I was running. Not away from something, but away from me, the monster, from everything. But it all catches up to you. You're the only thing you can't run away from. When you run, your thoughts come with you. You can try but it never works. Trust me, I know. I do it a lot. It's a small town. Not the best town either by any means but you can run all you want and never be stopped. Even if like me, your twelve. I think to what happened before.

"Hey Mail! Heard you're the best fighter in town. Let's prove that wrong. Or we can do this easy and just give us twenty bucks." His words were quickly followed by a punch to my stomach. I get up and grin. " John, you and Edward against me? No problem." Bending over, I grab a piece of glass littering the dark alley way in between a wal-mart and a bakery. John gets into a fightin stance. Quickly, before he can do anything, I slam the flaxen haired boy into the concrete wall. John gasps, and tries to struggle, but it is hopeless. With the shred of glass between my fingers, I punch him once, blood trickles from his cheek. Two, he crumples and starts to beg. It's too late now. The monster is out. Three, he is out cold. I laugh. Yet I do it again. Just one more time. Then, realizing what I'm doing, I drop the glass and run.

I don't have to worry about the cops. No one will call them. They aren't trusted. They won't do anything anyways. Here, you have to take care of it yourself. It's survival of the fittest. It's not that I feel bad about hurting them, they started it, I just hate the fact that once I start I can't stop. Call me a sadist, a monster, a demon, I don't care. I've heard all of those already. I decide that I better walk home before it gets dark out.

The one person who I care about will be there to comfort me. I don't have any friends around here. Reckon there scared of me. I am too. All I have is my mom. She is my life. My warmth. My comfort.

I open the door, and thankfully there she is. She is a woman with short, messy auburn hair, and twinkling green eyes, wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Embraced by her warm hug, I just stay there happily, relishing in the warmth for the minute it lasts. My mom then asked me "Mail, what happened?" I tell her the story. Most moms would freak out and say to never do it again. Not her, she knows that your dead meat if you don't fight around here. So she just hugged me again while I cried. After five minutes of that, we watched sponge bob on the T.V.

"Mail, I have to go to work now. Will you be okay?" My mom works nights at a gas station. She was smart, but had to drop out of high school because she had to work to make a living. "Yes, of course! Im a big boy!" She left out the door. Just then, I remembered that I forgot to say that I loved her. Something that I would always regret.

I'm lying around watching T.V. when I hear a knock on the door. While its not the best idea to leave an twelve year old boy alone, even a very smart one, in a neighborhood like this, we had no choice. Therefore I had a set of three rules I always made sure to meretriciously follow.

Always leave the T.V on.

Don't go near the windows and leave the curtains on them.

Don't awnser the door unless it is the police.

Because of the third rule, I grab a chair and drag it to the door to see who it was. Sur enough, it was the police. I let them in. Two guys walked in. One was your typical image of your angry, fat police man, with a face in a deep scowl. The other one looked very kind, but sorrowful. The angry looking one pulls out a piece of paper and starts reading.

"You are Mail Jeevas. Correct?"

"Yes."

He then continued to monotonously read an oviously scripted statement.

"We regret to inform you, that Anna Jeevas was killed at 8:03PM in an armed robbery."You will have to come with us."

What? Not my mom. I needed her. She couldn't die. Not yet. We still had so much to do. We always dreamed of getting rich, moving out of this filthy neighborhood and traveling all over the world together. That can't happen if she is dead. The kinder police man then spoke.

"Sorry kid. There is nothing I can do. Wish there was. You will have to come with us."

I was now at the police station. They asked me a few questions, some very mundane, and they also asked if I knew where my father was. I told them that I never knew him. That was the truth. They told me in response that that meant that I would be staying here with them until they found a place for me to say. They worded it nicer, like I was dumb, but Im not, so I understood exactly what they were saying.

A pretty lady, though not a warm kind, but the icy cold kind, led me into a room. She said it was an IQ test. Must of done well on it, because she seemed inpressed. After the adults did some talking, and made a bunch of phone calls, I was immediately put in a car, driven by the same lady. Apperantly it is her job to get me wherever I go safely. The car ride is quiet. She seems bored out of her mind, and the overwhelming sadness still feels like a spear through my stomach.

"We're here." She announced.

I stepped out of the car and am lead to a place that looks kind of like a church, but mostly like an institution. We walk in. In front of me is a man. He looks about in his late fifties, has a mustchashe and is dressed much more formaly than Im used to. Me and my mom just wore whatever we could get at goodwill. The man then opens his mouth and greets me.

"Welcome to Wammy's house.I am Rodger."

CH2

I followed the man to where ever they were going. He passes through long hallways that seem both cold and warm at the same time. Finally I stop along with him at a door. We go inside. I am now in a small room with a desk, a bookshelf filled with books, a small analog clock, a little wooden dresser, and a bed with a blue blanket that seemed as if it was simply trying to stay out of the way,. While it is no mansion, the room is much better than I'm used to.

"Mail. This is your room. You have a roommate but he is in class right now. Just a few things you might want to know. One, there is a schedule on your desk. Tape it up somewhere. Two you are number three. For now anyways. You will know what that means soon. Three, don't address yourself as Mail. Address yourself as Matt. Everyone uses aliases around here. Don't ask why.

After Rodger left, I unpacked my stuff. I didn't have that much because I was told not to bring my clothes. Just a few reminders of the life I lived as Mail . That's gone along with my mom and my old life. My stuffed elephant Benny went on my bed. I was probably too old for stuffed animals but I didn't care. My mom gave it to me so it was precious.

Then I read the stack of papers on the desk. They read

Welcome to Wammy's house, the orphanage for gifted children. This little handbook will tell you the basics.

-Wammy

Schedule

8;00-9:00- Breakfast is served. You must also get ready in this time.

9:00-10:00- Go to your first class.

Yours is computer sciences in Room 8

10:03- 11:00- Go to your second class.

Yours is Psychology in room 8

11;03-12:00- Go to your third period

Yours is Math 5 in Room 19

12:00-1:00- Outside break

1:00-1:30- Lunch

2:00-3:00- Go to your fourth class

You will get to pick your fourth period, but for now report to the head office.

3:00-4:00- Go to your fifth class

Your fifth class is Language arts in Room 4

4:00-5:00-Go to your Sixth class

Yours is P.E in the outside recreation center

5:00-6:00- Dinner

6:00-9:30- Free time

Curfew is at 9:30. You are not required to sleep but everyone must stay in your dorms. You are encouraged to use some of this time to study.

Rules

Try your hardest

Everyone must stay in dorms between 9:30 Pm and 8:00 am

Never give your real name to anyone. Always give out your alias instead.

Do not go beyond the fence or in the head office unless specifically instructed to do so

Rewards

At Wammy's house you earn additional things for good performance. For a job well done or a good test grade you will get points. In addition, the top 10 students get 50 points every week. The top ten is determined monthly with various tests. Don't forget to study!

There was also a map that I quickly memorized so I wouldn't get lost as I have a near photographic memory. However, I don't tell anyone that so I can use it to my advantage, and I also lose track of time easily.

I went downstairs as it was 5:10 for dinner. The cafeteria was big and there was a single line for a buffet style area. There was various posters saying 'A healthy brain is a happy brain!' and other bullshit, but otherwise there was a lack of decorations, which gave it a very hospitalish feeling. I got chicken tenders, an apple, and a glass of milk.

Then, I sit down in the back in hopes of avoiding everyone else. I want to do nothing but eat in silence and mope. However, my wish isn't granted.

I was quickly surrounded by a group of inquisitive kids around my age.

"What's your name?"

"How did you get here?"

"Whats your ranking?'

"What're you good at?"

I just sat there in hopes of that if I wasn't entertaining enough, they would go away. Then a girl's voice sent them scattering like cockroaches in sunlight.

"Go away! Shoo! I get to know him first!"

She was a girl of average height with long brown hair and dull blue eyes. The girl sat down next to me.

"Im V. Who are you?"

"I'm Matt" I responded

"I'm feeling curious. Tell me about yourself, how you got here and what is your ranking. I want to know" V said it like she was curious, but if you fuck around, your dead.

"I'm number three. My mom was killed yesterday in an armed robbery. Anything else?" I stated rather coldly.

V then grabs my hand and leads me to another table.

"You seem interesting. I could use a friend. I want to show you the music wing. So eat and then I'll show you" She grins

After dinner, I go to the music wing with V. Im in a small room filled with insturments all neatly in their cases, this one also has a lack of decorations, but instead of institutionalized, It feels almost homey. She sits on the piano and starts playing. First it comes out slowly, almost experimenting, but it gets steadier and turns into a soft, beautiful melody. I just stood there enjoying the music, but crying a little. My mom always loved music. She had the most beautiful voice. She would always sing to me before bed when she could, and any other time she had. She also taught me how to play guitar on the one they had at the local library. She would then get on the piano and play a melody that sounded like light shining on a pond and we would play a duet.

It makes me sad, but happy at the memory of her at the same time. When it ends, I just continue to stand there. V doesn't seem to notice, but she grabs my hand and tells me,

"Hey, Ill give you a tour of the place."

I quickly agree. She has me follow her.

"And here is the library. Kind of boring in my opinion, but most of the kids here spend a lot of time here. Especially that kid over there, his name's Mello. He is currently number two around here. There's a lot of talk on how you'll probably get number one since you already got number three out of everyone without even taking the classes. He might give you a hard time about that, just warning you now…."

The kid in question, reading a book, that is Mello, gets up and shoves me into the nearest wall.

"Insert Cindy's threat here"

Matt then punches Mello in the face, and he falls down. He then punches again, aiming yet again, for the nose. V just watches, grinning but then she tries to pry Matt off of Mello.

"Matt, I like you already! Finally, someone just as insane as I am. Though, let's not get in trouble just yet."

V then drags Matt out of the library, while an enraged Mello starts shouting

"FUCK YOU MATT! YOU WILL NEVER BE NUMBER ONE."

As at the time, I didn't know who that was, I asked V

"Who the hell was that? What's his problem with me?"

Most people assume that we were best friends at first sight. Though that isn't true. Mello hated me at first because while he struggled his hardest to try to be number one, I did nothing at all and I was extremely close to taking away his position at number two. The teachers were always talking about how I would probably be number one, which only engraved him more.

Which is exactly what V explained to me. I just accepted it. I was used to being hated. I never cared much what anyone thought of me, still don't. Though V then started speaking.

"Hey Matt, about what you just did there? A little advice, I often do the same, but try you're best not to do it in front of the staff. They will make your life hell. Also, this place is messed up. Keep your eye out, don't fall into their traps, and be weary of the other kids.It's time to go to our dorms. Don't feel like sneaking out tonight, but we can do it some other time. See you tomorrow Matt."

V walked off to the girls dorms and I walked to mine. I opened the door, and discovered who my roommate was. Of all my luck, there was Mello sitting on the other bed.