So much smoke…I can't stand the stuff. It suffocates pretty much anything that needs to breathe to live. While on the dark topic, I was pretty much on the brink of it. I didn't notice how thick it was before. I gazed around lazily. I could hardly see, apart from vague outlines and rough figures.

"Ted!" A voice called.

"Ted! Come on!" The face of the voice shot out from the dark veil of thick air. It was so hazy…I could only just make out his face. I was hardly aware of what was going on…I kept thinking "Death. It's death." But I was so calm and relaxed, it hardly felt like the end. I kept choking a little, but I was more focused on how pretty the air looked when I did. All the particles swirled and slowly mingled with the regular smoke.

"Ted! Ted, get up!" I had almost forgotten about him. I wanted to obey his command but I found that my body was in an odd state of not being able to move and not being bothered. My limbs seemed to say "Eh. What happens happens." I felt him grab me, pick me up and his shoulder went into my stomach. I wheezed and felt like I was puking air. The couching continued, though I hadn't any air left to cough. It was pure smoke. I remember him running out while I struggled against him, because I suddenly remembered who we had left behind.

Chapter 1

"C'mon, Ted. Be brave, little man!" Mom shook me by the shoulders like she always did.

"Mom! I'm not crying!" I lied through a heavy chest and a rough throat. "And I am not little! I'm nearly fourteen!"

"Nearly fourteen, but not quite yet past thirteen!" Grammy chuckled whist walking past, carrying a small box perfectly suited to the length of her arms.

"My birthday is in three days…" I muttered. I huffed and forced a large box off the ground, determined to prove I was a bigger man than they thought I was. "Woah!" I stumbled backwards, praying that anything behind me was above knee level.

"Easy, mister." Mom caught the other side of the box and steadied it and me. "We can't have you with any broken limbs on your birthday!" I sighed and rolled my eyes. Typical motherly love.

"Why couldn't you hire the delivery guys to do this?" I said through various struggles. Eventually we managed to shove the box in the truck.

"You know what money's like here, Ted. It's tight! You know…after our whole town and everything we have to fall back on went down, this truck was all I could get!" She protested. I signed and sat on the floor of the truck. (I had figured out that sitting on a box led to two horrible fates. Either falling in or Mom getting mad after I broke something inside.)

"And now we have to move, otherwise we'll all get cancer and die. Cheerful life, isn't it? I'm thirteen and my world is upside down." I placed my head in my hands. I really didn't want to move. Thneedville was my home, and always will be. I've had so much fun here growing up as a kid. I doubted I could ever have as much fun in this weird new place.

"You can cut that out right now. You know full well that many other kids in the world way younger than you have their lives far worse." I groaned into my palms. "I know, I know. It's tough and you've lived here all of your life! And you're too young to go through this, but it has to be done. It's not been proven or anything…but there is a high chance we could all get very sick if we stay." Mom prised my hands off my face and held them "You know I don't want that, Teddy."

"…I'm…I'm sorry. It's just…rough." I frowned and hung my head.

Later that day

"Oh! Be careful! That's my best project yet, inspired by The- Oh no! The paints must be upright! I really don't want them to spill or mix!" Audrey fussed around like a hummingbird making sure the huge men took care of everything perfectly.

"You really got these goons to do it for ya?" I chuckled, leaning against the truck she hired; pretty sure I was getting very unpleasant looks from O'Hare's ex-henchmen behind their dark glasses.

"Ted! They're not that bad!" She giggled in response. "They need a job, after all! I was so glad I could get them first, what with the whole town evacuating and all…AH! Please be more careful, Mr Mooney! That was my grandmother's best painting! Easy, Mr McGark. There's no rush!" She ran over to conduct their transportation. I wandered over, being careful not to get in the way.

"Can I help?" I gently nudged her with my elbow. "I mean, I got time." I smirked and put my hands behind my head. This girl was so mine.

"Oh! Thank you, Ted! You know how I like things arranged, I'm sure you can manage." I took a moment to let her gorgeous smile to sink in…or maybe two or three. Enough time to make her wave her hand in front of my face in concern.

"Right! Work! Yeah!" I stumbled around and picked up a random box filled with smaller boxes.

"Ted, pack that in tightly with the others…" her voice trailed off. "Those are the last few seeds left after the trees failed to grow." I nodded and slot it in a cosy space between the wall of the truck and a larger box.

After much more organising, bustling about, shuffling and fuss, we eventually got the job done and I got her alone. We sat on her doorstep drinking home made lemonade absorbing the last views we would ever get of Thneedville.

"So what do you think about this whole situation?" I had to break the silence.

"The whole moving thing? A lot of people are convinced it's bad. You included!" She nudged me, laughing. "But Really, I don't think it's all that bad." Optimistic as usual. "I'll miss Thneedville with all my heart, but this is an adventure! Or a challenge!" I stopped slurping my drink and looked up. "Living somewhere new will belike a fresh start, and the break that all Thneedville residens deserve. Clean air, normal weather…I hear it snows there every winter! And they hive the weirdest snow-related incidents! Like last ear, I heard this boy managed to skate all the way around a town because a path of ice guided him! How odd!" she laughed again.

"I…hadn't thought of it like that." I stared down into my drink. "I guess this could be fun after all!" I looked up into the sky, smiling. I had always wondered what colour it was behind the thick cloud. Not to forget what snow felt like, and I had always wanted to stay out and play ball in the rain and not have to run inside from falling acid.

"See?" She smiled that amazing smile again.

"Do you think there will be kids my age there?" I looked back to Audrey. She nodded, still beaming at me.

"Plenty! Boys and girls!" I chuckled to myself at her response. I knew I wasn't in search of becoming friendly with the latter type.

Jack was perched alone on the edge of the huge metal border of the town. A young couple sat at a doorstep, drinking some form of liquid and laughing. These were but two of the new kids that would be moving into his neighbourhood tomorrow.

"Hm. They seem to be alright." He smirked. "We sure as hell are gonna have some fun."

Author's Note: I hope you liked it! Apologies for any spelling mistakes or other errors. Next chapter coming soon!