Melted City

Chapter 1

   The birds chirped. The early morning breeze touched the leaves.

   And a long strip of a yellow line shone behind the Hamlet Volcano.

   Just then, the alarm clock started to ring. It cringed a teen named Jack.

   "Ah, another school year's gonna start!" the boy said.

   Jack is 17 year old who is excited to be a 12th grader. And as he woke up in his first day, he quickly fixed his bed in a few seconds.

   "Phew. That was a bit exhausting. Now for some streching exercises!"

   As Jack rotated his head, he entered the bathroom. After using the toilet, he was brushing his teeth when he felt chilly for a second.

   "What was that?" Jack said in a muffled voice. His mouth was filled with foam and undissolved toothpaste.

   The next thing that happened was a big silence. Jack became alert. He was pointing his toothbrush around the bathroom, moving it back and forth like a sword. A minute had passed, and he was still in the same position, moving his toothbrush like he was killing someone. Then another minute passed, and Jack decided to continue his brushing business.

   "Well, that was nonsense." Jack muttered.

   After rinsing his mouth, he turned on the shower, and took a bath.

   When Jack fixed his clothes, his mom shouted. "Jack! It's time for breakfast!"

   Jack ran to the kitchen, then hugged his mom.

   "How's last night?" his mom asked.

   "Well, I wasn't able to sleep well. Too excited." Jack said.

   Both of them laughed. Then after a few seconds, they stopped.

   "Jack, remember that your trip to London is still far away."

   "I know. It's just makes me sad to leave this place. I grew up here." Jack replied.

   Recently, his dad asked him to continue studying in London. But the thing is that Jack never wanted to. He is fully attached in his hometown, and transferring to another place would make him homesick. Jack tried to ask his dad to stop, but his dad won't. When his mom decided to talk, his dad decided to take 12th grade in his hometown, but after that he needs to move to London afterwards.

   "It's a pain for both of us to see you moving." his mom said. "Well, let's stop this, and start eating our breakfast, Jack! You need to be alert in school!"

   "Yes, mom." Jack replied. Then he smiled.

   Infront of Jack was two pancakes. He was about to grab the syrup bottle, when his mom warned him.

   "Oh, don't eat too much chocolate syrup. That's bad for your health." 

   Jack nodded. Then he squeezed just a little amount of syrup.

   "Be quick with your pancakes, okay?" his mom said. "Oh, I need to wash the clothes. Gotta keep moving."

   Then his mom left. Jack was alone in the dining room, finishing his first pancake. He looked to the window, imagining better days ahead. The branches of the orange tree moved as the breeze passed by.

   Jack looked back to his last pancake. Round in shape. Then he enjoyed his first bite: So soft, so fluffy.

   Jack wished that his father can cook delicious meals like his mother.

   Even with the fluffiness of the pancakes, Jack still wanted to add another squeeze of the chocolate syrup. But when he was about to reach the bottle with his hands, his eyes were once again attracted with the bright oranges outside the window.