Chapter2:
In my dream I was in my old town, DustinVille. I was running down one of the barren streets towards Marina, the girl who used to be the love of my life. She broke up with me before my parents decided to ship me off to NightBridge, and I havent seen her since. I stretched out my arms to embrace her, planning to never let her go, but when my arms slowly reached out to her, she dissapeared and I was only trying to hug the empty space of air in front of me. I then heard a loud shreik from behind me...
When I woke up I was breathing heavily. I turned to notice my alarm clock which had been set to radio had went off, the scratchy sounding music meant it was on a station with no reception. That must've been the strange shreik in my dream. I shut it off and went to the window to look outside. It was muggy out, the ground coated with a thick fog and the gray sky dimmed by the huge clouds that masked the sunlight. I sighed slowly as I changed into one of my favorite outfits and I headed downstairs. When reached my kitchen, I made myself a quick bowl of banana flavored oatmeal. As I watched it spin around in the microwave I pressed my fingers to my temples. I know I missed Marina, deep in my heart I knew I still loved her, but it was time to move on, I mine as well make the best of my time here in NightBridge before my parents find somewhere else to make me move to.
Once my oatmeal was ready, I sat alone at my table and scarfed it down while reading the newspaper that had arrived at my door earlier this morning. I read the headline:
"Happy Room Academy banned from NightBridge after a recent point scandal!"
I shrugged and read another article on the polution of DustinVille, which was also why my parents shipped me away. After that I decided to go explore the town.

When I walked outside all I could see were the two faint shapes of my neighbors houses and the small shapes of the houses in the distance. I took a breath of the muggy, yet fresh air and strolled down he street. When I reached the corner, I saw Genji in his front yard with hedge clippers clipping one of his many bushes in his front yard. He waved to me, but I pretended not to see him. As I kept walking, I reached Town Hall again, the O was still there from yesterday where it had dropped. I wondered how long it would be there for. It was darker near Town Hall, at first I thought it was because thats where the edge of the forest was, but then I noticed the big green tent shading the area. Curious, I peeked inside. Then somebody slapped my hand away from the curtain over hanging the entrance.
"Ow!" I pulled my hand away and cradled it as somebody shreiked from inside.
"DO YOU KNOW THE PAAAAASSSSWORD?!" the voice said. I suddenly remembered what Genji was telling me yesterday night about the strange store owner named Crazy Redd who came every Thursday. He had told me the password.
"Yeah." I said flatly, stunned that he had hit me.
"Good! So what do you say when I say "All is fair.."
"In love and war." I rolled my eyes. That was an obvious one. No wonder everybody eventually gets access to this place.
"Good!" He said and he opened the door. When I looked inside couldnt belive my eyes. There was alot of interesting stuff, on the shelves, the walls, even in some of the boxes.
"Welcome to Crazy Redds Store where we sell you things for Crazzzzy Prices!" Redd chimed at me. I gazed the objects in front of me, and on the walls. Redd stepped back so I could look around. I was intreauged by all the stuff he had, some of it was useless junk and others were masterpieces. I stopped when I came to this painting of this penguin sitting on chair, that looked more like a throne with a bunch of other animals surrounding her. I could feel Redd breathing down my neck. I whipped around to see him standing behind me.
"Ive had that one for a while.." He said shivering. I looked at him to wonder what he meant.
"I sort of like it." I told him. "How much?" I pulled out my wallet and he just pushed it away.
"You can have it." He told me. My eyes widened.
"For free?" I sputtered. He nodded.
"Just take it." He pushed it into my hands.
"Thanks!" I said weakly smiling at him. After looking around a bit more I decided I just wanted the interesting painting, I waved by and he gave me a worried look, but I didn't think much of it as I exited. On my way back I saw Genji again who came running up to me to examine the painting.
"He gave you that...for FREE?" Genji gawked. I nodded wondering why he was so suprised.
"He was always so expensive!" Genji said. "Most of his artwork selled for over 3,000!"
I shrugged. "I think its pretty cool."
"Cool indeed!" He smiled. He said that he would be over later with a fresh batch of cookies... which kind of worried me that he was pushing this friendship on me, but I just ignored it for the time being. I wanted to get home as soon as possible to put my painting up. I was about a block away from my house, trudging through the misty streets when I saw a yellow elephant in a striped sweater heading my way down the street. She carefully studied the painting in my hands.
"Did you get that from Redds?" She asked me, her eyes blinking furiously which made her abnoxiously large eyelashes stick out.
"Yeah, why?" I told her, not mentioning the bargain I had gotten on it. She nodded, pursing her lips.
"Good luck with it." She said starting to walk away. I wondered what she meant.
"Good Luck for what?" I turned to look at her back as she was walking. She stopped and stood in place. She shook her head vigorously and then turned around to smile at me.
"I mean looking for a place to put it!" She said after a long pause. Thats not what she meant to say, I was reading her expression carefully.
"Well I have to get back to my house." She told me. "Oh and by the way, I'm Eloise!"
"I'm Octivian..?" I introduced, still confused at her sudden change in behaviors.
"Cool! Octivian!" She said. "I guess Ill see you around then!" I nodded, not sure what to say. She waved at me then turned around to continue walking in the opposite direction. Suprised, I shook it off and just focused on reaching my house. When I got home I tacked the painting on my wall right next to my door.