AN: Well, this is more of an idea than anything else. Sort of like a "what if" or something. But in retrospect, probably not my best writing. Hope I get some feedback, I'd love to know what everyone thinks about this. Also, Alice's bio is on my webpage. You can find it by going to my profile.

Chapter One

"Freak."

"What a geek."

Alice tried holding up her books as she walked past the students that were giving her mutinous glares. She could hear them all taunting her. And most of those words were true.

She had lived in the orphanage all of her life. Allentown, Pennsylvania wasn't exactly an easy city to grow up in. Their were almost always accidents or guns firing in nearby neighborhood. If you weren't back at the orphanage by six at night, you were considered a goner.

It didn't help that she was supposedly a 'gifted' student. Most of the teachers regarded her with high expectations. Her grades had skyrocketed when she started high school in William Allen. And she refused to speak to any of the students around her as a result. They thought of her as a kiss up, always seeking the teacher's help.

"Why don't you go back to that little corner you're always hiding in?" Alice stopped when a taller boy stood in her way. He was leaning against the lockers, grinning down at her like an idiot. Alice said nothing. She simply tried moving forward, pushing her way past him. "What's the matter, don't know how ta' talk?"

"Daron, you're late already!" Relief washed over Alice's shoulders when she heard one of the teacher's shouting across the hall.

Daron let out a sigh of frustration before strutting past.

Alice straightened up and held her books study as she walked towards science. She was thankful classes were constantly on the move. The bell was her savior when she was running late - students didn't have the time to stare at her or say anything that might be true.

Mr. Anderson was giving a lecture on the elemental table, something that Alice was very familiar with already as she got settled in the back of the class.

She could hear him just fine without straining herself. Most people didn't even notice how good her hearing was. She was able to hear even the faintest whisper, which could get frustrating when she was trying to sleep.

While Mr. Anderson continued speaking, Alice began to doodle on the back of her notebook. She tried remembering the dream she had the night before.

Her dreams were always filled with vivid images of things she had done the day before. Sometimes she would dream of practicing the violin, or even wandering through the park to clear her mind. But when news of the Avengers had reached the TV, she began dreaming of them.

They're too distracting, she thought angrily.

The Avengers was all everyone talked about when she wasn't within eyesight. Since they had saved New York from the supposed alien attack, everyone dreamed of meeting them. But the team had jumped off the grid since that bit of news was leaked.

Alice's hand shook with surprise when the bell suddenly rang. She scowled when she looked at the poorly drawn figure on her notebook. Mr. Anderson was just finishing his lecture before he wrote down the homework assignment due on Monday.

"A reminder everyone, there's a test on Monday what we've just discussed," he announced just as everyone began rising from their seats. Alice smirked when everyone groaned in annoyance. "Make sure you study."

With a roll of her eyes, Alice jotted down the homework assignment and grabbed her stuff as quickly as she could. As far as she was concerned it was the weekend, and she was eager to get back before she was stopped by anyone.

Alice avoided meeting the teacher's gaze as she walked past him. This was her last class, and finally she could go back to her room and relax a little.

The weekend was her vacation away from this hellhole.

Once she had her backpack full she swung it over her shoulder and made her way past security. William Allan High was the only school she knew of that had metal detectors. It was a necessary feat though, according to the principle. Almost every week a few years ago students were wandering into the school with some kind of weapon. And Alice didn't even want to get started with the gangs or drugs that were dealt with outside the school. To put it simply she avoided anyone that looked suspicious (and that was just about everyone in her eyes).

She didn't stop walking until she reached an older building that towered above the rest. There were a few broken windows and boards that covered the others. When she walked up the steps she noticed a note from the health department on the door.

"Thanks a lot Greg," she muttered under her breath.

Greg was the owner of the orphanage. His wife, Sandy, was almost always the one who took care of things. But she had been away on a business trip for the last month, leaving Greg to take care of the dump. And any work that did need to be done was left alone.

One push of the door told Alice that Greg was watching the only TV in the building. Music blared as he turned up the volume to drone out the boom box that blasted outside. Upstairs Alice could hear some of the other girls arguing. A commercial for a mop was on at the moment, and as Alice dropped her backpack Greg turned to glare at her.

"Late as usual kid," he sneered. "What's that in your hand?" He stood up, pushing any crumbs from the meal he'd just had. He grabbed the note and smirked. "Like those idiots will actually do anything," he grumbled after tearing up the paper.

"The health department's going to come back," Alice said under her breath. Part of her knew that he was right - they rarely did anything unless the place was infested with mice, rats or any pests that carried disease.

"What was that?" Greg suddenly leaned forward and glared at her. Alice winced when she realized that he could easily beat her if he wanted to. Instead of using his fist though, he simply pulled at her hair until she felt pain pierce at her skull. "Nobody talks under their breath around me, especially a brat like you," he hissed.

Her teeth ground together as he let her go. She knew there was no point in fighting back, not when she was hopelessly outmatched in strength.

Alice blinked in surprise when she noticed that the TV was beginning to flicker on and off as she thought of fighting back. It often did that when she felt nervous or angry.

This place must be haunted, she thought as she remembered the constant creaking noises that sounded at night. Part of her knew that wasn't true - she would have known whether or not the place was haunted. Something else had made the lights and the TV screen flicker.

Greg simply grunted in frustration when he pounded on the TV, and Alice rolled her eyes when he cursed under his breath.

She grabbed her backpack once more and walked up the stairs that led to her room. The second floor was where the boys slept. On the third floor Alice and the other girls slept in rooms of two. Greg and his wife Sandy slept in a room on the first floor, and that door was always locked.

Alice wasted no time in reaching the room farthest from the stairs. At the end of the hall was a half-broken window. Alice smirked as she remembered how the hole had gotten there.

Robin, an older teen who had been adopted a few weeks ago, had thrown a shoe out the window after having an argument with her roommate. The police had been called the break them up, but the scar from their fight remained on the building.

She ducked when a ball was thrown in her direction. Dana, a young girl of nine ran down the hall to catch it.

"Sorry!" Dana shouted when she realized which room it had rolled into.

Alice tried to ignore the screams of Marcy when she realized that little Dana was in her room. Marcy hated the younger kids and always made a point of avoiding them.

"Hey Alice." She dropped her backpack when Nichole stood up. Nichole had more of a tan than everyone else, and it was thought she had come from a tropical state rather than good old PA. All Alice knew was that she was the only friend she ever had.

"Hey Nikki, how are you?" she asked when she sat on the stool that made up her seat. It was placed in front of a mirror, the only one in the room. Nikki always let her use it first in the morning, though she didn't really need it.

"The day could've gone better," Nikki replied. Her blond hair fell over her shoulders as she shook her head in frustration. "A few people dropped by for interviews, but as soon as they saw the place they ran away."

"I'm sorry, that must have been awful," Alice murmured sympathetically.

"I should be used to it by now," Nikki muttered with a shrug. "A lot of us have been thinking of running away. We don't think Sandy is coming back."

Alice stared at her friend in horror. "Why would you say such a thing?" she demanded.

"Patience found a letter in the mail from the hospital," Nikki sighed. Her voice was filled with guilt as she looked at the dark green walls. "And when we opened it, it said, 'We are sorry for your loss.' I feel like Greg doesn't even care!"

"That surprises you?" Alice asked. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of the way Greg had behaved when she handed him the note from the health department. "That means this place will never get fixed up!"

"Obviously," Nikki said with a nod. "Do you need help with your homework?"

Alice smirked when she saw the grin on Nikki's face. Nikki wasn't exactly a high school dropout. She simply stopped going as soon as she was done with the eighth grade. None of the cops in the city seemed to care one way or another. There were so many other issues going on that it was nothing more than a slight matter.

"Right, well I'm off with Patience and Marj," Nikki announced after standing up. Alice waved goodbye as she grabbed the homework in her backpack.

It was mostly math and history homework that needed to be finished. Alice sighed as she spread out the sheets. The sooner she got this done and over with the better off she was.

As she worked on throughout the rest of the day, she thought of what Nikki had said about Sandy. The news was troubling, and it made sense that so many of them wanted to leave. Once they reached the age of twenty one they were kicked out of the building. So many roommates had been lost because of that rule.

Alice struggled to finish her homework as she thought of what was happening. By the time she was finished her hands were trembling, and an uneasy feeling churned within her stomach. Part of that was due to hunger, but she passed it off as quickly as it had started.

Once she was finished with her homework she slipped into her night clothes and headed for her bed. It was on the farthest side of the room. The bed itself had no frame, and it barely stood above the floor. The sheets hadn't been washed in weeks, and Alice knew that she would have to wash them herself as soon as possible.

It was a struggle to fall asleep as night soon fell upon the city. She couldn't help but think of what Nikki had said, and the fact that her friend had not returned. Something told her that something terrible had happened to her friend.

I'm going to find out sooner or later, she told herself. Might as well get some sleep now while I can.

Those were her final thoughts before sleep finally took over.

AN: In case anyone's curious, Allentown is a real city in PA. No, it isn't that violent, but it isn't a city I'd be caught alone in. So um... yeah. Let me know what you thought of this :)