"Are you really ok with living on your own?" my mom asked me.
"I'm fine," I replied.
About a month ago, I had seen a flyer at school for a field trip to a utopia. I took a little slip from the paper and told my friends about it. My friends each took a paper slip as well. Except for Melony. She didn't make it on time. There were only so many on there, and before I knew it they were all out.
The next week, over the loudspeaker they announced during lunch: "If you have a utopia field trip slip, please take it to the office to get your permission slip."
I walked to the office with my friends and we gave them the slips. But when we each got our permission slips, there was about 5 pages we had to fill out and something called a "will". We took it back to class and the 6 of us tried to talk to each other using expressions. If Mr. Patterman saw us talking, we'd get an instant detention. I mean, in a year I'll graduate, but it doesn't need to be this harsh. When 6th period was done and through, we walked home. Jack was the first to say something.
"Why would you need so much paper for a field trip?" Jack asked.
"I don't know, maybe because it's for a year," Brennan replied.
I looked over the papers as we walked. Apparently it's a 'super serious place' and 'could lead to death', but they just put that so parents are concerned and fewer people go, so they can save buses. I discussed this to Allister and he shrugged it off. Melony said she was happy for us 5. Kuro just walked along with her usual grin, and at the crosswalk, we all went our separate ways. I got home and showed my parents the permission slips. They were a bit reluctant to sign it (just like the teachers want), but they still signed it. They took me to Target to buy a luggage bag, and across the next 2 weeks, they gradually bought me stuff to put in the case. After those 2 weeks, there was 1 day until the trip. This is where I was at the beginning of this story.
"I think he's grown just enough to be a man himself," my dad complimented.
"Thanks, Dad," I replied.
"Now, go get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a good day," my dad told me.
I went off to my bedroom and lied down. I could just imagine how much fun this new place would be.
When I woke up, I heard my mom saying, "Chris! Your waffles are ready!"
My favorite breakfast. I immediately went and got changed, then I ran down the stairs to see that my mom made some Belgian waffles with strawberries and chocolate syrup. I was about to take my time and savor the flavor until I noticed the clock. 7:10. School starts at 7:35, so I ate at a normal pace. My dad had a smile on his face, and my mom looked at me adoringly. I didn't know what was going on, so I kept eating. When I finished, my mom and dad gave me a big hug. Of course, nobody was watching so it's not embarrassing. But now that I'm writing this out, I know 1 or 2 people will read this, so it's awkward. They told me they loved me with all their hearts and they can't wait until they see me again. It wasn't until they said this that I remembered that the trip would be a year long. I grabbed my charger and stuffed it in my bag. I gave my mom and dad one last meaningful look before I walked out the door. I never knew it would be my last.
When me and my friends grouped up again on the walk to school, Allister asked me, "Did you bring your switch?"
In response, I pulled out the case for it. We walked to school and we all went to our 1st-period classes. After the bell rang, we stood up for the pledge of allegiance. I went ahead and did that, then we sat down and the morning announcements went on. At the end of it, they asked the teachers to please release all students going on the field trip. I left my class, and as I walked the direction everyone else in the hall was going, I spotted Kuro. I caught up with her, and we walked towards the buses with our bags. We got on the bus and noticed that Brennan was already sitting down. We went over to sit with him, but there weren't any available seats. We sat in the front near Allister and waited for everyone else to get on. Once everyone got on, a guy in a pitch-black uniform yelled for everyone to be quiet. Everyone went quiet.
Afterward, he yelled out the instructions of "When we get there, take your baggage and go to your rooms. There are no assigned rooms, so it's first come first serve. Each room can have 3 people. Breakfast will be at 10 a.m., lunch at 3 p.m., and dinner at 8 p.m. If you talk at all, there will be extreme consequences. Is that clear?"
Everyone nodded their heads, fearful to say the word yes. The bus then started driving, and me and Kuro exchanged glances. What did we just get ourselves into exactly?
After the drive was over, we got out of the bus and grabbed our stuff in silence. A bit of way off, I noticed Jack getting off of his bus. I tried waving, knowing talking wasn't allowed, but I couldn't get his attention. I waited for Allister and Brennan to get off of the bus, and they both did. The 4 of us walked towards the main building. We waited for Jack, and once he showed up, we all did rock paper scissors to see who would get the 3 person room. Jack, Allister, and I won. I was about to tell the lady at the counter we were ready, but then I remembered no talking. I noticed there was a line of people, so we all got in line. Brennan, Kuro, and some other girl got a room of 3, and Allister, Jack, and I got a room too. We were each given our own copy of the key, and we all went different directions. Allister looked like he was headed for the library, Jack went to straight to the rooms, and I went to explore the place. There were all kinds of flowers everywhere, daffodils, lilies, violets, roses, sunflowers, you name it. It seemed like such a nice place not including the fallback of no talking. From there I went to the dining area. There were a bunch of tables. Each with a number on them. The numbers only went up to 80, so that meant I'd have to get there quick if I wanted to eat. After that, I went to go check on Jack. We were room 67, so I had to climb a few flights before I could make it there. I walked in and there were 3 beds. Jack was lying down on the one at right, probably already asleep. I set my bags down on the bed in the middle and left to see how many other rooms there were. There were 80. I put two and two together and realized that each room had its own table. Then I went to the library so I could check on Allister. When I got there, he was reading. I looked underneath his hands to see what book he was reading, and it was something called Milo. I let him be, knowing that I couldn't talk, and I checked my watch. 9:45. I tapped him on the shoulder and showed him my watch. Jack was probably too tired, so we ate by ourselves. When we got to the tables, there were a few paper menus and pencils. We circled what we wanted and gave them to the servers. A bit later, we got our food and it was delicious. I was starting to wonder why in such a perfect community there would be no language to speak? When we finished, Allister and I walked back to the room and we both lied down. I thought to myself why we can't speak. I thought for hours and couldn't come up with anything. Eventually, I gave up and went to the greenhouse. There were more plants and trees, but nothing too different from the plants outside. I simply was trying to find something to do, because there wasn't much stuff to look for. I saw a cathedral towards the back of the place, so I started making my way there. On the way, I saw a bunch of symbols I haven't seen before, so I wondered what they were worshipping about. When I opened one of the doors, I noticed it was mid-mass. There were a bunch of people with their heads down, and there was a soft melody playing. I swayed a bit, for it sounded so familiar. It was like a song without the words, but without words, there could be no expression. It was mainly a piano, but there were a few other instruments playing. It was a catchy tune, but I couldn't stay for long. I still had a lot to explore in this monastery of some sort. I walked out the door and I started heading back to the dining hall for lunch. I got myself a grilled cheese with fries, and the other two looked satisfied with what they got as well. Afterward, I went back to the library and it was empty. I looked through the books and saw one that looked a bit old (not that I knew it was old, it just had some creases). I flipped through it, but there was nothing to flip through. It was just a cover with a bunch of paper edges. It was as if someone tore it out. I put it back and looked around. There was a modern-looking book return adorned with multiple book covers. I grabbed the book cover again and placed it on the tray inside the book return. The tray seemed to transform into a fan and the book shot upward. I closed the lid on it and watched it work. The book then seemed to run across a tube that went along the ceiling and dropped into a cart behind the desk of the librarian. There weren't too many books in the cart, but there was enough to tell the librarian wasn't here today. I walked to the desk and noticed there was no chair. In fact, there probably wasn't a librarian. There was a little scanner with a worn-out piece of tape saying 'En oy Yo r D y!' After a bit, I figured it was supposed to say 'Enjoy Your Day!' and I picked up the scanner. I browsed the books and found one called No Other Story. If there really wasn't another one, I decided to take it. It was just the cover, and I started to realize all the books were just covers. I scanned it and a blue light started to emit from the book. Then, in a flash, there was paper in the book. I set it down and started reading. It was about some guy named Ethan and his family who made a time machine. I started reading and it was actually pretty good. I was about a quarter through when I heard yelling. I opened my backpack and put the book away and I ran off to see what it was. There was some guy being handcuffed and there were a bunch of men with guns guarding the scene. When the handcuffing was done, he was thrown on the ground and a bunch of people started kicking him. I decided it would be best to just leave it be and go back to the library. When I started reading again I heard gunshots. Ouch. I did my best to ignore it and I kept reading. I found a point to stop and I went back to my room. Jack and Allister were gone, so I started unpacking my stuff. I brought my switch, my charger, a bunch of games, my phone, my Pokémon cards, my favorite manga, a Luigi plush, and my wallet for souvenirs. I plugged in my switch next to my bed and I put my Luigi on the pillow. I put my cards and manga inside the nightstand and put my phone in my pocket. I walked out the door and I started heading back to the dining hall for dinner. I got a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake, and the other two looked a bit satisfied with what they got as well. When I finished, I went back to my room again. Today was a good day, and I was wondering what would happen tomorrow. Even though we were only 15 feet away, I texted Allister and Jack 'good night'. They responded with 'you too'. I put my phone away and tried going to sleep. I dreamt that the next day would be full of neat things. With so little to do and so much time, it was hard to think of something. If there was talking allowed, it would be such a lively community. Did something happen that would be a reason to ban something as simple as talking? I pondered but had no result. I tried to stay awake but sleep took me in.
I woke up. I looked around and there was nobody in the room. I changed out of my pajamas and put on jeans and a tee. I hadn't seen Kuro and Brennan for a while, so assuming that because they checked out after us they got the next room, I went to room 68 and knocked on the door. An old guy answered the door and looked at me. He closed the door and I realized that was the wrong room. I went to room 69 (noice) and knocked on the door. Nobody answered so I went to room 70. But before I could knock on the door, I saw Brennan walking down the hallway. I waved to him and he spotted me.
"Hey, Chris!" I heard him shout
Uh-oh. I heard a bunch of sirens go off and I covered my ears. A bunch of guys in black suits started walking towards us. I remained where I was, for only the guilty flee. They got over to us (or at least me, Brennan already ran off) and looked around. They looked from one end of the hall to the other and saw Brennan running off. They started running after him and I walked away. I was hoping nothing happened to him, but then I heard screaming for the second time this week. I shivered at the thought of what happened. I went into the elevator and looked at the buttons. There were 10 buttons, one for each floor. I clicked button 10, and the doors shut. I looked out the glass window and everything started getting further and further down. I looked at the little odometer for the height and I was currently on floor 8. When it finally read floor 10, the doors opened and I walked out onto the hangar. I held a crayon up to the sky, and it was the color of the crayon 'sky blue'. No surprise there. I walked around and there were a few benches and people sitting silently. I went back to the elevator and put my head against the window. I saw hundreds of people walking about, minding their own business. I then realized something. The reason there might be no talking is that it's a deaf community. After all, how else would kids learn? I pushed the button to take me back to the lobby and off I went. I pulled out my phone and texted Jack and Allister what happened with Brennan. I put my phone back and the doors opened. I was about to walk out when I noticed people walking in. I looked at the odometer and it read 4. I stayed on and they pushed a button for where they wanted to go. The elevator first went down and I got out. I then watched the elevator zoom back up into the sky. I walked around, now trying to see if I could find Kuro without killing her. I went to the dining hall first to get some breakfast. I got french toast and scrambled eggs. They were delish. I went back on the elevator to floor 70 and knocked on the door. Kuro answered and she waved at me to come on in. When I walked in, I noticed that the place was filled with posters. It was for some band called One Direction, and the five people in my group agreed they weren't a good band. I wondered who the mystery person was that put those horrid posters up. She texted me how I was doing and I replied with good. I showed her my switch and she took out her controller. I set it down and we played Uno. I won twice, she won once, and the CPU won zero. After a couple more games of Uno, we left to get lunch. Time seemed to be going by slow, and I don't know why. Maybe this is all my imagination. For all I know, I could be dreaming in bed, waiting to wake up. After I ate a cheeseburger, I went back up to the hangar to test if I was dreaming. With confidence, I started walking across to the railing. Kuro was puzzled because I hadn't texted her yet. I stepped on the ledge, took a deep breath, and jumped. For a split second, I saw her face. She had her mouth gaping open. Then began the fall. If I was dreaming, I'd wake up before I hit the ground. If not, oops. Just then, a giant tube of something went flying by and picked me up. I still felt the impact of that, so I wasn't dreaming. I'm glad I got saved then. It looked like there was a head attached to one end, but I couldn't see the other end. The tube then started going backward as I was holding on for life. When the tube went back to where it came from, I was launched towards the elevator. I hit the ground and scraped something on my leg. I turned over and I saw Kuro glancing at me sideways. I might've been imagining this, but her head seemed further from her body than before. I got up and she pulled out her phone.
I then received the text of "Are you out of your mind?" from Kuro.
I replied with "I thought I was dreaming."
"Just don't tell anyone, ok?" she texted.
That's when I realized that the tube that hit me was Kuro's neck. What is going on? This definitely can't be real, but everything has a real impact. I looked at her and she just simply grinned back. I walked back into the elevator and she zoomed over before I could hit the close door button. I hit the button to go back to my room and I got off the elevator. She followed me because we were on the same floor. I got into my room and closed the door. Jack looked at me and was concerned. I saw him pull out of his phone and start texting.
"Was that you falling?" he asked me in the chat.
"No," I replied.
"Do u know who it was?" he asked again.
"It might've been that screaming guy from earlier," I suggested.
"Remind me not scream, lol," he texted back.
I put my phone down and I sat down on my bed. When the heck did Kuro get the power of stretching, and why does nobody else know? I thought if anyone else in our friend group knows or has their own powers. Now that I'm poking through things to see what else is superstitious, I realized that last time I bumped into Jack he swayed over but didn't fall. With this knowledge, I put one of those prank spring things underneath his pillow while he wasn't looking and I went on my phone. I texted Melony how she was doing. It's only been 2 days, but it's still good to talk with your friends. She asked how we all were and I told her everything except for me jumping off and getting saved by Kuro's long-necked ability. She was startled at the fact that Brennan was missing, but other than that she said ok. I put my phone away and went down to get dinner. I had pizza and a little gummy burger. I went back to my room and went to sleep early. I thought that if I woke up early, I'd have some parts of the monastery to myself. I dreamt about us all having different abilities. I would have invisibility, Jack could fly, Kuro could stretch, Brennan was super fast, Melony could summon ice, and Allister could read minds. All of that thinking made me tired, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
I woke up. I checked my clock and it said 4:15 a.m. Now that it's day 3, I know where everything is. I pushed the spring thing underneath the bed and Jack's head sprang up. But after that, his body lifted up and he flew into the wall. I jumped back into bed and pretended I was asleep. He turned around mid-air and looked at his bed. He flew back and went to sleep again. I didn't know if he actually went to sleep, so I yawned first and then got up. I got out of bed and walked out of the room. I ran around to see if there was anything for employees only. I found a single shack with a rusty sign that said 'Employees Only'. I walked in and it was an elevator. I decide to push the down button and go down. All of the elevators were glass, so after a couple of seconds, the room opened up to a giant space. There were all kinds of people, and a few of them were in chains. I tried to spot Brennan, but I couldn't see him anywhere. After a bit, I gave up and stood in the back of the elevator. I descended further and further until I hit the ground. The doors opened and I walked out. There were security guards in all directions and I walked around, looking at the poor people who had talked. Most of them were shaking and their eyes were trembling. Of course, there was the occasional dead guy who died from starvation. After enough searching, I realized there were letters on the ground, labeling the first letter of the person's name who was locked up. After looking through a bunch of B people, I found Brennan. He was fine from what I could tell. He saw me and he looked at me with hope. After enough thinking and preparation, I figured out what to do. I went back up the elevator and grabbed a rock. I then ran out of the plaza and into the market. It was June, so they were selling firecrackers. Exactly what I needed. I then bought tape and hand sanitizer. I went to the party city next door and bought some fake rusted handcuffs. I then took some gum (don't tell anyone) and put it in my pocket. I ran back and I went to the little shack. As I rode the elevator, I started chewing the gum. I descended once again, and when I hit the floor I walked unsuspiciously to Brennan. I made sure nobody was looking, and I pulled out the rock. I taped the firecracker to it and prepared. I threw the rock as hard as I could with the firecracker attached to it. When it the floor super far away, it popped. The guards ran over and I started undoing Brennan. I poured hand sanitizer onto each handcuff and he started wriggling his hands free from the handcuffs. When all was said and done, I pulled out the handcuffs. But when I looked up, he was already gone. I looked around and saw him in the elevator already. How? The guards were already walking over, and I needed to act fast. I put the handcuffs around myself and stepped into the box area he was in. The guards took no notice. They remained vigilant, and I needed to get out of here today. So far, all of my predictions have been true, so I hoped I wouldn't get this one wrong. I tried to think long and hard about my escape, and I stood up, easily taking off the handcuffs. The guards looked startled and started looking around. I started walking and they didn't see me. I opened the door and that's when everyone started taking aim. They were pointed at the door but never fired. I walked through and they didn't see me. I sat and started ascending to freedom. Assuming Brennan escaped, I was happy. All that was left was to figure out how I escaped without being seen, how Brennan escaped so quickly, how Jack could fly, how Kuro's neck did that, and if Allister and Melony could do cool things too. But with so much still to wonder about, I'm deciding to leave that be. After all, that's a whole nother story.