A Town Gone Dark: Vanishing Innocence

Chapter One

It was an early Friday morning as thirteen boys stood outside Mayorsfield High School, eagerly waiting for the day's field trip to Broaden College. Excitement buzzed in the air as they chatted among themselves, their backpacks slung over their shoulders.

Just as the boys were engrossed in conversation, their voices echoing off the school walls, two figures approached the group. The taller of the two raised his hand, signaling for the boys to quiet down. As they turned their attention to him, the man spoke.

"Welcome, students, to today's field trip to Broaden College. I am Coach Hale, and Mr. George and I will be accompanying you," Coach Hale announced, his voice commanding the attention of the boys.

Coach Hale, known for coaching the Junior Varsity Basketball team, was a well-respected figure in the school community. Mr. George, on the other hand, taught ninth and tenth-grade geometry, often surprising his students with his quirky sense of humor.

As the boys listened intently, Mr. George stepped forward, clearing his throat before speaking. He held a clipboard in his grasp, ready to take roll call.

He began calling out names one by one, the boys responding with their presence. But when he reached a particular name in the middle of the list, there was no response. Confusion swept across the group as they searched for the person whose name had been called, except for one boy who sighed and rolled his eyes.

Finally, Mr. George proceeded down the list, finishing the roll call and ensuring everyone had everything they needed. The bus pulled up, its yellow exterior shining brightly under the morning sun. Mr. George boarded first, exchanging pleasantries with the bus driver, while Coach Hale supervised the boys as they entered the bus, one by one.

Once everyone was settled and seated, the bus engine roared to life, and the driver closed the doors. As the bus was about to depart, a sudden knocking on the doors halted its movement. The boys turned their attention towards the sound, their eyes widening at the sight of a boy with auburn hair, panting heavily as he boarded the bus.

Relieved to have made it in time, the boy, Nolan Ripley, greeted the bus driver before searching for his best friend, Gavin Porter. He made his way down the row until he found Gavin, settling down next to him and placing his backpack on the floor.

But before Nolan could speak, Mr. George's deeper voice cut in. "Nice of you to join us, Mr. Ripley," Mr. George said, a smile playing on his lips. Nolan nodded at him and then turned his attention back to Gavin, smiling brightly at his best friend since third grade. They sat side by side on the bus, anticipation buzzing in the air as they embarked on the field trip. Nolan couldn't help but find amusement in Gavin's worry, as if Gavin played the role of a responsible parent and Nolan was the carefree child.

"You know you almost missed the bus," Gavin teased, "which means you would have missed the field trip, which means I would have been alone, which also means..." His rambling was interrupted by a burst of laughter.

Nolan, shaking his head at Gavin's antics. "You know that I may be late all the time, but I always make it on time," Nolan declared proudly, eliciting an amused expression from Gavin.

"That makes no sense whatsoever," Gavin remarked, eyebrows raised, letting out a chuckle. Nolan pretended to ponder the statement before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, that didn't make any sense," he admitted, joining in Gavin's laughter. Soon after Gavin turned his attention to the passing scenery outside the window, watching as the world blurred by.

Nolan continued their conversation, filling the bus with his lively chatter, while Gavin offered short responses or questioning looks every once in a while. The hours flew by, and before they knew it the bus was pulling into the parking lot of Broaden College. As the driver searched for a parking spot, Dakota, seated near the back, looked down at his younger brother Arlo, who had fallen asleep with his head resting against Dakota's shoulder.