Bleak Winter -

Chapter 1: Welcome To Pleasantville

Chapter 1: Welcome to Pleasantville

Deep in the center of Wyoming, there's a small town that goes by the name of Pleasantville. It isn't a place many would consider visiting for a vacation; even many residents would say that if you end up in Pleasantville, you're officially lost. The town is surrounded on all sides by tall and imposing mountains and the lack of roads leading to and from the county makes Pleasantville somewhere that's hard to find and even harder to leave. Within its borders, the town looks like it's made up of buildings right out of the 70s, but it's just about as boring as any other suburban wasteland in middle America. The Plaza has all the chain restaurants and retail stores you'd expect, from Mcdonald's to Walmart, and the only place that would really stand out would be the local technology store, Computer Cave, and the movie theater, Bradley's Cinema. Other than those, the town has the same array of small businesses you'd see in any town, Bradley's Diner, Bradley's Deli, and even a store that hosts Pokemon and Magic tournaments called Bradley's Game Center.

That's not to say there aren't any sights to see if you come by for a visit. Though they may be intimidating to others, the numerous mountains that surround the town make for dozens of hiking trails that can take you to all sorts of interesting places. There are some odd local attractions, like an old abandoned church and schoolhouse that teens like to party at. But the main draw of the forest is Arcane's Peak, a park with a large pond and a scenic overview of the whole town. Not only that, but it's also the best place to get a look at the Watcher, a mountain that looks as if it has a face carved into its side, staring down directly at the town, watching over it at all times. If you wanted to learn about the history of the town, you could always visit the offices of the Jeweler's Society, an organization that serves to document the town's lineage and even has a museum showcasing many of the gemstones found within the mines of the mountains. Though to be honest, it's nothing special if you don't enjoy looking at shiny rocks.

That's really the most common phrase associated with Pleasantville, Wyoming: "nothing special." It's your average suburban small town with a few cool sights if you're into nature, but overall it's not a place anyone would seek out. Even most of the town's residents aren't crazy about the place, and most of the youth dream of leaving when they grow up, even if they don't know where they'd be going. That dream is no exception for Julie Rayes, though that dream is harder for her to pursue than everyone else. Being the only child of the town's Sheriff, Jimmy Rayes, Julie has been expected to be the ideal face of the town. But she's hoping today will be different, Since today is her 14th birthday, and she'd like nothing more than to just have a day to herself. To have minimal responsibilities and to be able to hang out with her best friend at the movies.

Wednesday, December 19th, 2001 - 5 a.m.

Julie's alarm clock wakes her up with the radio switching on and playing Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer. She immediately shifts herself up and gets ready to start the day. First is a quick 10-minute shower and brushing her teeth before heading back to her room to get dressed. Julie usually likes to wear something simple and plain to school, so she dresses up in blue jeans, pink socks, and an Elijah Wood T-shirt that she hides under a red sweater. She then sits at her desk and looks at herself in the mirror, brushing and drying her long blonde hair for about half an hour until it's tidy and straight. The noise of the hairdryer gets the attention of the family dog, a beagle-German shepherd mix named Rambo, who comes in through the door and paws at Julie's leg while she gets ready. While giving Rambo occasional pets and shakes, Julie does her make-up. Mascara, eyeliner, whatever she can use to clear up her face and make any pimples or imperfections disappear. When all that is finally finished, Julie grabs her backpack, slips on her watch, and heads downstairs for breakfast.