Battery City:

by Samantha Anders

Steam City, The city known as the place where your dreams would come true. Where steam filled the air from factories that created the next big thing. Where dazzling lights flashed and the pretty women flocked around you and everything was amazing. Where everyone was nice and everyone treated you as equal. Well this was all false. This city was filled with lights from the triple x bars and half the places were closed down. the so called "beautiful women" were prostitutes that waited for men on the corner of the streets. The so called steam that filled the air was more of a smog that polluted the air and poisoned your lungs. It came from factories that did not create new inventions but radioactive waste that spilled out in the streets. The was the reality of this city and this is the story about the poor souls who lived in it.

Chapter 1

Jeremy sat at his table with some metal and bolts for his new inventions. He sat there scribbling blueprints on a piece of paper and muttering things to himself. The light in the small room was dim and flickered off and on. the floor was covered with balls of crumpled paper that had ideas the had not meet the criteria necessary to become a reality. the walls had wallpaper that was brown and was ripped and torn away in places. Jeremy sat with his face close to the paper and occasionally muttered "no...that won't work...well maybe...i don't know.." before soon discarding the idea and crumbling it and throwing it behind him so it could join the rest of the balls of paper on the floor.

He sat back sighed and rubbed his face. He was having a difficult time creating an invention worthy of him buying material for and making. "Why is life so hard" he muttered to himself. Just then he heard the door in the other room open and slam shut. he got up quickly from his seat to see his friend Colin breathing heavily and holding a bag of stuff. before he could ask any questions Colin ran into the bedroom and whispered "I'm not here!" he then disappeared into the room. Before he could even think there was a loud slamming on the front door.

Jeremy sighed and opened it. He on the other side of the door was an officer in his normal dark gold colored uniform. Jeremy got nervous seeing a club in his hand. The officer pushed past Jeremy and shouted "Where is he!" he started flipping over furniture and tables searching. "Where is who?" Jeremy asked innocently. "Dont play dumb with me boy! Where your orange haired friend! i need to give that child a beating. this is the 5th time this week that he's stolen food from the market, and i don't intend to give up on finding him!" The officer yelled and went to the bedroom. jeremy felt nervous that he would find Colin but the officer returned from the room empty handed. "God Damnit!" He yelled then sighed. before he left the apartment room he turned around and pointed at Jeremy "Ill find the little brat you can't hide him forever!" he shouted then slammed the door.

Jeremy sighed in relief and after a few seconds called back to Colin"He's gone!". laughter followed his words and collin hopped in through the window. "Idiot didn't think to check the fire escape!" Colin laughed. he set the bag of stuff down on the floor and started searching through it. "You can't keep doing this" Jeremy told Colin sternly. Colin laughed again. "How come? its the only thing giving us food." he said while pulling out a loaf of bread. he then pulled out as chicken carcass and some sausages."You're going to get caught you were too close this time!" Jeremy said. Colin just brushed him off. "Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever mister grumpy pants" he said cheerfully.

"Im not being grumpy im being serious!" Jeremy snapped back. Colin looked hurt when he said that. "You know i only do it so we can eat. it's the only way i can help out around here! i cant get a job, you can't sell inventions, what else is there to do? id be pretty grateful if i were you!" Colin replied. "Im not grumpy, im not ungrateful, i'm concerned for your well being!" Jeremy said. "Do you know what would happen if they caught you? they could hurt you, throw you in jail and id never get to see you again. i'm concerned and worried. you can't keep doing this for me please just stop" He begged. Colin rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine..." he muttered. "Thank you" Jeremy sighed.

Colin jumped up from the floor and took the food into the kitchen. "So have you found a way to change your hair back?" Colin asked. Jeremy felt his hair and sighed. a couple weeks ago, while testing to see if a product he created that transformed grey hair back to its natural color, he had accidently turned his brown hair all to a silvery grey color. "No not yet, i don't think it'll ever get changed back." he said sadly. "Ah...bummer, it makes you look like a grandpa" Colin said jokingly. Jeremy frowned. "Your a grandpa" he said back to him. "Well what ever lets eat" Colin said handing Jeremy a Sandwich. They ate and spent the rest of the day being lazy.

End of Chapter 1