The New Dead World

Chapter 1: Mad World

"The world is dark and gray and deserves to be destroyed by itself. There is no hope. No dreams. No love, and for god's sake, absolutely no humanity left," Mr. Green read from my World View essay. "Is this really how you see the world, @$#!$@?"

No, No. That isn't some writing error, or me having a stroke as I write this out. Typical names ended for me at the end. Who I was before the New World, is dead and gone. You can call me Saren now. And no... that's not my real name.

Mr. Green was my high school guidance counselor. Probably the only person to care about me, well at least he acted like it. I got sent to his office, again, for this essay.

I nod to his question. "Well, Saren—"

I'm just gonna put Saren in place of my real name, and once again, to make it clear... no that it's not my real name.

"Stay here for a bit, will you?" He asked me, and I nod. "This is supposed to be a two-page essay, you turned in four sentences." He sighs and looks at me from across his desk. "The world is dark and gray... What do you mean by that?"

"Not much," I said quietly.

"Don't give me that." He glares at me. "Spill."

"Dark and gray, means there is no light and color in the world. I view it as dark and gray." I said.

"I see..." he sighed and laces his finger and places his hands on his desk leaning forward. "I want to help you Saren, but you shoot me down every time," he said softly.

"Yeah..." I nod.

"Do you want help?" He asked.

The question rang out around my head. Do I need help? Probably... most likely.

"No... I don't," I said. I don't know why but I did.

Mr. Green looked disappointed and worried. With a defeated sigh, he stands up and walks to the door. Opening it he says, "You can come to me anytime; you know that right?" The look he gave me screamed Please let me help you!

"I know," I muttered and walked out of his office.

Two kids sitting in the waiting area outside of the principal's office shoot glances at me. The one on the left had a blue shirt and long hair, and the one on the right had a white shirt and short hair. "Only third period and already in the Guidance Office... that kid's a Freak." The blue-shirted kid said to the other, while the other kid sniggered.

"He's so dark and depressing, I'm always scared he'll shoot up the school one day," he said in loud hushed whispers.

"Doug said he saw him at a shooting range the other day when his dad was teaching him to shoot." The blue-shirted kid said.

"Shit... maybe he actually will do it." The white-shirted kid said as they both stared at me.

They were annoying and one hundred percent wrong. I was only practicing my shooting in case of an apocalypse, which for some reason was the thing I chose to use to cling to for hope. Don't ask me, I don't know either.

I shot them with a finger gun and watched their faces go from happy to scared. I decided to leave school for the day. As I walked down the hall, other kids either completely ignored me or stared and whispered.

Some girl shot out of her classroom and collided with me and sent us both to the floor.

"Ow... damn..." The girl says rubbing her head. I got to my feet before her, warm liquid dripping from my eye. Reaching up and touching my eyebrow, my finger rubs a small gash on my eyebrow. "Ah... woah... I'm so sorry-"