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Personal Cloud Storage & File Sharing Platform - Google
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"Go to the store now!" The mother yells at her children. A boy looks at her mother with a tint of madness in his eyes, but he is afraid and says nothing. "Mom, it's raining cats and dogs right now," a girl pointed at the window where raindrops fell from the sky like bullets. "I don't care," she replied angrily."Fine, then come on, guys, let's go!" Her brother grabs his little sister's and little brother's hands, pulling them towards the door. They walk through their front garden, which is filled with overgrown bushes and weeds. The children walked past the gate as they noticed the falling-apart fence, a black dog chained to a fence post, barking and growling, and peeling paint on the house. The rain was still falling. Thunder was booming in the sky, and lightning flashed.The boy leads his siblings down the street, passing abandoned houses with boarded-up windows and doors. The ground was strewn with garbage and homeless people. People littered all across the ground, huddled under cardboard boxes or sitting on the steps of empty homes, trying to stay dry."Why can't she get the stuff herself? It's not that hard," a boy said, holding his older brother's hand."Because she's lazy, I'm even surprised she got out of bed today," her sister replies. "She spends all day sitting in her room playing cards and watching TV while we have to fend for ourselves," she growls. Looking away from him as if it were somehow his fault. The two boys are silent, knowing that there will be no talking back or arguing with their younger sister. They continue walking down the street, passing broken mailboxes and burned-out buildings until they reach the local corner store."Come on, let's get the stuff she needs before this storm gets any worse," the older boy tells his siblings. They entered the store and went to get the stuff they needed. It took almost an hour for the three siblings to gather what they needed."It seems like the storm has gotten much worse," her sister pointed out while looking outside the window. Lightning was striking the ground, thunder was booming loudly, and raindrops were splattering on the pavement. The boys walked over to the window and looked outside at the stormy weather. "Yeah, you're right," the older boy said."Well, I guess we should hurry home so that mom doesn't get mad at us," my little brother suggests. "She's still going to yell at us. What is the point? It would be better if we were dead," the sister said coldly."Don't talk like that! We should be glad to be alive," the older brother replied."Well, I'm not glad to be alive; the world should have killed me that day," she replies."Can we go?" the younger brother said to them."Sure, let's head home and remain optimistic," the older brother said, grabbing a bag of food from the self-checkout and walking towards the door with the rest of them. The three siblings left the store and started returning home through the storm."Come on guys, we have to get home quickly," the young boy said, panting heavily from carrying everything. The rain was pouring even harder. Thunder was booming louder than ever. Lightning flashed brightly across the sky. The siblings tried their best to keep moving forward, but they struggled to keep up with the harsh weather.The girl pointed at her brother's head before she could speak; everything was white."Ugh, my head," a boy groans, rubbing his forehead and feeling something grassy under his fingers. Slowly, he opened his eyelids and saw something greener than brown in front of him. He suddenly swung up his body, feeling dizzy from the sudden movement. He tried again, opening his eyes wider, only to see more leaves covering his face. When he finally managed to open his eyes wide enough to take a good look around, he found himself sitting in a field covered by lush blue, red, and white flowers that he had never seen in his life. The smell of wild grass mixed with a hint of sweetness from the flowers invaded his nostrils, causing his body to shiver slightly. "Where the hell am I?" he thought to himself as he continued looking around, taking in his surroundings.He slowly stood up, trying to figure out how he got there, but couldn't find anything except the softness beneath his feet. And he looked up and saw his sibling lying beside him on top of the same soft ground. "Hey, Beth, Will get up," he called out frantically, shaking their shoulders until they woke up. Elizabeth and William slowly stirred awake, rubbing their eyes and trying to make sense of their surroundings."Where are we? Where are the stores?" William asked, looking around."I don't know, Will, but we have to find our way back home. Our mother will be worried sick about us," the boy says.Elizabeth interrupted, "Drew worried? She might be throwing a party, thinking she's finally rid of us," she spat bitterly. "Maybe we're in heaven!" William exclaimed, grinning excitedly.Elizabeth rolled her eyes and scoffed. "If Heaven looks like a stupid flower garden, then I don't want to be dead." She stood up and dusted herself off, scanning the area."The flowers here are quite beautiful; I'd like to know what they are." The older boy pointed it out, reaching for his cell phone to take some pictures, when he noticed it was missing."My phone... I don't have it anymore." He patted himself down, and then he felt panic rising in his chest. He looked down and saw nothing in his pockets but a handful of leaves."My wallet and money are gone too... They're nowhere in sight," he says, searching around frantically. Elizabeth was also frantically searching, patting her pockets, and then sighing heavily."This must be a sign; this has to be the end of us. Maybe the angels finally realized their mistake of returning us to that woman, so now they are erasing our memories by sending us to heaven." William excitedly exclaimed, hopping around with a bright smile on his face. Elizabeth just scoffed once more before stomping ahead of her siblings, muttering something under her breath as she did so. Will looked at his older brother and sighed sadly. "I'm going to miss you guys the most when we die." "Will... We're not going to die; there has to be another explanation for all this," Andrew told William reassuringly.Suddenly, they heard footsteps in the bushes nearby. All three kids stopped dead in their tracks. Drew instinctively reached for Beth and Will, gripping their arms and pulling them behind their backs protectively. He didn't know who could've been approaching. But after a while, he realized these weren't human footsteps. Instead, he heard claws scratching along the dirt as whatever was making those noises approached closer.
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Suddenly, they heard footsteps in the bushes nearby. All three kids stopped dead in their tracks. Andrew instinctively reached for Elizabeth and William, grabbing their arms tightly and pulling them behind their backs protectively. He didn't know who could've been approaching. But after a while, he realized these weren't human footsteps. Instead, he heard claws scratching along the dirt as whatever was making those noises approached closer.When the creature appeared out of the shadows, it was a fox. Elizabeth sighed. "It's just a fox," she muttered under her breath as she relaxed her shoulders. William breaks away from her older brother's grasp. The fox stopped and just looked at them curiously, and it did the unthinkable. It turns into a human boy."Well, that's new, and fuck this shit," Elizabeth muttered, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at the sight. The fox-turned-boy cocked his head to the side as he studied them, a curious sparkle in his eyes."I've never seen you before," he said, his tone light with wonder.Andrew found himself stepping forward, his curiosity piqued. "Who are you?" he asked, studying the stranger with wide eyes. The boy smiled a crooked grin that made him look mischievous."I could ask the same thing about you three," he replied, chuckling softly as he looked them over. "But to answer your question, my name's Charlie Hoya."And I'm a kind of local here," Charlie Hoya added with a smug grin, his eyes shimmering with mischief. "I'm guessing you guys live in this part of the neighborhood or something." He crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby tree, looking at them as if they were the most interesting thing he'd ever seen."This looks like a neighborhood to you," Elizabeth asked sarcastically.Charlie gives them a weird look. "Um, what? Yeah, sure.""I wish I could stay longer, but I have to get home before my mom knows I snuck out again." He transformed back into a fox and ran off into the woods."So are we dead, or is this just a dream?" Elizabeth wondered aloud.Andrew shook his head and frowned. "We aren't dead. And this isn't a dream. That fox-boy... Something's wrong here. It's almost as if we've stepped into a different reality or something." He said"Drew I don't want your dorky brain to be on my nerves; please save your nerdy thoughts for Will," Elizabeth said. "We are literally in the middle of nowhere with a fox that can turn into a person, and you say we're not in a dream; well, it looks like we are," she said."Let's say if we are in a different reality, should we have a home, cool parents, and a gorgeous house" As soon as the words left Elizabeth's mouth, a strange sensation washed over them. The air around them seemed to shimmer, and suddenly they heard a crash. They turned to see what happened, and they saw a house. A beautiful woman came out of the house and looked at them."What the fuck, Elizabeth Smith, what did you do?" Andrew whispered harshly."I don't know!""Come guys, you shouldn't stay long outside; dinner is almost done, and your father is going to be here any minute now," the woman said, smiling warmly at them. She beckoned them to come inside the house. William ran excitedly towards the woman, but Elizabeth held him back."Will what you are doing? We don't know these people." Elizabeth warned, looking at her younger brother in confusion."Oh, come on, Beth, we do need a house to stay in for now, and she seems nice; you were the one who asked for this and you did say we should have a gorgeous house," William said and ran towards the woman.Elizabeth looked at Andrew. "It's too late to send that dude to an adoption center," she whispered."Elizabeth!" he whispered back. "Also, let's just play along till we figure out what's going on."The three children walked into the house, but Andrew got tackled by a young girl, "Come on, let's play, let's play," giggling uncontrollably."Alicia leaves them alone," a voice said, coming out of the room. The siblings saw a boy who looked older than Andrew walking down the stairs and went to pick Alicia up, scolding her gently. Alicia pouted, "I'm sorry for tackling you, Andrew."Andrew looked at the little girl in shock as she said his name, but before he could reply, "I'm home," The siblings turned toward the voice and saw a man walking into the room. He was tall, with broad shoulders and jet-black hair.The woman looked at the man. "Welcome back, honey," and she went toward him to kiss his lip. Elizabeth gagged."Is it about time we have dinner?" the mom said, gesturing towards the dining table. The family made their way to the table. "I say we run away and find somewhere else to stay," Elizabeth muttered to Andrew."This house is nice; I would rather stay," William said."No! You stay quiet," she hissed quietly. Andrew nudged Elizabeth to stop talking before their "parents" heard anything. He glanced up and saw his father staring at them from across the table. His eyes were cold and hard. Andrew flinched at the intense gaze and turned away. "This family is weird; we need to leave here," Elizabeth muttered, sitting down at the table."Again, you did ask for this, and Beth, look at the food," William whispered to her. Elizabeth looked at the table and saw the roast chicken which was a tender, steaming vegetable. Elizabeth saw the food; she had never seen food that looked like that before. The meat was tender and juicy, and the vegetables were perfectly cooked. Her stomach growled hungrily, and her mouth started to water at the sight of all that delicious food. "Will you try it first, You're going to be the decoy just in case they do something to it," Elizabeth whispered. William just shrugged as he took a bite; he couldn't help but moan in pleasure."It seems like someone is enjoying themselves," the dad said, smirking slightly as he took another bite. "What are you three whispering about? Do you have anything you want to tell me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow."No!" all three kids replied simultaneously.The dad looked at them weirdly. "Okay, I will let this slide for now," he said, and he kept on eating the meal.Elizabeth grabbed some of the meat and stuffed it into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the taste of it; it was divine, and it reminded her of a piece of steak she once ate when she was little. But she didn't have the chance to eat it again. It had been so long since she ate anything remotely decent like that. Elizabeth turned her attention towards her twin brother, who was happily devouring his food.Andrew looked at the food. Their real mother would never make this kind of food for them, not even if her life depended on it, or even sit down to eat with them. "Is something wrong, dear?" the older woman asked Andrew, looking at her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.Andrew looked up. "Um, no. It's nothing, really," he answered quickly before returning to his food. He glanced at his siblings out of the corner of his eyes. William was too busy eating to care, while Elizabeth had a suspicious look in her eye as she glared at her father. Andrew sighed inwardly before he took another bite. He was trying hard to remain calm and act like a normal kid, but every minute he felt his mind drifting away and getting lost in a sea of questions, most of which had nothing to do with the family sitting around them.After dinner, they all went and picked up the dirty plate. The women looked at them and said, "Time for bed; we don't go past your bedtime, do we?" The siblings nodded as they headed up the stairs. They looked into the hallway, and Elizabeth saw something in the window."Guys, we were in the fields of flowers earlier; it had nothing, right?" she said, pointing at the window. They walked to the window, looked down, and saw houses and roads."Nope, not a single pebble," Andrew confirmed, squinting at the sudden appearance of civilization. "Unless I'm losing my marbles?""You're not hallucinating," Elizabeth reassured him, but her voice trembled slightly at the mystery unfolding before them. "I remember too, just flowers as far as the eye could see."William, who had been munching on a leftover biscuit from dinner, walked to the window and choked on his snack. "Well, well," he sputtered between coughs, "it seems our flower field is undergoing an urban makeover.""Oh my gosh, William will shut up before I shove your biscuit down your throat," she glared at him.Willam ignored Elizabeth and looked at Andrew. "You know that big man looks a lot like you, and the woman looks like me and Elizabeth. Why is that?" William asked him. Drew was taken aback by his sudden question, but he quickly regained composure and cleared his throat nervously before answering him. "As I said before, differ-". Andrew stopped midsentence when he saw a family photo calendar hanging on the wall. It was him and his two siblings with the people they just met that day.Andrew's eyes widened at the photo calendar. In the picture, they were all smiling broadly, looking like the perfect family. The man and woman who were their supposed parents were hugging them tightly, grinning from ear to ear. There was a sense of familiarity and comfort in the scene, but it was entirely alien to Andrew."Okay," Elizabeth said, breaking the silence. "This is weird. I mean, I've heard of bad décor, but a fake family calendar. That's just spooky.""Or... maybe they're not fake," William suggested hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe we were meant to be their children.""Meant to be?" Elizabeth echoed, her eyebrows shooting up towards her hairline. "William, are you suggesting that we were predestined to end up in this twilight zone of a situation? Do you even hear yourself when you talk?" She gave him a skeptical look and shook her head in disbelief."I'm just saying," William continued, "What if it's like that movie where the kid gets sucked into a video game? We were in town, then woke up in a field, and Radom's house appeared in thin air because of Beth and their people, who look a lot like us."Elizabeth, "If this is a game, then someone owes me a refund," she muttered, scratching her head."Or at least a cheat code!" William added eagerly, his face lighting up with excitement.Elizabeth groaned. "Who's going to be our game mast-" she started to ask before pausing. She looked at Andrew, who was still looking at the calendar. "Andrew?" she called out, but Andrew didn't respond."Hey, you dweeb, stop spacing out and pay attention!" Elizabeth yelled as she waved a hand in front of Andrew's face. Andrew blinked and turned towards her."Sorry," he apologized. "I was lost in thought... It was just why the year in the calendar said 1981." Elizabeth and William both gaped at the calendar, their eyes darting to the date scribbled neatly at the corner of the image. "1981? That... that can't be right," Elizabeth stammered, looking utterly confused.
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"Sorry," he apologized. "I was lost in thought... It was just why the year on the calendar said 1981." Elizabeth and William both gaped at the calendar, their eyes darting to the date scribbled neatly at the corner of the image. "1981? That... that can't be right," Elizabeth stammered, looking utterly confused."Yeah, last I checked, it was 2022. Unless we've stumbled into a vintage store," Willam said, scratching his chin in thought. "Wait, that's why the photo looks off-color; it's vintage. Remember, color photographs and videos in the 80s always have that vintage tinge," Andrew added, pointing toward the picture."Right!" exclaimed William. "I remember seeing something like that in my grandma's scrapbook! But this doesn't explain why our faces are on that calendar.""You're right, it doesn't," Elizabeth said, crossing her arms and looking skeptically at the aging photo. "This is becoming less of a game and more of a creepy puzzle.""I feel like we're in an episode of 'Stranger Things'," William said, squinting at the photo. "Except, instead of a superpowered girl and the Upside Down, we've got fake parents and an unplanned makeover.""Let's not jump to conclusions," Andrew cautioned, rubbing his temples. "We just met those people today, and they've been nothing but kind to us. So the year is off, and the photo is... well, weird. But there could be a rational explanation."Elizabeth snorted sarcastically. "Oh, do tell us, oh voice of reason, what could explain this?"Andrew frowned, clearly struggling to come up with an answer. "Well, maybe... Uhhh..." He trailed off and shrugged helplessly."That's what I thought," Elizabeth retorted smugly."We should get some rest and figure this out tomorrow," Andrew finally said, seeing no point in further arguing. "A fresh mind might help us sort this out.""Finding a bedroom is easy if you guys don't see three of the doors have our name on them," William said."I can't believe I missed that," Andrew mumbled, looking slightly embarrassed. He could always rely on Will to notice the most glaringly obvious things that he and Elizabeth often missed."So, are we just going to ignore the fact that this house has rooms assigned to us already?" Elizabeth asked, a tinge of concern seeping into her voice."It seems like we don't have a choice." Andrew shrugged."Oh, wonderful," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes. "Sleepovers at Creepy Manor. Just what I always wanted. Elizabeth entered her room. She couldn't believe what she had seen. The room was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, with a plush queen-sized bed in the center of the room, draped in silk sheets, and fluffy pillows. The walls were painted a soft pink color, and there was a small desk to the side with a stack of books on it. Elizabeth ran her hand over the soft silk sheets and couldn't believe how luxurious they felt."Whatever bad thing you said about this house I take back, this room is amazing," she murmured happily. She went to the closet to find it already stocked with clothes that fit her size perfectly and also happened to be in just the style she loved. The closet was arranged in such meticulous order that it would have made Marie Kondo proud."Okay, never mind, this is officially weird," she muttered under her breath. She selected a star-speckled nightgown from the rack.Meanwhile, William's room was complete with a spaceship-themed bedspread and shelves filled with comic books, action figurines, and even a VCS video game system he thought only existed in his dreams. He sat on the bed in shock, looking around at the room that seemed pulled directly from his childhood dreams. "This is... bizarrely perfect," he admitted aloud.Back in the common area, Andrew hesitated before his door. He ran a hand through his hair, mentally preparing for the oddity that was surely awaiting him on the other side. Squaring his shoulders, he pushed open the door and was met with an unexpected sight.The room was like a portal to another era. Everywhere he looked, Andrew found familiar things from his past: Posters of bands like "Pink Floyd" and "The Beatles" adorned the walls, while on a shelf sat a large collection of vinyl records. He chuckled as he picked up a brightly colored Rubik's cube from the desk, spinning it in his hand. His bed was covered with a tie-dye duvet, which matched the psychedelic rug spread across the floor."Alright," he breathed out slowly, "this is...not as bad as I thought." He plopped onto the bed, feeling the soft cushions mold around him. He felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as he glanced around at all the memorabilia from "his time." This was certainly comforting, but also deeply unsettling for him.Meanwhile, Beth was in bed. She flicked off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness, only softly lit by the starry night outside. She turned onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut, and she drifted off into a deep sleep.***********************************************************************************************Elizabeth woke up the next morning to the smell of fresh pancakes and bacon. She stretched her arms and legs, feeling fully rested for the first time in ages. She quickly got dressed and went out of the room, where she bumped into Willam and Andrew."Morning," she greeted"Mornin'," William mumbled, his eyes drooping with sleep. His hair was all over the place."Will you have any sleep?" Andrew asked, his eyes darting to the deep purple bags under Will's eyes."Sleep?" William repeated, rubbing one of his eyes. "Who has time for sleep when you've got alien figurines arranged by the planet of origin and a whole stack of comic books to read and Space Invaders to play?"I still don't know why this dude is my twin brother," Elizabeth grumbled, rolling her eyes. "You're both geeks.""I prefer the term 'enthusiast'," William corrected, puffing his chest out in a manner that reminded Andrew of a pufferfish. "And if you weren't so obsessed with fashion and aesthetics, you'd understand the joy of comic books.""I'll pass," Elizabeth said. The trio headed towards the dining room, where the delicious smell came from. There, they saw others setting the table."Oh! You kids are awake, good!" their mother exclaimed, smiling at them warmly. "Come sit down; breakfast is almost ready.""It smells delicious," William complimented, his mouth watering at the aroma wafting through the air. "I can't wait to eat."The table was filled with various delicious foods, from fluffy pancakes drizzled with syrup to eggs cooked just the way the kids liked them. William could almost swear that the pancakes were dancing. He blinked hard and shook his head. When he looked again, they were still, thank goodness. He took a bite and nearly swooned at the taste."I heard the open day is today. I hope you guys have not forgotten it, especially you, Andrew. It is a big change going to middle school." Andrew got confused; he was already in middle school and was supposed to be in 7th grade. Right now, in this world, the education system is different from that in America."What's an open day again?" William askedThe father looked at him sternly. "I thought you knew what an open day is. It's where you get all your school items and uniforms." William nodded"Uniforms?" Elizabeth shrieked, nearly dropping the slice of pancake she was holding. "You've got to be kidding me!"I just hope that Andrew doesn't have annoying people in his class, or you are stuck with them forever," their brother said, laughing."What do you mean, stuck forever?" Andrew asked, confused."Are you stupid?" The same rules still apply. The kid in your class is going with you until year 13th.""Are you guys okay? You've been acting strange ever since yesterday. First, William doesn't know about an open day. Is Elizabeth acting like she never wore a school uniform, and Andrew forgot that you have the same classmate every school year?" the older boy said."Maybe we're all just a bit tired," Andrew suggested, giving Elizabeth a long look that she returned with a slight nod. She knew they had to keep their circumstances a secret."Or maybe they've been replaced by alien clones," William suggested dramatically, holding up his fork like it was a precious artifact.Elizabeth gives Will a death stare, hoping it conveys the message, 'I'm going to stab you in the neck if you don't shut your mouth right now.'"Will, that's enough," their mother said, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Eat breakfast and let your siblings be.""Aye aye, captain," William said, saluting with his fork before finally starting to eat."They are acting weirder than usual, except for William." They all turned to look at their father, who had spoken. He was staring at the trio with a thoughtful expression; his fork paused halfway to his mouth."Maybe they're just growing up," their mother suggested, patting the man's hand. You know how teenagers are?"Drew choked on his juice. "Teenagers? I'm only thirteen!""Yes, and acting every bit like it," their dad mused, finally taking a bite of his food."Hey!" Drew protested, but his objection was drowned out by Will's laughter."Good one, Dude!" Will chortled, nearly toppling from his chair."Dude, since when did you start calling me Dude William?" The dadAsked, looking at his son with bemusement."Since... uh..." Will stuttered before deflating. "I don't know. It sounds cool in my head.""Speaking of cool," their mother said, steering the subject back to safer waters. "Elliot, how are you feeling? You're going to be the school valedictorian."Elliot, their oldest brother, sighed from across the table as he stabbed hisPancakes, seemingly undeterred by the attention now focused on him. "Yeah, that is cool."But honestly, I am more nervous than anything else," Elliot admitted, running a hand through his messy hair. "I mean, what if I mess up or something?""Oh, don't worry about that," their mom reassured him. "You'll do great.""Is mine a big day too? I'm starting year 1." Alicia, the youngest of the bunch, piped up from her booster seat, her face smeared with syrup."Indeed, it is," their dad joined in, chuckling as he reached over to wipe her face clean. "And we are all very excited for you, aren't we?" Nods and murmurs of agreement sounded around the table."Let's just focus on enjoying the open day today, okay?" she said with a smile. Everyone nodded in agreement and finished up their breakfast. As they got ready to leave, William couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Everything was becoming blurry and dizzy.
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"Let's just focus on enjoying the open day today, okay?" she said with a smile. Everyone nodded in agreement and finished up their breakfast. As they got ready to leave, William couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Everything was becoming blurry and dizzy.William blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision. And then he heard it. A desperate cry for help. "Help someone, please!" A voice echoed through the haze. William's heart skipped a beat as he searched for the source of the voice. What he found was unbelievable. He saw a young woman lying on the ground, bleeding to death.Her trembling gaze met his. "Run, run," she whispered, her voice filled with fear.Without hesitation, William darted towards the injured woman, his mind racing, unsure of what to do. But as he reached out to grab her arm, her body turned into stone. William gasped in shock, stumbling back from the cold, unmoving figure before him. Fear and confusion gripped his heart. What had just happened? Was this some kind of hallucination? It couldn't possibly be real.A wet sensation on his leg caught his attention. He looked down and saw a river of blood flowing towards him. Panic surged through him as he realized he was sitting in a pool of crimson liquid. As he glanced around, the world had transformed into a scene of gore and destruction. The sky turned a sickly brown-red, and the air reeked of death and decay. And when he turned around, his blood froze in his veins.People, once vibrant and alive, had turned to stone. Panic consumed him as he tried to run, but his legs refused to cooperate. It was as if his own body had become as motionless as the statues around him. And then a voice whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. 'You guys must find the one who can save them. But you must be careful. The voice warned that an ancient evil lurks in the shadows and will stop at nothing to fulfill its desires, leaving William trembling in terror. He was trapped in this nightmare world. Suddenly, he heard a voice calling out to him. "William, wake up!" It was Elizabeth's voice. He could hear the urgency in her tone.He opened his eyes, and he found himself lying on the couch. "What happened?" Will asked, sitting up gingerly. He saw Andrew and Elliot. Elizabeth stared at him, worry etched on their faces.Elizabeth kneeled beside him, her hands fluttering anxiously. "You just went all weird, and then you collapsed," she explained.William took a shuddering breath, the gravity of his nightmare still clinging to him. As he regained his strength, one thought seeped into his mind: the voice's warning meant battle against unseen darkness, and William was thrust into the heart of it. The mom walks in. "Are you okay? Do you want to stay home instead?" Mom asked in a worried tone."No, no... I'm fine. I just need a minute," William responded, his voice slightly shaky. He forced a smile—one he knew looked weak—and tried to push himself up from the couch."Maybe you should sit for a bit longer," Beth suggested, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."William let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "Nah, I'm all right. Really." He managed to stand on his feet and straighten out his clothes. He did a mental check to see if there was any blood, and thankfully, there was none."Boy, you sure are alright," Elizabeth said."Never been better," William replied. He ruffled Elizabeth's hair and decided to play the incident off as no big deal. He didn't want to worry about his family more than he already had."Alright, but if you feel dizzy again, let us know," Andrew warned, pointing a stern finger at him as they started to head towards the front door.Heading out to the car. Alicia clung to their mother's hand as they all piled into the family minivan.William hopped in the back seat, staring out the window. His nightmare still haunted him. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered inside him. He couldn't stop thinking about the stone woman and the river of blood. It all felt so real. It felt like someone was warning him about something.
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William hopped in the back seat, staring out the window, his nightmare still haunting him. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered inside him. He couldn't stop thinking about the stone woman and the river of blood. It all felt so real. It felt like someone was warning him about something.The ride Andrew looked out the window was unlike anything he'd seen before. It was as if they'd stepped right into an episode of "Miami Vice," sans Don Johnson.And he saw the city bustling like a beehive, oblivious to his inner turmoil. Neon lights flash advertising things like 'Video Arcades' and 'Record Stores'. In the distance, casting a surreal glow on the street corners. The 80s music playing on the radio did little to soothe his frazzled nerves. Instead, it seemed to amplify his dread, as if each beat of the song was synchronized with his pounding heart. They really did end up in the 1980s.After a while, the car finally pulled into a parking lot next to a large building that Andrew assumed was a school. It was bigger than Andrew expected, with its high walls casting long shadows over the parking lot. Other kids were arriving at school, waiting for their parents to find a parking spot. Some of them were talking among themselves, while others were busy looking at their Walkmans or Auto Race video games."Here we are," their father announced as he put the car in park and killed the engine. "Andrew and Elliot, remember, you both must be on your best behavior, okay?" Andrew and Elliot both nodded before opening their doors. They followed their mother, Alicia, skipping along next to her. They passed by groups of kids chatting animatedly and pointing at things. Most of them seemed friendly, but Andrew still felt like a fish out of water.Elizbeth and William looked at the school in amazement. "There is no way that Andrew is going to this school. It looks too fancy." Elizbeth whispered to William, her eyes widening as she looked at the high walls and windows of the school. "I think they should put that school in a museum or something." William nodded, unable to agree more.As they entered the main entrance of the school, the twins' jaws dropped. There was no way in hell they could ever get used to a school that looked so posh. Everything was spotless; there was not a speck of dust anywhere. Even the floors were shiny. It was like stepping into an episode of "Zombies," only it was the middle school version. The walls were painted a calming shade of blue and decorated with motivational posters. One of them read, 'Dream, you can reach your goal'.Suddenly, a man dressed in a suit greeted them. "Hey"shaking Dad's hand."Hello, Mr. Walker, nice to see you here," Dad responded, smiling."I didn't think you were coming," Mr. Walked replied."We won't miss this in the world. Oh, plus, we also want our son Andrew to get familiar with the school," Dad explained, gesturing toward Andrew."We won't miss this in the world. Oh, plus, we also want our son Andrew to get familiar with the school," Dad explained, gesturing toward Andrew.Mr. Walker laughed. "Ahh, yes, we'll welcome Andrew." He walked forward, holding out his hand to shake, which Andrew reluctantly gave him, looking nervous.Mr. Walker then smiled and said, "You are going to have an amazing time at this school, just like your brother did. I still can't believe Elliot is in his late year of junior secondary school, and I remember how excited he was to come here.""Yes, he was a very smart boy," Mr. Walker said.He nodded his head in agreement. "Always front and center during Science Club meetings. I hope Andrew will show the same keen interest.""I'm sure he will," Dad said, placing his hand on Andrew's shoulder. Andrew, however, didn't feel as confident as his dad seemed to be. His palms were starting to sweat. Maybe Elizabeth was right; they should run away."You guys should go to the gym. There is where they give out your class schedule," Mr. Walker directed, pointing toward a door at the end of the corridor.Thanking Mr. Walker, they started towards the gym. The twins whispered to each other as they stayed close to their mom. Elizabeth was looking at a group of girls laughing at something on a black portable cassette player. She saw how they styled their hair in big, voluminous curls and wore eye-popping bright neon leggings. The fashion was so different from what they were used to; it was almost like a costume party.As they stepped into the gym, Elizabeth felt his heart skip a beat. She had never seen so many strange-looking people in one place. It wasn't just the clothes that were weird; it was the hairstyles too. From mullets to jazzy Jheri Curls, the fashion was as diverse as it was bizarre.They walked to a lady who had a booth. "May I help you?" she asked, adjusting her oversized glasses that threatened to slide off her nose."Yes, we're here for Andrew's class schedule," Dad answered."Late name""Thompson," Dad replied. Andrew froze. Did he just say Thompson, That was his real father's last name? The more Andrew looked at him, the more he looked like his real father, with the same face, hair, and everything, even down to his voice, but Andrew tried to tell himself it wasn't the same man. It should not be him who says the man is dead to him; he is the reason everything was the way it was.Meanwhile, the lady at the booth was flipping through pages of a big file. After a few seconds, she retrieved a paper and handed it over to their father. "Here you go, Mr. Thompson. Andrew's class schedule."Andrew took the paper from his father's hand, his mind racing. Thompson? Why Thompson? He scanned the class number. O-1Then the lady gave Andrew a club registration form. "Why do I have to sign up for clubs yet?" Andrew asked, taking the papers and reading them."Because it is required by the government to join after-school activities when you are in junior secondary and senior secondary," Mr. Baker answered."The school has many clubs that you can join, such as the chess club, the astronomy club, and the music club," Mr. Baker explained, pointing to each one.Andrew looked at the brochure for a moment, thinking about his options. Elizabeth sighed, knowing what his brother would choose.Just as she predicted, Andrew pointed to the Astronomy Club. "I'll join that one," he said, sounding hesitant yet excited. The lady at the booth made a note in her file and smiled. "That's good. I have been told that the astronomy club has been getting very few members because they have no one to lead it, so it would be good if you joined. It would be better than nothing, I guess. And lastly, what's your size?""Size?" Andrew asked, as confused as a chameleon in a bag of skittles. "For your school and gym uniform, dear," the lady behind the desk chirped, giving him a sweet smile. "You wouldn't want to run around school and the gym in your everyday clothes, would you?" "Um, medium," he said."Excellent," the lady chirped, making another note in her file. She then handed over two neatly folded uniforms—one a standard school uniform consisting of a plain white shirt and dark gray trousers, and the other a bright yellow jersey with matching shorts. "Here you go, dear. Don't forget to have these washed before you start school. Also, the rest of your winter and fall uniforms will come by mail, or the school will give them to you." "Okay," Andrew replied, leaving the office as they left the gym office."Okay," Andrew replied, leaving the office as they left the gym and taking a deep breath. Andrew clutched his school and gym uniforms close to his chest like a shield. But he was quickly distracted when he noticed a group at the end of the hall."I can't believe you would do something like that!" a girl yelled at a boy with messy brown hair."I was just messing around," the boy responded. "And that is the problem," the girl said."I didn't think you would take things too far!""Why are you so upset? I only made a little joke about her chest." The boy argued."Don't talk about other girls breasts! Like it was a joke!" She screamed back.Andrew's eyes widened as he watched the exchange. He never thought he'd hear someone say those words aloud, let alone hear people argue about breasts. Elliot noticed his reaction and leaned in to whisper."Welcome to junior secondary, little brother," he said, laughing quietly. Andrew remembers that he used to have an older brother but never got to meet him.Elizabeth, watching the exchange with an amused eye, quipped, "Well, it seems you've had your first taste of a classic junior secondary spat. I hope you're ready for more of that in the coming days."Dad turned around with a bemused look on his face. "Elizabeth, are you still in secondary school?""Yes, but I've heard stories," Elizabeth defended herself, an impish smile playing on her lips. "And it's only a matter of time before I, too, become a part of this colorful experience.""What a weird way to put it," Dad chuckled, clapping a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "But remember, you two, this isn't just about the 'colorful experiences.' You're here to learn and expand your horizons." Andrew grumbled something inaudible under his breath, but Dad either didn't hear it or chose not to comment on it. As they made their way toward the car parked outside, they passed by parents who were talking to each other and kids engaged in various activities. A group of boys were attempting to kickstart a battered old motorcycle, while a couple of girls sat under a tree, absorbed in their sketchpads. Another group was tossing a frisbee around, while a lone kid sat on the steps with his nose buried in a thick book. They reached the car, and the family went inside.The engine roared to life, filling the vehicle with a comforting hum as they pulled out of the parking lot. Andrew felt like he could finally breathe normally. The car ride home had been filled with small talk, and Elizabeth sighed in annoyance every time Willems accidentally touched her hand. Now, though, as they neared home, Andrew was beginning to feel his stomach tighten with apprehension. He couldn't remember a single day where he'd felt normal since he was little. Every day was a struggle to stay alive, either physically or emotionally.
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Everything he faces is now in the past; it is like someone gives them new hope to start life fresh and how their parents will be nice, not what William and Elizabeth expected a fresh start in life.Andrew clenched his fists around his folded arms and glared out the window. He hated to admit it, but William was right.Finally, the car came to a halt outside the house. Everyone went inside the house."Beth, Drew, my room now!" William said, crossing his arms."Okay, okay, I'm coming," Beth responded irritatedly, heading toward his bedroom.As they got closer to the door, Drew couldn't help but notice a familiar smell coming from within. He couldn't quite place it, but it was familiar. Once he went inside William's room, Beth's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected there to be anything remarkable about Will's room. It was so Williams."Will, why did you call us here? Is something bothering you?" Drew asked him curiously.William cleared his throat. "I call you here so you can watch me play Space Invaders, "he boasted proudly.Elizabeth scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Will, we don't have time for your stupid games right now.""You mean space invaders?" Come on, guys, it's an awesome game. I even challenge you both to play." William said, challenging them both to play the game with him."Um guys, look!" Drew stopped them and pointed at a TV screen. The black-and-white trio looked at the screen."It was not like that earlier, dude Drew. Are you cursed or something?" Williams said."I swear I didn't touch the console. I don't even know what was on TV, and we don't have time for that anyway.""Whatever! Let's just go." Elizabeth quickly said this as she turned around and stormed out of the room."Welcome to ABC News. It is currently sunny outside, with temperatures of 50 °F and 70mph winds that will continue to warm up through the week. After the local and surrounding area news, you're listening to 105.2 ""What the fuck Will did you just put on the news channel?""No..." Will deniedBeth looks at the TV screen. "Wait, the time's off; it says 7:40 am.""Dude, we all know you can't read clocks." Will retorted, throwing a balled-up sock at Beth. She ducked"Will, I think she's right," Drew added, squinting his eyes at the television screen. "Look, it says 'Broadcast at 7:40 AM' under the news anchor.""But it isn't past noon right now," William exclaimed, looking confusedly at the TV."Oh, it seems like three kids got stuck in lighting near a family store. The news anchor's voice trembled as he reported the shocking incident. The room fell silent as they listened to the details of the unfortunate event. Andrew felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of foreboding washing over him. Beth hugged herself tightly, her eyes wide with fear. Will was unusually quiet, his usual bravado replaced by a somber expression."These 3 kids are making miracles and are still alive as if nothing hit them. I will give Leonard you on.""Thank you, Antoine. Here I am interviewing one of the children." Holding the microphone to one of the children, it was "Andrew?" Andrew's heart skipped a beat. How could he be on the news when he was right here in William's room?The child on the screen bore a striking resemblance to him, but his eyes held a haunted look that Andrew couldn't quite place. The reporter's voice filled the room, asking the child about the moment when lightning struck. Before he could speak, the TV switched off. There was a huge tension in the room. Beth was the first to break the tension, her voice barely above a whisper. "What... what just happened?"William shook his head. His usual cocky demeanor completely vanished. "I don't know, but that kid... he looked just like you, Andrew."Drew's brows furrowed, tapping his feet into the ground. "It's like we're living in some twisted parallel universe. Nothing makes sense anymore.""Is something bad going to happen to us?" Beth said it in fear."No, we are going to stay here and enjoy our time in this world," William said."We can't just ignore all of this, Will," Drew said, his voice laced with concern. "There's something off about this world, and we need to figure out what's going on."Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. "I know, but what can we do? We're just kids from another world stuck in this place.""So look, we have a cool bedroom, we have nice parents, I'm not going to go back to that world just to get hurt more, plus, do you want Elizabeth to face mom again and what she did to her late-time Drew?"Drew's eyes darkened at the mention of their mother. Memories of her harsh words and cold demeanor flooded back, causing a chill to run down his spine. "No, I don't want any of us to go through that again," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.Elizabeth nodded in agreement, her usual defiance replaced by a flicker of fear."But staying here and pretending like everything is fine isn't the answer either. We need to find a way back home, back to where we belong.""I have never thought we stole someone else's body." She continues"But what if there was no way back home?" William said. Drew's eyes widened at William's words. A sense of dread settled in his stomach. The thought of being trapped in this strange world forever sent shivers down his spine. He glanced at his siblings, their faces mirroring his fear and uncertainty."I had this weird dream passing out in the living room," Willaims said."People were stone frozen like statues, people running from something, a child, and the floor was covered with blood. The sky was a deep shade of crimson, and there was a voice.Whispering in the wind, 'Beware the darkness that lurks within'.'You guys must find the one who can save them. But you must be careful. There is an ancient evil lurking in the shadows, and it will stop at nothing to fulfill its desires.The room fell into heavy silence as William's words echoed in their minds."We have to find a way to uncover the truth behind this world," Drew finally said."No, you can leave me out. I am not doing all this black magic shit." Elizabeth shook her head."I agree with Beth Drew. This is too dangerous. We should just try to blend in and survive here and know how these world figures work. Then we figure out: are you trying to get us killed? What if there is something?Dangerous."Andrew stopped. "Maybe you are right, Will. Maybe we should take things slow and try to understand this world first before diving into anything too risky. I will give it to us until you guys turn 18."Remember, we are in this together no matter what." William hugged Andrew and Elizabeth together as they stood in a tight embrace. A sense of unity washed over them. They were just kids from another world thrust into a strange and creepy place. Darkness lurked around them. Despite their fear and uncertainty, they knew they had to stick together to navigate this unfamiliar world.
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Andrew woke up to the sound of his alarm from his clock and the morning sunlight pouring through the curtains, illuminating the room. He sighed, turning off the alarm and rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes. Andrew sat on his bed and yawned, stretching his arms out. He stood up and made his bed. He glanced out the window.And I saw a robin perched on the branch of a nearby tree, its tiny head cocked to one side."I don't suppose you know anything about how to get out of this reality or timeline, do you?" Andrew asked, and the bird flapped its wings in response.He nodded to the bird as he continued, ". The robin chirped something in return. "Ah, I didn't think so." Andrew said to Robin, "Thank you, anyway." He put on a school uniform.He looked at himself in the mirror."Huh, I look like an extra in Haikyuu," Andrew said. He then saw a picture of him, his mother, and his father on the dresser. Andrew picked up the picture."In this world, these two are still together."And not separated by bitter words and cold silence. "They seem... happy." His fingertips traced the frame of the picture."If only things had been this way in our reality too," he sighed, placing the picture gently back on the dresser.He grabbed his backpack from the corner and put it over his shoulder.As Andrew made his way downstairs to the kitchen, he was greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and bacon."Look who finally got up," said Elliot."Come on, Andrew, let's go. We don't want to be late for the city bus," Elliott toldAndrew. Then Andrew looked at him with an expression that said, "What, what about breakfast?" Elliot just smiled back, saying"Since you woke up late, you can get it at the cafe near the school before class starts."Andrew nodded, grabbing his backpack and following Elliott out the door. Andrew looked around the neighborhood. It was so different from what he was used to. No overgrown gardens, no broken fences chained to black dogs, no abandoned houses with boarded-up windows and doors. Instead, the streets were lined with neat rows of suburban homes and manicured lawns.The neighborhood seemed like a picture-perfect version of what his neighborhood could have been if it hadn't fallen on hard times years ago. Andrew saw other teens dressed in their school uniforms—some from the same school as him, others in different uniforms. Andrew couldn't help but notice the shiny bicycles that many of the other teens were riding on the sidewalk.As they reached the bus stop, Andrew looked around at the people gathered, all chatting happily among themselves. No one seemed to have any worries or concerns. Everything seemed to be so perfect that Andrew could not help but be envious. The city bus pulled up to the stop, and Andrew and Elliot climbed aboard the bus. It was filled with a mix of different students, workers heading to their jobs, and elderly folks going about their day. Elliot found one empty seat near the back with another teen in the same uniform. As Elliot sat down, Andrew looked for a place to sit. Spotting an empty spot for himself near the middle, he quickly sat down. Andrew glanced around, noting how each passenger was engrossed in their world, some with their noses buried in books, whispering amongst each other, or simply staring out of the window, lost in thoughts.When they reached their stop, Andrew and Elliot hopped off the bus. Elliot led Andrew to a cafe called Daily Dreams. The cafe was busy with the morning rush—people coming in to grab a quick coffee before heading to work or students like themselves grabbing a bite before school started."What do you want, Andrew?" Elliott asked Andrew. He looked around and saw that this was a more fancy version of Starbucks than anything else. He looked at the menu."Let's see," he mused, scanning the list. There were so many options, all with strange names that seemed like they belonged in a fantasy novel rather than a cafe menu."Um, I'll take Cherry Cookies jam and the drink, and I will take Honey Cool Moonstone." I guess..." He told Elliott Elliott looked at the cashier and ordered his orders. Elliott then gave him the money to pay for it.The money looked different. It wasn't like his everyday American dollar sign. It was a different note with the colors yellow and green. In the center of the note was an image of a symbol of a stone with weird designs surrounded by stoned walls.Andrew swears he saw this symbol before, but he can't place a finger where he saw it. Elliot tells Andrew to collect his order as they wait for his food and drink to come up.The cashier came with the order "One Cherry Cookie Jam and One Honey Cool Moonstone. Enjoy!" The cashier said it with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling behind her large glasses.Andrew grabbed the bag from the counter and walked over to a table in the corner with Elliot. Andrew opened the bag and took out a cherry-looking cookie. As he took a bite, he felt the jam.It melted on his tongue—a burst of sweetness that had him closing his eyes in delight. This was unlike any cookie he had ever tried; the cookie was chewy, and the jam had a tart sweetness that mingled perfectly with the sprinkling of sugar on top."The orientation is about to start. Let go," Elliott urged, standing at the table. Andrew hastily shoved the rest of the cookie into his mouth, grabbed his Honey Cool Moonstone, and followed Elliot out of the cafe. And they left the cafe.When they arrived at the school gate, Andrew and Elliot went their separate ways, and Andrew walked to the auditorium to hear the school orientation speech. Once inside the auditorium, he sat down near the back, hoping to blend in and avoid any unwanted attention. A man walks to the stage.
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When they arrived at the school gate, Andrew and Elliot went their separate ways, and Andrew walked to the auditorium to hear the school orientation speech. Once inside the auditorium, he sat down near the back, hoping to blend in and avoid any unwanted attention. A man walks to the stage."Good morning from River Bay Junior Secondary School. My name is Mr. James Duville, and I am your principal here at RBJS. It gives me great pleasure to welcome all the new students who have joined the school this year. We are also very excited to see some of our old students returning after the summer break. Never in my 14 years will I have this many students enrolled in one school, so you must know how special it is. So without further ado, let us begin with the school rules."The principal started listing various school rules, his voice echoing in the large auditorium. Andrew let the words wash over him, not paying much attention. After all, rules were rules, and they were pretty much the same wherever you went. But then something he said caught Andrew's attention."Rule number 11: No casting spells or performing magical tricks trying to break the magic barrier."The principal said, pausing to let his words sink in, "You guys should know that every school has a magic barrier. It's to prevent using any kind of magic in the school. You all should know that there are no exceptions. You guys can do magic outside school, but once you step foot into school, your magic will be gone."As the principal continued his speech, Andrew's mind was stuck on 'rule number 11.' Magic? Spells? Barriers? He looked around the auditorium to see if anyone else found this as bewildering as he did. But to his surprise, most students either had a bored expression or were nodding their heads in understanding.Then he remembered that fox that turned into a human boy. What was his name again? Charles, or something? What is that fox connected to all of this magic stuff?"Welcome to River Bay. Know all we are waiting for here is our year 13 honor student Elliot Thompson." As Principal Duville finishes his speech, Andrew sees Elliot walking up to the stage to give his speech. Elliot looked confident, wearing his school uniform with pride. Andrew watched in awe as Elliot started his speech."Good morning, everyone. My name is Elliot Thompson, and I am honored to give this speech today. As we begin a new school year, I want to remind everyone of the importance of education. Education has the power to change lives and shape futures. It is a privilege to be here and receive an education. Let us not take it for granted.""When I was starting junior secondary school like most kids, I wanted to become something big someday. To achieve greatness and to leave my mark on history. Well, now I'm graduating this year as the valedictorian of my class. It's been a long journey filled with ups and downs, but I wouldn't be here without the support of my family and friends. To my classmates, remember that success isn't just about grades and awards. It's about finding your passion and pursuing it with determination and hard work. Let's make this school year the best yet and achieve our goals together. Because of that, I also got the 2nd highest mark in the country in the district-wide exams last year, and I couldn't have done it without the support and guidance of our teachers here at River Bay Junior Secondary School.""So here is my word of advice for all the new year 11 students: don't be afraid to dream big. With hard work, determination, and a positive attitude, anything is possible. But it's important to remember that success isn't just about academic achievements. It's also about developing strong social skills and being a kind and respectful member of your community." Elliot smiled at his audience. "Thank you, and good luck to all of you!" The crowd erupted with applause, with many students standing up and cheering for Elliot. Andrew clapped as well, but he felt a slight pang of envy towards Elliot.He was everything. Andrew wasn't well in almost everything. But Elliot was more of what Andrew wished he could be. Smart and confident. She was the kind of person everyone looked up to and admired. Meanwhile, back home, Andrew was kind of popular because of his looks, but in this new world, Andrew was normal like any other student in this school. Andrew thought that this world was a normal one like his old one. But then again, back home, they didn't have magic barriers and foxes that turned into boys."Now is the time to say the pledges. Can you all stand up?" The people stood up, and Andrew also stood up, but he didn't know what the pledge for this world was. So, he decided to lip-read instead."We pledge to this land's founding fathers and mothers to live up to our responsibilities. To honor the legacy left by our people To protect this land from those who wish to destroy it. And never give up; no matter what the odds, we will fight to the very end and protect our country's freedom. Let us always remember our ancestors and the sacrifices they made so we could live free. In the name of the king and queen, may this land be forever peaceful."That pledge was long, Andrew thought. He was already struggling to remember a single line from it.Andrew found his home classroom. He went inside and found the room amazing. The desks were in rows, like in a South Korean school, but had colorful posters and inspirational quotes. The walls were painted a soothing shade of blue with a clean chalkboard. On the teacher's desk, there was a vase filled with fresh flowers, giving the room a pleasant smell.Andrew saw that there was a seating chart on the teacher's desk. Andrew saw his name and saw it was at the back of the class. As the bell rang, everyone took their seats, and the teacher entered the classroom."Good morning, new middle school," the teacher said. The teacher was a woman in her early forties. Her hair was folded into a tight bun. She wore an old-fashioned but charming dress that made her look like she'd just stepped out of a classic movie scene.She grabbed the chalk and wrote her name on it."My name is Emily Davis, and I will be your teacher for the rest of your 3 years.""First things first," Ms. Davis continued with a warm smile, "let's get to know each other a bit.How about a little ice-breaker activity? Each of you will stand up, state your name, and tell us one thing that makes you unique."Everyone started whispering, and some started saying, "What is this primary class or Pre-K again?""Settle down; we're just doing name games, a game that helps students learn each other's names."One of the girls said, "But doesn't it seem a bit childish?" I mean, we're in year 11. Shouldn't we be too mature for these kinds of games?"Ms. Davis chuckled, patting the chalk dust from her hands. "Learning is never childish, dear, nor is making connections with your peers. Who knows, you all might learn something new about each other." She said.Miss Davis continued, "Let's start with the front row and move our way back, okay, everyone?"The students slowly rose to their feet, one by one, to mumble their names and hurriedly think of the first 'unique' thing that popped into their heads. Soon it was Andrew's turn."My name is Andrew Thomp." Andrew got interrupted by another student saying"Wait, are you related to Elliot Thompson, the valedictorian?"
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"Wait, are you related to Elliot Thompson, the valedictorian?""Um, yeah, he's my older brother," Andrew answered. The eyes of his classmates suddenly took on a new light. Whispers and murmurs filled the room as the news spread through the class."Wow! That's so cool!" one girl piped up from the front row. "Elliot is like... the best!""How did your brother score the second-highest marks in the land?""What's it like being Elliot's younger brother?""Are you as smart as him?""Why is your brother so hot?""Is your brother dating someone?"The questions came thick and fast, like an outpouring of curiosity that Andrew hadn't expected. "Whoa, whoa, slow down everyone." But it was too late."Can you ask him to come to our class sometime?""Do you think he'd sign my textbook?"A girl in the class spoke up, "Can we please focus on the task at hand? This is supposed to be a game where we learn each other's names, not interrogate Andrew about his brother."Andrew was grateful for the girl speaking up. Miss Davis agreed."Okay, Andrew, you can continue with the game."Andrew said, "Yes, ma'am." He cleared his throat, and then he began, "My name is Andrew Thompson, and I once swallowed a whole quarter on a dare." A chuckle ran through the whole class.Miss Davis smiled and said, "Thank you, Andrew. That's a great fact. Let's move on to the next student." As the game continued, Andrew couldn't help but feel a bit left out. Everyone seemed to know each other, and they had their inside jokes and stories. He wished he had grown up in this world instead of growing up in the chaos of 2022. He could have grown up with these kids, sharing memories of cheesy birthday parties and summer camps. Sharing that bond of childhood laughter and tears that now seemed so far away. He shook his head to shake off wishful thinking. What's done was done, and he was here now for now.After a few students, the game ended, and Miss Davis went to each student's desk and gave them 14 textbooks. "Okay, the textbooks will be your property for the whole 3 years, so treat them with care. You will take home textbooks every weekend. And yes, the school expects you to read textbooks on the weekends. Is that clear?" Miss Davis said: Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.He felt a rush of anxiety wash over him. He had always been a good student, but he wasn't sure if he was prepared for this level of academic rigor. He couldn't help but compare this world to his own. In his world, he was a straight-C student, and he rarely studied. He was the kind of kid who could get by with just enough effort to pass his classes without ever having to work hard. But this wasn't his world, and he knew it would take some time to get used to.Miss Davis continued, "You will have a quiz on the textbook every Monday. The quiz will be worth 10% of your grade, so you must do well on the quiz."Andrew was shocked to hear this. A 10% quiz on Monday? He had never heard of such a thing before. He felt a rush of anxiety wash over him. He had always been a good student, but he wasn't sure if he was prepared for this level of academic rigor. He couldn't help but compare this world to his own. In his world once again.Also, every Monday, we have an early start because on Monday we have an assembly, so we expect you guys to come here before 7:15 a.m. The school gates will be open at 6:07 a.m., so please don't come before 6:07 a.m. because the gates to the school will be open until then. But on Monday, don't try to be too noisy in the assembly. We expect everyone to behave like the adults you guys are going to become one day.""What? We still get ranked," a boy said."Of course, dumbass. Why did Elliot Bacan get 2nd place in the country in the junior secondary ranking system?" Another boy said."Corey, please refrain from using that type of language in my classroom," Miss Davis said."Yes, ma'am," Corey said."Isaac, didn't you rank first in the secondary school ranking system?" A girl asked a red-haired boy who was sitting next to Andrew.Yeah, I did," he said with a slight smirk on his face."That's impressive, Isaac," Miss Davis said. "It just shows how hard work and dedication can bring success. Everyone should make sure to take their studies seriously and strive to do their best. Remember, you are not the only smart kid at River Bay Junior Secondary School."I know, ma'am, but I'm just saying I worked hard and studied every day more than anyone in this classroom. I'm probably the smartest kid in this class if I say so myself," Isaac said."Remember, there is always someone smarter than you," Miss Davis said.Corey said, "Isaac, is that right? Who is smarter than him? I got placed 450 on the ranking system, and I'm sure most of you guys are worse than that.""I got 180, Corey. You were on the bottom list of the ranking primary school district. You're just dumb in general." A girl with a yawn had braided hair and was wearing glasses. She looked like she was bored, said Corey's other side. Andrew was impressed by this girl's confidence and spoke out against Corey. Corey looked at the girl with a disgusting look."Shut up, Natasha, you basic ass bitch," Corey said.Natasha rolled her eyes and said, "You know what, Corey? You're an idiot and a waste of a halfling. No wonder you could barely make it in the primary district ranking system." Andrew was speechless, but he could see other people weren't surprised by what Kelly was saying. What was going on, and what the hell is a halfling?"Did you seriously just call a girl a bitch?" the brown-haired girl said."Damn Natasha, go against all the halflings out there," a black-haired boy said.Another student laughed and asked Corey, "Do you know what basic means?"Natasha glares at Corey. "Corey doesn't know the meaning of the word basic because he is a basic-ass white boy." Everyone started laughing. Corey tried to defend himself, but everyone ignored him. Andrew couldn't believe his classmates were being so immature. They were arguing over nothing.Miss Davis tries her best to calm the class. "All right, everyone, that's enough. We're here to learn, not to bicker about meaningless things."Corey said, "Well, it is not my fault Natasha should keep her damn mouth shut.""Or maybe Natasha should keep her basicness to herself," Isaac said, snickering. The class burst into laughter, and Kelly rolled her eyes."Shut up, you damn ass tomato head," Natasha said.A girl looks offended as if she were hurt by the words, "What the hell do tomatoes have to do with this conversation?"Corey said, "She is calling Isaac a redhead dumbass."The girl said, "Oh."Corey said, "Man, Jillian, sometimes you are stupid as fuck. How the hell did you even get 59 places in the secondary school system?" The class started busting out laughing.Andrew decided it was a good time to speak up. Andrew said, "Guys, please, can we focus on the subject we're discussing? We're here to learn, not argue about silly things."Isaac turned his attention to Andrew and asked, "Yeah, guy, listen to the valedictorian young brother.""You're right, man. Andrew, you seem like a smart guy, so please and kindly tell these halflings to get a whole ass brain and to fuck off." Andrew felt intimidated by Natasha.Corey said, "Come on, Andrew, tell this girl to leave this classroom for another classroom so this class can be a lot quieter and easier to focus on."Andrew swallowed hard, his eyes darting from face-to-face as the class's attention shifted towards him. In this world, he was a newcomer, not yet having learned the wonders of this world or how to get out. He also wished to avoid any future problems with his classmates."I think," he stammered, "we should all remember that we're here to learn, not insult each other. Let's treat one another with respect."Yet Corey said something before Andrew could finish: "Nerd alert! Andrew's going all teacher on us!" The class erupted in laughter again."Enough!" Miss Davis slammed her hand down on her desk. The action caused an enormous sound to echo through the classroom. Everyone fell silent."This is not a playground; this is a place of learning. You will all behave accordingly or face the consequences.""Andrew," she continued, turning her gaze on him. "I appreciate your willingness to step in. That's a sign of good leadership skills. However, I am the one in charge here, and it's my responsibility to maintain order."Corey smirked at Andrew, who sighed and nodded, embarrassed but relieved that Miss Davis had taken back control."Now back to the rules, please," Miss Davis said.************************************8*A few hours later, they heard the bell ring, signaling that the lunch break had ended. Students filed out of their classrooms and headed straight to the cafeteria or to the toilet, depending on where they wanted to eat."Wow, Isaac, it is not even the second day of school, and you already made the teacher lose her mind," a tall blonde boy said, walking past Andrew."That's because he's a moron." It was what the girl who stood up for Andrew a couple of hours ago said.The boy snickered. "Well, at least he's an entertaining moron."She rolled her eyes, not impressed. "Yeah, if you're into that sort of thing.""Also, Natasha you should choose her words more carefully. Don't you have a record to keep at this school?" The blonde boy said."Yeah, a record of not taking any fucking crap," Natasha said."But Natasha, isn't your dad the principal or something?" The girl said this to Natasha.Yes," Natasha answered, her face a mixture of annoyance and defensiveness. "But that doesn't mean I get special treatment or that I'm not allowed to defend myself when necessary.""I didn't mean it that way," the girl apologized quickly. "I just meant that wouldn't your dad be upset if he knew you were causing trouble?""I'm not causing trouble," Natasha retorted sharply. "I'm just making sure people know they can't walk all over me. It's called standing up for yourself.""Oh yeah, what about you mocking me about tomatoes? You think that's funny?" Isaac said."No, but you look like one. A redhead tomato," Natasha said. The blonde boy and the girl busted out laughing."Enough, enough!" The tall blonde boy held up his hands. "We all know you're a tomato, Isaac. Let's move on." He winked, causing Isaac to scowl and the girls to giggle.Andrew watched them walk away, and he couldn't help but feel insecure about this place. Andrew walked alone to the cafeteria, where he spotted Elliot with a group of friends who were talking and laughing. He was about to walk toward him, but he stopped looking at Elliot's friends in his old world. He remembered having a lot of friends and having lots of fun playing games together, but now he couldn't see them anymore. It kind of made him miss the world he left behind.It also made him think about his mother in his world. What did she think when they realized her children were not her children? Will she see the difference? Will she finally look for them? There were a lot of questions that entered his mind, but there was one question that stuck. Why did he and his siblings end up in that field? What made them disappear? Then why did the field magically disappear and the houses just randomly appear out of nowhere? When Elizabeth said so,.Then the big thing on that day, when they randomly appeared in the field earlier, when all of this happened in the grocery store, he saw his so-called friend. Why did he see two of them? Both of them looked the same and even wore the same outfit, but one of them had blood on her head and she was missing her arm and leg, but no one saw it.Andrew looked up at the big window and the cafeteria, and there were a lot of questions. He wondered if there was an answer to those questions in this place. It felt like he was trapped in an imaginary world, but a world that felt real. It made him wonder if there was a way back home.But if they ever get back home, will their mom ever change the way she used to be before their dad left for another woman?
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"Stupid twin, this is why your father left us! You're the reason he's left!" She screamed at the 4-year-old twins, William and Elizabeth. Their older brother, Andrew, looked on sadly as his mother lashed out at his younger siblings."Leave them alone, Mom! It's not their fault they exist!" exclaimed Andrews as he defended his siblings. Elizabeth and William glanced at each other, tears streaming down their faces. They didn't understand why their mother was so angry at them. They were just playing like any normal child would. Andrew stepped forward, a protective look on his face."Mom, they didn't do anything wrong," he said firmly. "Please don't yell at them." Their mother glared at Andrew."You're just like him," she spat at Andrew. "Always defend them. Their existence is the reason he's gone." She pointed an accusing finger toward Elizabeth and William, her eyes wild and bloodshot. Then she did something unbelievable. She grabbed a cup and hit it on Andrew's face. Andrew stumbled backward, clutching his bleeding nose. He looked up at his mother in shock, tears streaming down his face. Elizabeth and William cried out in terror, sensing the danger and running to their older brother's side. Their mother stood over them, panting heavily, her eyes wild with anger."You think you can talk back to me, Andrew? You think you can defend those little brats?" She snarled, her voice low and dangerous. "You're nothing but a useless piece of garbage, just like your father."Elizabeth started screaming at her mother and said, "You hurt Drew!""Stay away, Elizabeth," Andrew managed to say through his pain. "Take William and hide." Elizabeth shaking her hand, the three-year-old Elizabeth stepped in her brother's defense."No!" Elizabeth screamed, standing firm. "Don't you touch, Drew! You're bad, mommy! Your big bad mommy!" she yelled.Their mother glared at Elizabeth, her eyes cold and malicious. "Oh, Elizabeth, you're going to get it now," she said devilishly. Her hands came around Elizabeth's throat and squeezed tight. At that moment, time seemed to slow. Andrew's vision blurred from the blood and the tears, but he could see his mother's hands around Elizabeth's tiny neck."Beth!" he cried.William, witnessing the horror unfold before him, began crying hysterically. The boy couldn't handle the terror and started shaking uncontrollably.Elizabeth tried to scream for help, but no sound could escape from her mouth. She struggled against her mother's grip, trying desperately to breathe. But her mother was too strong, and Elizabeth was fading fast. Andrew screamed, trying to pull his mother's hands off his sister, but his mother easily threw him to the side, sending him flying to the floor. Just as Elizabeth thought she was going to black out, her mother's grip loosened. Elizabeth wheezed, gasping for the precious air that she had lost. She looked at her mother in confusion. Why was she letting her go?"Why... are you...letting me...go?" She choked out.Her mother's eyes were void of any emotion as her twisted lips curled into a wicked smile. She didn't respond to her daughter. Elizabeth wondered why her mother was acting so strange. As she opened her mouth to ask her mother what was wrong, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. The room started spinning as she fell to the ground. She fell deep into the darkness.Elizabeth sat bolt upright, sweat pouring from her face. She woke in a cold sweat, her head pounding. She was back in the present, in her room, far away from the horrors of that dreadful day. Everything felt surreal, as if she had been dreaming. But Elizabeth knew better. It was not a dream, but a vivid flashback that kept coming back to haunt her repeatedly. Despite shaking her head to clear it, the memories remained. She tried to calm herself down, but her heart wouldn't stop pounding. She couldn't breathe, and the room was spinning again. Furthermore, she started to hyperventilate, her breathing coming out in short pants. This can't be happening, she thought. She was just dreaming. She's going to wake up, and everything's going to be fine."Elizabeth," a voice said softly, "it's me. Calm down." Elizabeth turned around in her bed to find her new mom sitting by her side. "You're having a panic attack. Breathe." She instructed. Elizabeth followed her instructions, and soon she had calmed down."Thank...you." Elizabeth managed to gasp. She lay back down on the bed, tears streaming down her eyes."It's alright," Her new mom patted her head gently and said, "It's just a bad dream. Do you want to talk about it?""No," Elizabeth choked out. Even though her new mom had always been kind and understanding, she wasn't ready to share those painful memories with her yet. She burrowed herself deeper into the covers, praying for the horrifying images that haunted her to go away."It's okay," her new mom whispered. "You don't have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with." There was a pause as she gently stroked Elizabeth's hair. "Just get ready for school. Is it the first day, right?Elizabeth nodded weakly, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. She stared at the ceiling, her heart still beating rapidly. It was indeed the first day of school in this new town, and she could not afford to let the past interfere with the present.But as William said last week, they can just stay in this world since they arrived in 1981. This was their chance at a new life, a chance for freedom, but she would feel selfish using someone else's body and life.She got into the bathroom to get ready for school. Elizabeth quickly dressed in her new school uniform, and she went to the living room to see William.Elizabeth walked into the living room and saw William. "What's wrong with you? It looks like you saw a ghost or something," William asked.Elizabeth gave William a weak smile. "Just bad dreams," she murmured, trying to dismiss her brother's concern. William studied her for a moment, his blue eyes filled with worry."Are you sure?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to pry but unable to show his curiosity. Elizabeth nodded, attempting to put on a brave face."I'm okay, Will. Just... don't mention it." She managed to say it, her voice small and shaky. She attempted to change the topic.William continued to watch her for a moment longer before relenting. "Okay, if you say so," he agreed slowly, "but promise me if you need help or want to talk about it, you'll tell me or Andrew."Elizabeth nodded, looking down at her feet as she mumbled a quiet, "Yeah, right.""Are you ready for today?" he asked, shifting his gaze to the clock."I'm not walking with you," Elizabeth answered. She stood up, ready to go outside."Hey, what happened to bitch before hoe?" William said.Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "It's bros before hoes, you nerd," she said. "That's not how it goes," Elizabeth says."Hey, don't roll your eyes at me. Last time I checked, I'm older than you.""By two minutes!" She retorted with a smirk on her face."Yeah," William said, "and those two minutes make all the difference." Elizabeth punched William in the arm."Ow!" William winced, rubbing the spot where she hit him. "That wasn't necessary.""Yes, it was," Elizabeth said. They watched your five-year-old sister, Alicia, walk into the room with her backpack, and their mother"Okay, are you two ready now? Alicia can't wait to leave the house, and remember, you're responsible for Alicia at school today. She's your sister."Elizabeth and William nodded in unison.Alicia bounded over to them, her pigtails bouncing with each step, almost tripping over her untied shoelaces. Elizabeth called out gently, bending down to tie the offending laces for her. "We don't want you tripping over at school now, do we?" Alicia shook her head vigorously."Come on, let me walk with you guys to school," the mom said."Okay" As they stepped out into the brisk morning air, the trio followed their mother down the garden path. Elizabeth, William, and Alicia were all shivering slightly as they adjusted to the temperature drop. Elizabeth saw something in the sky. There were a lot of dragons.