In this area, the lights never come on, there are no visitors, and it's always dead silent. The houses stand empty without residents, and no one wants to buy a home here.
Twelve-year-old Luke Campbell suffers from loneliness - he has no friends, an...
Luke's school days were usually quite ordinary. He woke up early in the morning, got ready, and walked to school with his head down. Nothing exciting ever seemed to happen during classes or breaks. Luke tried to focus on his studies, but it was getting more difficult with every day.
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Bullying at school was a constant issue for Luke. Not only classmates, but also some of the older kids just made fun of him for being quiet and always reading books. They would call him names and sometimes even push him around. Luke tried to ignore them and stay away, but it was difficult when they seemed to find him wherever he went. Sadly, no one seemed to notice or care about what was happening to him. Actually, nothing new.
When Luke got home, he finally felt some relief. He loved spending time in his room, where he could immerse himself in programming. He had a computer that he built himself from spare parts, and he spent hours learning new coding languages and working on personal projects. Computer programs would never tease him. It was a virtual place where he could forget about the troubles of the day and focus on something he truly enjoyed.
"Luke, you’ve been scaring us lately," was the first thing his mom said when she entered the boy's room.
"Is that what you say instead of hello?" he snapped back.
"You spend whole days either reading books or working on your programming languages! You have zero physical and social activity, no friends, and minimal development outside of your home, or rather, even your room."
"So, you would be happier if I didn’t care at all about science and learning, didn’t read books, and had no interests or hobbies? Is that what you and dad want?" This time, Luke Campbell was shouting, which was very rare for him, especially when it came to shouting at adults, and especially at his parents. But eventually, every patience reaches its limit.
"My dear, interacting with peers and engaging in various activities is just as important as education and intellectual development. You’re not a dumb boy, but you should understand — too much of anything is unhealthy. Staying indoors all the time will not benefit anyone. I suppose you’re the only one like this in your class."
"Does the fact that I’m different from others mean I should abandon my personality?"
"Luke, you haven’t understood me correctly! No one is telling you to give up your interests. Just try to make friends with someone, at least with your classmates. It might turn out that they’re not so bad after all!"
The boy mentally recalled his classmates — the term "make friends" didn’t really resonate with them. But what could he prove?
