Blurred Lines

Everything changes

Unfortunately for little jeremy, he only got to keep his friendship with Micheal for a little under a month and while the month was glorious, the best time of my life, it came to an end when two men in suits showed up in our doorway.

Even then I knew this was bad news, especially since my dad was wearing pants. They talked in the living room while I was forced to strain my hearing to try and hear what they were saying from my room, eventually just deciding to creep across the floor to the balcony, where they couldn't see me.

"Just sign here, and we'll have him off your hands for good." I heard one unknown man say. I remember not wanting to believe my father wanted to get rid of me.

When he called my name I hopped up, tears brimming in my eyes as I asked him why he didnt want me.

"It's not that I don't want you, it's just I cant afford to take care of a kid, and I'm not cut out to be a father."

"You'll come with us." one said, "Pack your things." His tone said I wasnt coming back. I went and shoved my clothes into a suitcase, scanning my room for anything else I wanted.

A few of my favorite books, and one I'd reread countless times since Micheal got it for me. I also kept micheals bracelet on me, of course, thumping the bag down the stairs.

"Excuse me?" I had asked, holding back tears. "Will I still be able to go to school?"

"Not here." It was at that moment my world shattered. The one friend I had, I was forced to abandon.

"Then, can you tell Mrs. Grause to tell Micheal I said goodbye, and that I hope he can find another friend?" The one paying attention to me's face broke its stoic expresssion and he said,

"Sure kid." I managed a weak smile, following them out the front door, not looking back.

From there I was driven to a big building, then sat in a room with a few other kids but they were all older than me, and all had suitcases like me. One looked particularly nervous, so I dug a book out of my bag and handed it to him.

He looked at me curiously, then opening the book. I sat back and crossed my legs in my chair, being small enough to do so. I stared down at the bracelet in worry, hoping Micheal would be ok without me.

After sitting in the room for a long while, one more kid appeared and a new person in a suit, a woman this time, got our attention and said,

"All of you follow me." Everyone stood and we filed out of the room, back outside to a van. Under normal circumstances I wouldnt get into a strangers van but I dont have anywhere else to go.

I got in and wound up squished in the back, but I didnt mind because I got to look out the window.

The drive felt like forever, and the plane ride, while it was exciting to take off and land, the main middle chunk was boring as well, as I'd gotten through Micheal's book fairly quickly.

Once the plane landed I looked out the window onto the tarmac in wonder, not knowing where I was other than far away. That made my mood change drastically, predicting id never see micheal again.

I'll find a way, when im older, I'll track him down.

Now, I'm being put in another car, which drove through the giant city I stared at bewildered. I'd only ever seen this in pictures, skyscrapers are so tall in real life!

Once the car stopped, it was at a building at the edge of the city. We walked into a lobby and the lady who was now moving us to wherever it was said to the receptionist,

"These are the new recruits." and flashed her a badge. Recruits for what?

A door to our left opened, and we were herded in. We went down about three floors, then flooded out into a small room, that opened on one wall to a long tunnel with a compartment on the tracks.

Well, there were no tracks. It just floated.

I was the first one on, being a curious little kid, and everyone else followed in suit. I sat on the bench and looked out the front window at the metal tunnel I couldn't see the end of.

"Everyone hold on." The woman warns, and the girl next to me grabs the handrail in front of us quickly, as do I, just as the car shoots forward.

The view is both incredible and scary, as new tunnel appears just as it rushed past into darkness.

We come to a stop and I jolt forward, hitting my ribs on the seat back. I grunt and look through the window. beyond it is another room, with elevator doors in it as well.

The door in front of me opens when I push on it and I pull my bag out, heading for the elevator.

It opens right before I push the button and I yelp, jumping back. In it was a man, who seeemed unaffected by my outburst. He got out and weaved through us to the car, exchanging words with the lady.

I hesitated to get on the elevator, but when we get to the correct level I'm met with a smiling face of a teen with a clipboard and a bunch of papers.

"Welcome new recruits! For your instructions and directions, come up when your name is called." I'm the third person, last name being an H name, and I walk up to get my paper.

Its got a bunch of bullet points for rules, and my schedules but nothing that says where we are or what were here for.

I follow the rudementary map to my room, and push open the door. Its got two dressers, a bunk bed, one digital clock on the wall, and one desk with a computer on it. I choose a bed, and put my clothes away, as well as filling a drawer with books to make it a little less bare.

I check the schedule, then the map and see its almost time for my placement test, which sounds scary enough as it is but I also have no idea where the computer lab is and I'm too scared to ask anyone.

Fortunately, one of the teens notices I'm not where im supposed to be and leads me to the right room just as it starts.

I thank him and join the crowd of kids.

"When I call your name, sit at that computer." He says, listing off names. I'm the first one, so I hurry to my seat, climbing up to the desks.

The test is really easy and I complete it quickly, raising my hand to signal I've finished. He looks up, then back at his computer and a minute later a new test appears, the same repetitive cycle everyone else was doing.

That one is slightly more difficult, but I complete it nonetheless. The next one I dont know half the answers for, and by the time I finish that almost everyone is gone.

"Ok, you can go. Check your computer for your schedules tomorrow morning." He says, and I leave, trying to find my way back to my room.

Even though the clock says its only five, I go to bed, tossing and turning for a while out of stress and worry, but eventually fall asleep.