"Where the hell are we?" a young boy, the age of 14 asked his older sister, looking around curiously.
"I dunno, but I don't like it here…" she too looked around, questioning how they had gotten to this strange place, though it looked no different than a once populated town that thronged with people not too long ago.
"Well, why don't we go explore then, Jen?" the boy suggested, looking straight at the house in front of them. Genesis shrugged, "Sure, what ever, just don't go getting yourself hurt Tom." Tom ran towards the house shouting, "I won't!" over his shoulder.
Genesis shook her head and walked towards the house down the street to see if anyone else was there.
"Umm, weren't we just down at the center two seconds ago?" questioned a very confused 15 year old, motioning towards his cousin. His cousin had nodded silently, looking around. She spotted a girl running towards them from down the street, past a tall tree with huge thick branches that reached towards the ground, making a good climbing spot where no one would be able to see you from behind the leaves.
"Hey!" the girl screamed running a little faster. The boy crouched down to pet his cat, "Filcher, do you know what's going on?" Filcher tilted his head sideways, as if trying to understand. The boy heard a scream and swung around, another girl had apparently jumped down from the tree right next to the first girl, surprising her.
He laughed a little, "Trent!" his cousin scolded, "It's not funny!" Trent scowled and resumed petting Filcher, "You're not the boss of me, Diana!" he muttered under his breath, receiving a sharp kick from his cousin, "I heard that!" she hissed at him. He stuck out his tongue and stood up.
The girl had reached them by this time, with the other girl as well. "Ren!" squealed the girl who was in the tree. Trent rolled his eyes, "Hey, Helena." he said dully. Helena rushed forward and hugged him, dropping her cat by accident. "Meow?" Filcher looked at the other cat. It was pure white, the complete opposite of him, with black whiskers and blue eyes. His green eyes flashed and he took a cautious step forward. The other cat did not protest so he took another.
Helena stooped down and picked up her cat, "This is Allina! Isn't she just the cutest thing?" Helena gave Allina a huge and set her down again. Trent looked curiously at Allina as she rubbed up against his leg, "She reminds me of you," he murmured.
"Hmmm?" Helena leaned closer. "Nothing, nothing." Trent waved his hand in front of him defensively. He stared into her curious, grey eyes, staring back him, quizzically.
"Trent," his cousin poked him, "There's others." She motioned towards the pale green house down the street, "This girl here says her brother's still down there. We're going to go try to find anyone else. And we need someone to watch him. Go." She said bluntly, turning on the spot.
Trent scowled again and, looking angrily towards the house, "Why do I always get stuck with these things?" he said more to himself than anyone.
"I'll help you!" Helena said happily, thinking it would help his attitude. Trent rolled his eyes and walked towards the house, "C'mon!" he said when she didn't follow.
"Whoa! How did they get all of our stuff here?" Tom look around, amazed that everything he had was in a room that look remarkably like his old one. He ran back down stairs toward the grand piano in the living room. He sat down and started playing what ever came to his mind. He stopped, thinking he heard voices coming.
"Stop it! For the last time, I do not know where we are!" scream a very impatient voice.
"But you've got to! No one else does!" whined a girl, who seemed less stressed and carefree but impatient none the less. The guy with her sighed and stepped up to the door, "Do you think he's still in there?" Tom sat, unable to move. There were other people here, and they knew he was here. This was not good, what if they were bad people? No, he didn't believe the girl was bad, but the guy seemed angry. There was a knock at the door, "Why are you knocking?" the boy asked, taking the handle and turning it, giving the door a little push, "Were supposed to be here anyway!" The guy's bright red hair was pulled back into a spiky ponytail. He looked around, then he spotted Tom at the piano, "Are you the kid were supposed to 'baby-sit'?" the guy questioned, sitting down on the couch. He looked barely older than Tom, though definitely stronger.
"Baby-sit?!" Tom said, "I don't need anyone to baby-sit me!" he put his hands on the keys of the piano for comfort, out of habit. The girl looked at him, her ginger hair was long and wavy, her T-shirt had some character with orange hair, who was apparently angry, on it with the words, "Stupid cat" surrounding him. Tom stared a moment at the shirt then looked up at the girl, "Who are you guys anyway?"
"I'm Helena!" she said excitedly," And this is Ren!" she motioned towards her friend, "Your sister told us to come back here." Tom sank his head into his shoulders. He couldn't believe his sister still thought he had to be baby-sat! He started playing the next thing that came in his head. Helena looked around, "Hey, where'd Allina go?" Ren waved his hand, "I'm sure she's with Filcher." Tom look inquisitively between the two of them. Helena caught the look, "They're our cats." Tom stopped playing, "Then why don't you go look for them?" he tilted his head sideways a little. Helena looked at him, "Would you help?" Tom nodded, then looked at Ren, "You gonna come?" Ren got up and wrenched the door open, "What ever," and he stepped outside.
"Allina!" Helena cupped her hand around her mouth, calling at the top of her lungs. The two guys hung back, not even attempting to call the cats.
"So," Tom glanced over at Trent, "Where were you before you came here?"
"Who wants to know?" Trent raised an eyebrow and eyed Tom irritably. Tom shrunk back. "With my cousin in the Martial Arts center where her and my dad work." Tom looked curiously up at Ren, who was about two inches taller than him. Ren seemed to know what he was thinking cause he ruffled Tom's hair and called him short. Tom protested but Trent ignored him and walked over to the tree Helena had jumped out of before.
"NOWHERESVILLIANS!" a deep voice boomed over the small town.
"Who?" Ren screamed back, looking defiantly up at the sky. "No-wheres-ville-ians!" Ren looked puzzled, "YOU!" Ren made no remark.
"Now, I'm guessing you are all wondering why you're here?" Everyone nodded, "Well, you'll soon find out, but to make it more comfortable here, I have devised a series of competitions. For example, you're first competition is easy and simple, the First three back to 109 Nowhere Lane will have a pick to which room they have. GO!" The last word was like a gunshot, and off ran the five sprinters, towards the pale green house they knew was the destination.
"Oh, and by the way," the voice sounded amused, "There's only four rooms, so the two who do not reach the house in time will have to share the last room.
Diana ran ahead, her speed honed by all of the running sports she did. Genesis was right behind her, being a track and cross country star back home. Helena had (remarkably) ran ahead, apparently momentarily excited by the newest edition to their haphazard day. Trent had taken precious time to get down from the tree and had fallen behind in the beginning but was catching up to Helena. Tom, who had noticed he was getting nowhere, gave up and walked back to the house.
By the time he had gotten back, Genesis and Diana had already chosen their rooms and Ren was fighting with Helena about who was in third.
"Quiet! Helena has earned third, let her choose her room!" Ren moaned, "Ugh! I have to share a room with him?" he eyed Tom angrily, but with curiosity.
Helena chose her room and everyone's stuff was moved. "You'd better get to sleep, there's a big day tomorrow. And don't think about sneaking out because this house is locked at night and there is no way of opening it. Night ventures are strictly against my code and will end with something being taken from you and no participation in the next challenge. Good night all." Silence consumed the five as they all filtered into their rooms.
Ren glanced at Tom as he unbuttoned his shirt. A fascination kept him staring and a gleeful shiver ran up his spine. Ren turned away, disgusted at himself, 'I am straight!' he told himself, as if to reassure the fact."You look angry," Tom said out of nowhere, sitting on his bed in his red plaid boxers, looking confusedly over at Ren. He snorted, "You sleep in your boxers?" the pit of his stomach lurched as Tom posed with his arms behind his head, "Yeah, don't you think it makes me look smexy?" Tom was joking of coarse. Ren gulped and tried to keep a straight face, "I-"
"So totally smexy!" Helena burst in, sitting herself down next to Tom and draping her right arm over his shoulders. Her "night gown" was an Extra-Large "Ouran High school Host Club" T-shirt with all of the characters and their names. You could see right through her shirt to her frilly "Fruits Basket" bra and FullMetal Alchemist "boy shorts". Tom put an arm around her waist, adding happily, "Elen, how did you come to know Ren?"
"Oooo! Elen, I like that name! Well, Trent lived on my street through kindergarten, but then he moved a town over, so I only saw him at school. We still stayed the best of friends! Right Ren-ren?"
"Don't call me Ren-ren."
"Ooo! Ren-ren, watch what I can do!" Elen ran out of the room, then came back with a pad of paper and a pencil. Then she started scribbling as Tom resumed his "smexy" pose. Within a few minutes, Elen had a detailed picture of Tom's "smexy" pose.
"Cheezus Crackers with apple juice! How do you do that?!" Tom looked at the picture in awe, "I really do look smexy!"
"Oh! Look at the time, I'd better get to bed before I yawn get too tired! Goodnight boys!" She ran out of the room without another word. Tom stared after her with an expression that made Ren's heart burn with furry.
To sooth his anger, Ren turned up "Numb" by Linkin Park on his iPod. Tom looked at Ren confusedly, "What are you playing?"
Ren sighed, "It's Li-"
"Almost Midnight! Lights out! Both of you!" Diana's voice drifted through the door. Ren grumbled the rest of the name and turned off his lamp.
"Hey Ren, what do you think we'll be doing tomorrow?" Tom sounded intimidated. Ren thought for a second, "I think," he looked over at Tom in the darkness, though he could see nothing but his yellow, almost cat like, eyes, "we compete."
"Tom," someone nudged at Tom. He screwed his eyes up when a flashlight shone in his eyes, "Ah! What the f- oh…" Tom propped himself up on one elbow, "What's up Elen?" Elen was quaking next to him, "I-I had a bad dream…" She trailed off, not wanting to relay it. Tom considered this, "Okay, you wanna bunk with me?" Elen nodded, the light quivered on the wall. Tom moved closer to the wall and made room for Elen. She lied down next to him and turned the flashlight off. Everything went dark. She let out a pitiful squeak and curled up into a ball. Tom stared down at her, putting his arm around her and whispering, "I'm right here, nothings gonna get you." Elena stopped and uncurled so that she was facing Tom. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness by now, Elen looked up into Tom's eyes and smiled slightly, "You're the best," Tom smiled back, "Th-"
"Could you give me a back massage?" Elen was still smiling, Tom looked confused, "Uh, sure?" He tenderly massaged her back, afraid he was hurting her, "Harder," she said flatly. Tom moved to a more comfortable spot above her, though still under the sheets of the unusually large bed. He started massaging her harder, though still fearing to hurt her, "Harder!" Elen insisted, furrowing her brow, "I'm not a glass doll!" Tom adjusted again, then started up pounding away at her back. Groans of pleasure rose from Elen's mouth. Tom felt relief he wasn't hurting her, though it was an awkward position, kneeling over Elen, who was lying on her front.
Trent pretended not to hear Elen come into the room, not to hear her shrieks. He didn't want to hear her say "You're the best!". He was listening very intently though, even if some words were muffled.
"Harder" rose from the Tom's bed, after which came movement. Trent wondered what was going on in his bed, "Harder", it came again, though with more attitude. Trent was suspicious, 'What the hell?!'
"I'm not a glass doll!" and the squeaking mattress confirmed his suspicions and he sprang out of bed and tore the sheets away, ready to see the worst. Elen was lying face down, groaning happily, and Tom was kneeling over her, looking bashfully up at Trent.
"What? Why? Who? Wh--uhh…?" Trent sputtered, throwing the sheets aside and teetering from side to side. Elen, curious as to why her massage had stopped, flipped over and, facing Tom, asked, "What are you doing? I said 'Harder' not 'Stop'!"
Tom rolled his eyes towards Trent, who was teetering dangerously. Elen jumped, sliding her legs out from under Tom, and almost hit Tom with her long, braided hair.
"I think I'll go now…" she added, rushing towards the door and shut it quickly and quietly, so as not to wake anyone else.
"That was awkward…" Tom muttered as her got back into his bed. His sheets felt wet, perhaps from his constant sweating over his embarrassment. He got out of bed and nudged the traumatized Trent, "Can I sleep in your bed?" Trent awoke from his trance, "Wha-? Oh, sure."