, off to live in the open fields with his wife, but he didn’t make it home that night; it broke my grandmother’s heart, how much more is it for my mother’s? For my family’s love has been the sweetest cake he had ever baked.

    Every time I walk inside the kitchen, the oven reminds me of the two of them; the laughs, the cookies, and especially his white-bearded smile. Things need to move on because when I gaze above a wall clock, I found out that I was running late. So I quickly ate a loaf of daily bread, and once I entered the garage, I snuck the special apple of Discord and considered it as breakfast. Surprisingly, there I saw my father wiping the hood of the car before leaving, all ready for work at the post office.

    “Hold on son,” halting with a morning smile. “did you eat properly?” wearing a face I can’t seem to sneak out from.

    “I’m sorry dad, but I’m late and I gotta-”

    “Hold that thought,” generously interrupting by handing me cash from his back pocket. “Wake up early next time, alright buddy?” taking the money as he winked.

    “Thanks, Dad,” I replied after, smiling back at him as I waved and left.

    My uncle being my step-father was a huge life changer. At first, I thought it was going to be a rough road for me, but I was so wrong. That doesn’t mean I don’t miss him though, ever since dad was chosen to be a champion, our life was filled with sorrow. For that everyone knows about the program run by the counselors themselves, the “Search of Champions program” is what they call it. The greatest opportunity that one can achieve; this was of course special to the big man very deeply, so no wonder it’s still alive. The so-called ‘Champions’ are a group of people that are strictly assigned to step out of the Wall, an opportunity that has a promise that says:

“To Fight, to Find, and to Facilitate”

    Sounding as deadly as the snakes that bit Eurydice, from its simple words to its venomous convincing tone, we’re all not Orpheus now are we? Aside from the ‘support’ that they’re promising if we join, it’s filled with training to not only physical and mental straight but to strictly serve precisely, spiritually and orderly. The Romans did their job ages ago, but the man of the root has other plans to update such power. Thomas Walker, the man who had the vision that changed us all; he’s one of the great visionaries that shifted the sails of humanity, sharing ideas about the main gate ‘TALOS’, to the advanced technology that we use, and of course, what his people feared to join. People fear the gateway of truth because of how dangerous it is, from the 'monsters' we all fear from birth to the time we are chosen to carry a spear to fight. We all have only one life to live, but the real truth about that is; we have one life to see what really is beyond the border, to see it in our own eyes. And to be honest, I'll minas well drop the spear.

    Brave souls join, or have been selected to the program; for some chose to be bigger than themselves, while the rest were eaten by not the hell spawns, but by fear. For the so-called ‘purifiers’ did their job very well; by searching for potential in the ranch, what they found did live in fame, their names became legends alongside Walker, but one thing was clear; some died out there, or that’s what they say. Thomas did his fair share of the safety of mankind, and overall upgrading innovation. However, he sparked a fire that still burns today, truth. His answer, of course, is surprisingly nothing. As a leader, that's his only golden sword to fight; letting his people drive into chaos, acting more savage than civil, it teaches the past gen a lesson. Follow or not, it leads all the way to Walker's orders.

    His history is somewhat a messy start, some say he was a farmer, others say he was a carpenter; he had nothing in life but a wife, two kids, and a lifetime to love all of them. One night, something extraordinary happened in Ruby Lake; stumbling upon the scene, strange lights occur and suddenly vanish without a trace. Unfortunately, the story ends there, a huge question lies in the minds of the people; after the incident, there were no more sightings of the unexplainable phenomena, but not for Walker. Some say he was the only man in his cornfields, others say in the streets, but no one was the wisest. The people were eager to know what it was, Walker was strangely the only man that encountered it that night. Sadly, he was traumatized by the phenomena when the police found him under a bridge. Hiding behind a huge old wooden barrel like Diogenes, but instead of knowledge he bare, he was soaked in fear. Journalists asked him questions that pressured him, as the madman refused to cooperate with the police, they sent him to countless doctors but later to a well-known doctor named; Theodore Watson from the city, away from his family. The doctor was said to be very brilliant and cunning at both medical and mental aid, but even the skilled doctor was challenged by him that very day they met, like the day I went to the dentist for the first time.

    Once he pursues Walker’s recovery, there were difficulties in the results. For the past months, Thomas was in progress but differently, later Watson was convinced to work with him. No one knows about their conversation, knowing that both of them aren’t gay and all (just saying), but Theodore was they say ‘infected’ by Walker’s vision. The doctor then officially marked him as cured, but with some difficulties to recall, this made the interview a bit more blur and confusing as it is for the ill. So Walker placed twisted and non-logical pieces of the puzzle to complete the big picture; stating that he had seen fragments of the future, monstrous creatures, and violent deaths. In the end, no one believed him of course, except for his partner that believed in him well, and a random believer named Jayson Kinray.

    Not a single person believed the often-called; madman, a corrupted doctor, and a filthy gambler all living inside a small town. Considered as crazy people in television, radio stations, and newspapers, Walker was (all together now) ‘right all along’ when another unexplained incident appeared out of nowhere. The monsters he described from Walker’s interview came alive like Frankenstein’s creation. The half baked story he sewed through the flesh of his imagination is still out there, the big ‘I told you so’ sign tagged at their ignorant heads, and from the past decade, it became not only history but a living legendary tale. As the story described; the monsters are ferocious beasts that feed on the blood of the innocent, all their hearts are filled with wrathful chaos, if they have one. That was all in the past and it couldn’t be the same in the present, for the man was neither an infernal demon nor a guardian angel, because, from the people’s perspective, he was some say a hero that protected us when all hopes are gone, fighting back in unity as the first Champions recovered humanity’s loss. Rebuilding what was destroyed as Walker started to pursue his vision alongside his two trusty men, building the mighty walls for humanity’s safety as the result. Some looked at him as a tyrant king that caged humanity in one area of the world as the monsters corrupted what’s left. But there was nothing we could do because that is what he offered us, a place where we could all be safe, and a place where we could all hide away from death. He chose to defend his new people, preventing them to fight the demons to grow humanity; he chose a home we all call:

“THEMIS”

“Home of Innovation, Protection, and Civilization”

    Its huge texts are always neatly displayed on the screens beyond the zone line of my hometown, Daisy Ville; every morning I go out to water the plants in the front yard, every single evening I take out the trash, the screen is always there alongside the tallest and mighty skyscraper, ‘Hyperion’. Generations stood alongside the walls of Walker, deep down his plans really helped humanity; workers in the city of MIDAS were paid well for gaining rescores, the eastern zones innovated solar panels alongside the wall while the western zones built tall mighty windmills, together, they made electrical energy power our life. The technology of Walker and his countless teams of bright minds scattered in the zones are all crumbled up in one special area, the city of gold.

    But it appears that it faded for some time now, and that life is a way for them to counter it. Science itself had limits because of his restrictions; plastic globes are illegal for their reasons in some of the zones like ours. Not only are the people of Daisy Ville mysterious, but they’re also all kind and caring deep down. Like anyone you met in your whole life perhaps, friendly greetings outside the lovely streets to nice compliments on each word they say. But do not be fooled, some hide their darkness inside their homes because no matter how far you are from the city, they are always listening. This was, of course, an impact on people. Criminals are not thrown in jail cells but directly to a place called ‘Styx’, a high open room filled with mystery, made to change the sinful committer’s perspective and path towards the better, it’s more of a ‘change or leave’ type of vibe at the media. Commonly they never came back out while some do. Same as the annoying texts, it’s quite suppressing that it’s older than the city of gold, but it is annoying as it is irritating when you grew up with it. It always states that the city of MIDAS has never been so gold-like; it’s still crawling with swindlers, nomads, and gang lords nowadays. But It’s much better living in a simple paradise, aside from the weird feelings of hidden behavior, happiness was everywhere. People love living inside the walls of safety and leaving it is as challenging as accepting the death of a loved one, especially when you’re the victim of the joke.

    Like the name John, it was the name that my classmates called me because a teacher of mine mistakenly called me by that on my first day of high school, the following day it became a common joke, but luckily it lends me to a new friend. Honestly, I was terrible at making friends, not only I was extra introverted, it's’ because I was highly traumatized by my childhood fear, the dark, much worse than taking drugs as a kid. But growing up it seems to fade away with time, giving me new opportunities to view the life I was given inside our little zone. That is if they gave me a chance.

SILVER NOTCH HIGH

‘Daisy Ville High School’

    The chrome texts spelled out as I walked through the gate of the school, but all of a sudden, I was woken by my best friend. Shaking my right shoulder as if the school is on fire.

    “Albert,” he barked. “Wake up!” finding myself where I last left off, the history classroom.

    “Hey, Lucas.” yawning as it echoed through the walls of the empty room.

    My fellow nerd wore the same sky-blue hoodie as yesterday, his new black pants pull out his style while his nerdy actions tossed it out in the window, all he needs is some glasses and he might look like Stephen Hawking without his rare neuron disease.

    “Let’s get you some lunch,” he said, waiting for me to stand.

    “Yup,” I mumbled, dragging myself to walk while following an undead grunt that crawled out from the underworld.

    Each step felt heavy, like my bag is filled with rocks, eyes couldn’t be opened well and my jelly-like arms swayed while walking through the crowd. In my best friend’s eyes, I looked so drunk he minas well pretend that we don’t know each other. And as I kept bumping into random students, Lucas supported by apologizing after, right until I bump into someone feral.

    “Hey!” he barked, filled with wrath as the voice triggered me suddenly.

    “Sorry Eddie, he’s just-”

    “f*****g Idiots," growling like a wolf. "Watch where you're going!” swiftly, Lucas pulled me away from the scene.

    That made the crowd of our radius watched or even glared as we speed-walked away. Cowering along like Ares in the Trojan War, we finally arrived at our destination. The wide room is filled with students, so much so, it is as if dropping a beehive in an anthill. But along with the simmering loud parade-like noise of the white-walled, wet floor sighed, heavily crowded enclosed ecosystem of food transferring wide room we call the cafeteria, my heartbeat started to soothe along with the tick of the old wall clock at the wall I stood alongside, making me yet again as drowsy as earlier.

    “What time did you-?” lowering his voice while searching for a table.

    “I slept late.” yawning gruesomely, absolutely trying my best to stay awake while pinching myself as we proceed.

    “Yeah no kidding, look over there.” he pointed, after finding the perfect empty table.

    As I sat first, my eyes began to shut as Lucas kept shaking my left shoulder in an attempt to bring me back to life, but failed.

    “You’re gonna eat right?” he asked as I nodded, letting myself drift into a nap. “I’ll get lunch, just stay here.” hearing him walking away.

    Laying my forehead on the clean white table while arms around me; the darkness inside my small den gave me enough silence for a moment, even if my surroundings are as noisy as the black market. All a sudden, a huge arm grabbed my left shoulder, this startled me for a second as I heard a familiar voice right after.

    “Hey there pal!” laughing like Heracules, he controlled his unstoppable joy as I tilt my head to view who it was, of course, it was him. “Did I scare ya?"

    “How you do’ n Josh,” I drawled, as lazy as an owl in the day, now rolling my head back into the darkness.

    “Save me a seat bud, this baby needs food,” he said as I simply nodded in my solitude.

    Once left, I was back in simplicity yet again, it was the best seven minutes of my life when suddenly; someone tapped the back of my head lightly with what it felt like not a finger, but a pencil. I mistook her as Ariadne, for which there she stood her ground well. Holding three books, she shook me wide awake with one magic question.

    “Hi,” adjusting her glasses for a brief moment. “Is this seat taken?” she asked softly.

    “No,” cracking a tone. “It’s not.” muting slowly as my dozing behavior started to evaporate.

    Her soothing posture was quite puzzling, instead of wearing the proper top uniform; the bubbling beaker of her black shirt was very minimalistic, the lens of her large black-framed glasses was as flawless as her thin silky black hair, her uniform skirt quite needs some ironing, but her simple bright smile and her aqua-green sneakers covered it all. Sitting across the table in front of me, she placed down two of her books in relief, puffing out dust as it flew away. Opening one book about physics, my drossiness faded as I tamed myself not to gain her attention, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

    With a tilted smile, it drove her to spark a conversation. Clearing my mind to be completely honest, it made me feel as nervous as a mountain goat. Every move of my muscle felt watched, every sudden shift of my eyes were swiftly hooked, and moments noticed, it felt like I was being drowned by queen Amphitrite herself.

    “I was reading a book last night,” I answered.

    “Really?” raising an eyebrow. “It looks like you’ve finished it.” tittering as I smiled back.

    Suddenly, Josh popped out of nowhere, “I see you’ve met my boy.” 

    Carrying a simple tray supporting a hill of food, I can simplify this as a school and not a pig farm, but considering his muscular alpha gorilla-like size, who am I to judge as a bata.

    “Ugh,"-rolling her eyes away-"what do you want Kinson?” a sigh released as her smile faded away instantly, eyes loosen in laziness as her tone dropped to bedrock.

    “What?” he replied stupidly with the same smile. “I sit here, right Albert?” he added as the big guy pushed my position sideways for him to sit next to me.

    “Albert huh, I’m-”

    “Alice?” Lucas called out in great surprise.

    “Clark?” she turned and looked from where her name was heard. “What are the odds?” she said as she turned back at me, regaining the spirits I seem to find comfort.

    As an old friend of his, it all makes sense. After he sat down next to her, they began to catch up in their old interests. From classical mechanics to the subatomic realm of quantum mechanics, listening to the two was as if watching the two electrons orbiting me as helium in the middle. Babbling about science, music, and the old times they hung out in the school gardens.

    “Anyway,” she huffed. “What book were you reading last night?” she asked me.

    “Book,” Lucas repeated. “You didn’t-”

    “Philosophy,” I overthrew him instantly.

    “Not bad,” she mumbled.

    After beating me in a friendly quiz about Aristotle and Alfred Nobel, I’ve concluded that she was pretty much like Lucas; surprisingly, much smarter than the ordinary when she later won in a fair fight of astrophysics with him face-to-face. Puzzled by her tesseract-like knowledge, I was more driven by how she mashes irony and comedy, fooling us in the end; we didn’t realize we just learned how a supercollider works. Quite entertaining I suppose; the way she talks was somewhat rapid, slowing in a particular part like Alan Watts, and drifting-off calmly as if William Shakespeare and Neil Degrasse Tyson were talking over coffee. While explaining general relativity soon after, it drove Josh to boredom to then ask why I had an apple in my bag. With an awkward pause, I then joked that I’ve been eating too much peanut butter, breaking them in laughter.

    “Peanut butter?” repeating when she tamed her joy.

    “Yea, I need help.” I joked lastly as she then stood, strapping her maroon bag behind her.

    “I might have,” adjusting her glasses with a finger. “We should hang out at the library sometime.” spoken as if Cerci cast a spell on me, making me speechless for a brief moment.

    “Y yeah, sure.” I stammered as she wrote something with her pencil, tearing a small page from her notes as she quickly offered it to me. “It’s nice to meet you Albert.” along with a pleasant smile as a farewell.

    “Yeah, nice to- See ya!” responding awkwardly as she left the cafeteria, looking back for a second as the door cut our chained glance.

    As my eyes shifted down at what she gave, I found it was her phone number written in a way that shifted my solid-state heart to liquefy. By the arrow of Eros, in every curve of her handwriting, it felt like I was in a warm bath with Tantalus. However, along with a smile on my flan-like face, the two had an annoying smirk in exchange, more annoying than the Grinch.

    “Told you so,” he whispered at Josh as I looked at the two with confusion.

    “Yeah yeah, you’ll get your money after school,” he replied, releasing a sigh of defeat.

    “Hey, really guys?” I addressed.

    Upon realizing it was their little bet, I gave out a face as the two simply laughed. Giving up, Josh told me to relax and be cool about it, for then I fully agree. Considering that it is just a bet, but being played by my own friends? A neutral reaction is best served, especially when I'm the victim of the joke again. Pulling me back up in the game, Josh pulled out that unforgettable moment when he spills ice tea on my pants, perfectly angled in a way that appears that I peed myself.

    “Have you had any idea whose pants I borrowed that day?” I replied, laughing along with them like drunk sailors.

    Once he controlled himself, “Let’s consider this as a comeback, ya?” spoke as he finally finished his mountain-like meal.

    “Hold on, was she-”

    “Aha,” cutting Lucas’ sentence in a tone so positive, not a bad memory was noticeable. “We broke up like three weeks from now,” he guessed. “It’s complicated.”

    Lucas sighed as he mumbled at me, “It’s really not.” Josh narrowed his eyes after.

    "Oh yeah, what makes you think-”

    “First of all,” interrupting him while pointing out a finger.

    What seems to be a trip to memory lane at first, turns out to be a little conflict in judgment; Lucas pointed out that he’s lazy quite often, which makes her less focused. The battle of his flaws continued for a little while, finishing the war-like conversation to Josh realizing his behavior. I was surprised not to hear an extreme argument from him since we are in the public, but watching them examining one another made me a lip-sewed mannequin like g*****a before she was blessed by Aphrodite.

    “Whoa.” I murmured as I looked back at Joshua’s pale reaction.

    Slowly, he was deadly serious while avoiding our eyes. Seconds after, a frown appeared on his face, a prime indication that made me think he's gonna cry like a five-year-old.

    “Damn dude,” he mumbled. “You know me too well.” surprisingly not even mad or offended. “Come’ on, I’ll buy you a milkshake.” he offered purposely in a convincing manner.

    “Alright, that’s the stuff!” Lucas replied as they stood happily. “You want anything?” he teased as I shook my head, trying to cope with their unexpected conclusion.

    “Nah you deserve it.” I chuckled as they began to walk away.

    As the two got further, I was yet again alone. Once I sighed, someone started to play a sad song with his phone behind me.

    "All by myself. Don't wanna be, all by myself anymore!"

    Quietly annoyed by Orpheus in the background, I was desperate to do something, and so I shined my apple while looking at the paper under the table. When I was about to bite the fruit, a guy called my name quietly with a voice I recognized, it was Eddie.

    “Look Evans,”-sitting across the table.-“I’m sorry I- I acted like a jerk earlier.” shuddering while confessing nervously, he made his words oddly sincere.

    Admitting alongside his sweat-soaked face, our eyes met a second ago, but now, he searched the crowded room like he was being hunted by the law. Filled with fear, he rubbed his hands as if he was in a cold atmosphere, colder than the words of the oracle said to King Laius.

    "It's alright Ed," taking a detailed look at his wild loose eyes. "Are you-?"

    “I’m fine, totally fine.” mumbling along with the same fake smile. “We’re good friends right?” he asked dearly as I felt his heartbeat, faster than his raining sweat. “Please Evans," begging quietly. "Don’t let them hurt me.” Suddenly, he slams his right fist at the table once, resulting in a little scene around us.

    I jolted, “Who-”

    “I’m sorry Albert,”-looking behind him-“I gotta go.” quickly running off, leaving me to question what just happened.

    Weirdness and awkwardness, it’s quite common around here, especially that one time when I really had to pee, I ran so fast to satisfy my bladder, I mistakenly took the female comfort room instead, that surely counts. But the way he acted was oddly weird and confusing. Not only are we dissecting a frog later at science class, Eddie doesn’t usually talk to non-popular (commonly called losers) nerds like me, but apologizing personally is very rare to happen.

    Looking at the cafeteria door closing slowly, my friends saw me talk to him a second ago, and so they asked. After I explained, it lends Lucas to think deeply except for Josh of course, who doesn’t care about Eddie that much, except the day they fought brutally at the third fountain by a simple misunderstanding. Changing the subject, Josh joked about canceling the bet they both agreed on since he gave Lucas a cold treat for a cold lecture. With a jester, he disagreed, and so the two had yet another friendly argument. The three of us laughed as time felt so endless, but as soon as the bell rang, I was still feeling uncanny about Eddie. Now mixed with the crowd, Josh waved as he walked to the opposite path, for which the horrifying Algebra awaits him at his class. Very much satisfied with his meal, the hunger I once have vanished every time I looked at the paper. This was of course a bother to my dear friend; and as he continues talking about the parts of the frog, I was pulled away.

    I pictured Alice and I walking together along the empty corridors, the countless hanging signs were all over the ceiling, leading and telling us the way to the library; fragments of us borrowing a book, reading together inside the cafeteria continued, but when I opened my book though, Lucas’ head appeared, asking me limitless questions.

    “So, what do you think is the force field made of?” he asked. "What if humans did survive out there, what do you think they look like?” he babbled.

    As I drop the book in horror, I looked at her, but instead, a female uniformed frog sat beside me; her huge yellowish-orange eyes blinked, skin lubricated by transparent mucus, and a human-like body so big, her throat expanded like a balloon, croaking and awakening me back to reality.

    “Mr. Evens!” Miss Goody called out in a way what a kindergarten teacher would’ve said. “Pay attention please,” she stated as I found myself sleeping at my desk again.

    “Yes, Miss Goody,” I replied as I quickly sat up straight.

    Her favorite soft pink fabric jacket brings her out of the standard norm. Like Pandora IRL, she is such a joyful gal for a science teacher. Making her very unique in every tip of her blond hair, which makes her the youngest teacher in the school, along with a smile that brightens every topic we tackle. But it just turned south.

    “Sadly, our frog segment is canceled today, so-”

    “What?” Lucas said out loud as the other students gleefully suspire out relief.