Gristrift

The Boy with the Purple-Streaked Hair

The door led to a long, pink hallway with tacky stickers all over the wall. Condelle took the lead. Kurloz and Horuss stayed in back. They went down a spiral staircase and into a large room where dozens of teenagers lounged. Some sat watching TV or playing video games. Others enjoyed a game of basketball. Most sat around talking. Several doors led off of the room.

"You is gonna room with Dave, Rose, and Jade. Lights out in half an hour, so you gotta find them by then. I got shit to do. Your shit starts tomorrow, no excuses to laze around while the other kids face the rift," said Condelle. She sauntered off into one of the doors. It sounded like the boys and girls roomed together unless "Rose" and "Jade" happened to be male. He supposed Condelle trusted that a bunch of thirteen-year-olds wouldn't be having giant orgies. She probably separated the older people. Or maybe she just didn't care.

A kid about as old as John stepped up to him. Purple dye streaked his hair and he wore a cape like a supervillain. "Hello, newcomer," he said in a haughty Greek accent. "Come with me. I'll show you the right people to hang around with. You don't want to turn out like your older clone. Wait," he looked over John, making him acutely aware of the blanket and jacket he wore. "You're not wearing that getup because you're poor, are you? There has to be another reason."

"I don't think so. I mean, I live - er, lived - in the suburbs and Dad was talking about me maybe getting into a private high school, so probably not."

"Good. I have zero tolerance for fucking freeloaders. All they do is take away from those who actually have the gumption to go out and make a lot of money. You and I aren't like that, though. Even though you look like a plane crash in those clothes, you at least don't steal charity from people who earn their keep," said the boy.

John didn't know how to respond to that. "You said something about me having an older clone. What is up with that? And why is my older clone bad? Is he evil and will I have to make the choice to stay good despite having evil tendencies?" asked John. "Whoa. He'll be like 'John, you have to come be evil with me. It is in your blood,' and then I will have to be all 'though you are my clone, that is actually a bunch of baloney and I will fight for the good side.'"

"Nah, he's just kinda a tool," said the boy in a bored voice. "He's bi but he won't go out with my older clone, who is the greatest and most powerful person here. I mean, straight kids I can get but if you're gay or bi, you at least hafta try Cronus out. See if you like him. He deserves a good relationship."

"I am not a homosexual, so there is no need to hook me up," said John. "Does everybody have an older clone?"

"Yeah, even the older clones have older clones, but nobody really sees those guys much except for Condelle. One of the older-older clones actually died because he was too stupid to stay away from Jack Noir. I would never make a mistake like that and if I did, Cronus would kill Jack Noir because his power is poisoning and Jack Noir has to eat eventually. My name is Eridan. What's yours?" He reached out a hand.

"Hello, Eridan! I am John," he said, shaking Eridan's hand. "So what is your power? Mine is breaking into buildings."

"My power is like being a drug dealer. I can cause emotional highs and lows and make people dependent on me. You should really thank me for not using it on you and everybody else, because I could. It's only because I'm a really great person that I don't."

John nodded even though something didn't seem quite right about that.

"Here, let me show you around. We're going to be great friends, I can already tell. I'll show you the shitbags to stay away from and the correct people to be around if you want to stay on top around here."

"O... kay," said John, a bit nervous about Eridan's way of thinking

He led John across the room to where a group of John-age girls (younger clones?) were doing each others' hair. They sat on a small step that stretched the entire way around the rectangular room. John heard giggles before he got close.