Virginia Beach

September 3, 7 AM

Deaarmadta house.

7am. The alarm clock beeped. And beeped. And beeped again. Suddenly, a fist came down on it, and it stopped :

''Stupid alarm clock !''

The boy got up. He rubbed his eyes, stretched and then changed from his pyjamas into his normal clothes, which consisted of a pair of black jeans, a white short sleeved t-shirt, and on top of it, a blue hoodie. He picked up his black sunglasses, and went downstairs to have breakfast. While going through the corridor, he saw his own reflection in a mirror which his mother had put here. His eyes had always puzzled the others. While other people had small eyes of normal colour, his were big, and of an unnatural icy blue colour. He noticed that a certain number of people in the neighbourhood looked at him bizarrely because of that.

Today was his first day in an American High School. He was English, with German origins on his mother's side. He and his family had just arrived in the States a month ago. He was tall, well built and he had brown spiky hair. He had a middle sized nose, and This year was going to be a real challenge. He was going to have to survive in a foreign country with its school, society and rules. He didn't have many friends, at least not that he remembered. His parents said that at a moment, he was part of a small group of boys and girls, but the all of a sudden, he stopped hanging around with them and they stopped hanging around with him. This puzzled him, for he didn't remember being part of a group at all.

He slowly went down the stairs, and went to eat his breakfast. His parents were already at the table :

''Good morning, son. Ready for school ?

''No'', said the boy flatly.

''Don't worry, said his mother, it will be fine.''

''Yeah, her son said ironically, fine.''

They ate quickly, then prepared themselves. The boy went into the car with his parents. They then drove off. Fifteen minutes later, they were in front of the gates of McClintock High.

''Have a good day, my son, said his father.

''Don't worry. I'm sure you'll make some friends.''

''No problem, ma. Bye. See you this evening.''

He entered the school. Immediately, he started looking around, trying to distinguish the different groups. There was a group of girls in one of the left halls, busily chatting on whatever music group or beauty product they were interested in. Near a group of lockers on the right, he could see some mean looking boys wearing football gear or jackets. Probably what the Yanks call ''Jocks'', he thought. He knew these were stereotypes. Although he never had friends himself, or so he remembered, he'd known some ''bully'' looking guys who were quite nice, while some ''nerdy'' ones could be the most slippery and backstabbing b*****ds. But this wasn't England, and the way they we're looking at him wasn't so friendly :

''Hey, you'' one of them said.

Ah, crap, what do they want ? He'd never been physically bullied. One or two had tried when he was younger. They regretted it !

''You're new, aren't you ?'', Said one of the boys.

''Yeah'', he said.

''Right. What's your name ?''

''John. John Dearmaadat. Who are you ?

''I'm Ace, captain of the Gallagher Typhoons.''

''Is that a rugby team ?''

''What ? Oh, I understand, you're a foreigner...''

''Yeah, I come from England. Why, got something against that ?''

''No...far from that...it's just there hasn't been foreign students here since a long time.''

''Right. So I guess these guys over here are your teammates.''

''Correct.''

''Okay. Other question : How do classes work here ? You see, in England, it's quiet different from here.''

''You'll see. First of all, you're not with the same people all the time. Secondly, some lessons may be different from the ones you had back in England.''

''Thanks.''

''No problem''

He found his first class, algebra. He entered the class and was greeted by the teacher :

''Here is your new classmate. Would you please present yourself ?''

He looked at the other pupils in the classroom. They were all staring at him. He started a bit nervously :

''Hello...my name is John Dearmaadat. I'm 16 years old, I'm British. I like drawing, sleeping, music...and all which touches the army : armoured vehicles, planes and guns. I hate homework, oranges, French cheese and ultra left and right wing parties. I don't have any friends, I ain't a dur brain. There, that's all you need to know about me. Any questions ?

The class was visibly surprised. It's not any day you get an new student who presents himself in such a gruff way. The first one to raise his hand was a blond boy with an orange jacket :

''Oy, can I just ask you a question, why is your name so weird ?''

''It's not weird. It's of Gaelic origin.''

''Why did you give such a weird description of yourself, said a girl, who was sniggering with her neighbour. I mean it's ridiculous.''

''That's how I am. And speaking of ridiculous, I'm not the one who's got a face and hair which make me look like a poodle.''

The girl looked offended. Then the teacher spoke :

''Alright...you can now go and sit down.''

The boy hesitated for an instant, then proceeded to do so. He opened his maths book. The lesson continued for ten minutes. Then he started to look around the class. There was that blond boy who'd asked him the question about his name. He was chatting with the girl next to him, a Asian looking girl with raven hair. Behind him we're another couple, composed of a nerdy looking boy with aviator glasses and an afro American girl with a red hat. He remarked that at each time he told a bad pun, she'd slap him on the head with her hat when the teacher wouldn't be looking. He then spotted a few other people who he'd try to socialize with after. The lesson finished. He packed his books into his bag, then went out to his next lesson, history. On the way, he bumped into a group of teenagers. One of them, a red haired girl started yelling at him :

''What do ye want, yer stupid boy ?''

''Stupid what ?''

''Yer dumb !''

''Say that again, red head !, he said, looking her straight in the eyes.''

''You're stu...''

She stopped all of a sudden when he heaved his glasses up. She recoiled with an expression of pure shock, pointing at him.

''Are you one of them ?''

''What are you talking about ? Got a problem with my eyes...''

''Yer eyes are...''

''Shut up ! What would you do if you had the same thing ?!''

He then continued his way, feeling the three teenagers eyes boring into him. On the way, he spotted a poster. It read :

You're a teenager ? Join us

Kids have always been a pest. They don't stop annoying us, trying to make us revolt

against the adults. This is bad ! But the worst things kids have done is create the KND

The KND are a kid organisation bent on making the lives of teenagers and adults miserable

When a kid reaches 13, his teammates erase his memories. Why ? Why must his personal

memories be erased when he becomes a teenager ? Because the brats in the KND are cruel.

They want us to suffer, just for the sake of their childish whims ! There's only one way to

stop them ! Join us, and together we will crush kid kind for ever.

For more info :

-We have a special stall during the next pep rally.

-You can also go to any mall in the town, we always have a few recruiting agents on the look

out.

Badly done, thought John, it looks more like a propaganda sheet than anything. Although, they do have a point : it's just plain cruel to have your childhood memories erased.

The day went on normally...lessons, lunch, then more lessons...and people looking at him like a stranger. The usual. He hadn't really talked to anyone today. He'd try tomorrow. While going back to his house ( It was only ten blocks away from the school, his parents had only taken him in the car because it was his first day ). He thought about what he should do during the year. He'd try to socialize, and have a normal life, not like the one he'd seemingly lived back in Britain. Of course, he'd do his best to have good grades. Finally, he was 16, and at that age, you could start earning money with part time jobs. What he could do ? Delivery boy ? He had a bike, so he could do that. Delivering pizzas once or twice a week shouldn't be that difficult after all.

Then he thought about the school. It seemed normal, except for the fact that everybody looked at him like a freak. And then there was that poster he'd read. Who were the Teen Ninjas ? And who were the Kids Next Door ? Plus of all, these two organisations seemed...familiar, but not in a good way. He'd find out more tomorrow. He was puzzled when they said all kids were cruel. Alright, some kids were certainly the most horrible little brats EVER ! But he'd seen lots of kids in the streets, and they didn't look aggressive at all. He was only three blocks away from his home, when he past by a children's tree house. At first, he didn't notice anything special about it. But when he looked closer, he could see some things which aren't supposed to be on a normal tree house, like an air plane, or what was left of a truck. He also saw a cargo ship which was shipwrecked in the highest branches. Which kids would put all these things on their tree house ? In the space of one day, he'd learned that his neighbourhood was far from normal. He continued his way home. He already had a lot questions. But he didn't know, for the moment, who he'd ask them.

John Dearmaadat, however, didn't know he was being watched. If you we're in the treehouse, you would clearly see five kids looking at some security camera recordings.

''Do you have a visual on the teenager, numbuh T'', said a small blond boy.

''Affirmative, numbuh 43.''

''Crud, we kneed to know more about him. My brother and his pals told us he could be with the delightfuls.''

''How did they find out'', said a little Asian girl.

''Don't know. They said something to me about ''blue eyes'' and the fact that he was aggressive.''

''Whatever, said another kid. If we must keep an eye on him, then we will, until further orders say the contrary.''

And that's it for that chapter. Don't worry, the chapters will get longer as the story goes on.

Notice that I have introduced most of the crew, plus another few characters. Can you find them in the order I quoted them ?

Very good pilot and rival of person number 2.

Everybody's favourite Aussie. He's become a bit less stupid in this story.

Transforms into a poodle at night. Also thoroughly selfish and beastly.

Rainbow monkeys...

5. Likes planes. Always finds an occasion to say bad puns

Cool, calm girl. Always whacks person number 4 on the head with her red hat, when he says bad puns.

Ex officer in charge of the decommissioning squad. Has a bad temper and thinks boys are all morons.

8 and 9, who were with number 6 : Ex supreme leader and ex drill sergeant.

10. Person number 2's little brother.

11. Person number 5's little brother.

12. Person number 3's little sister

Until next time.