Etc Etc.

Chapter One: Dream

When I fall asleep, I don't dream. Even if I go to bed with a head full of thoughts, I always just blink and just like that it's suddenly six in the morning. But looking out the car window I know that this is what a dream must look like. We zoom by bright neon signs and squares of lights on massive skyscrapers, painting the night sky with delicate brushstrokes of color. It's odd to think that I've been on this planet for almost seventeen years and I've never been in a proper city. Hell, I'd barely even been on any vacations, and barely left my room unless it was for school or some other necessity. Maybe I'd have gotten out more if we had lived somewhere like this, instead of in some bland rural house in northern Georgia. I take out an earbud to listen to all the new noises. Who knew so many cars could be in one place? And people screaming this late at night? Maybe I'd finally have an excuse for staying up now.

The days-long journey comes to a stop when we get out of the car and step out into the chilly October air. I guess the city of TBD is my life now.

About a week later I find myself standing outside my new highschool. Mom warned me about the dangers of being alone in the city- in fact, the abundance of crime here was a reason why she didn't want to move in the first place, but she begrudgingly agreed when she realized it was such a big deal to Dad and his career. I don't feel uneasy or anything at all; I'm in a pretty big group of other kids waiting for the doors to open, plus I highly doubt anyone would want to kidnap me considering I literally just got here. I look around at the other kids here, most of them already collecting in cliques or talking to their friends. Figures. They've probably already had at least two other years plus the first month of this semester to get to know each other. What really sticks out the most to me though was how freely these kids were expressing themselves, appearance wise. Back in my old school everyone either dressed like they would punch nerds in the nose or like a country boy who listens to Luke Bryan and goes hunting on Saturdays- or both. Yet many people here dress in a more... unique fashion. I've never seen so many people with dyed hair in one place. I kinda feel like I look too boring, dressed in just a forest green sweatshirt and some dirty white sneakers.

The bell rings and the uneventful school day begins. The things they're teaching are mostly things I already know- that or they're things I have no clue about and zone out anyway. The bell rings again for lunch and I bump into many people in the crowded hallways. When I get to the lunch line I reach to take out my money, only to find that it's not in my pocket anymore. Great. It's my first day here and I already managed to lose my lunch money? I sigh and leave the lunch line too. Luckily I'm pretty early, so there are a few tables devoid of other students. I sit down at one, swiping through my Twitter feed mindlessly to distract from my growling stomach.

"Hey new kid," I hear a melodic voice say from behind me. I look up to see a tall boy with round glasses, a grey turtleneck, and many piercings looming over me. He has a fluffy mullet that had been dyed a sort of bluish grey color and a couple of moles on his face. "They stole it didn't they? Yeah, that's a pretty common occurrence here. Anyway, you can have mine." He pushes up the sleeves of his turtleneck to reveal ten dollars taped to his arm. "So anyway, I'm Alt. And you?"

"Backspace," I reply, scratching the back of my fluffy orange hair. "And uh, thanks for the lunch money."

"No problem," he grins.

I go get myself a salad, and the boy is staring at me with a wide closed smile when I return. I cautiously go to sit down next to him. In all honesty, I'm not exactly good with people. I had maybe one friend back home named Shift, but even still we weren't that close. Come to think of it, I should probably call her after school.

"Getting pickpocketed is basically a right of passage here. You're now officially a TBD citizen."

I continue eating my salad. "Thanks," I say through mouthfuls of spinach.