I cannot believe they did that. So immature.
The night is a clear one. At least there is that. The full moon and stars, glow dampened by the city's light pollution, seem particularly bright. Millions upon millions of eyes in the sky to act as witnesses to my classmates' shameful prank.
How is this beautiful night not enough to distract me?
It was all planned so well. Dozens upon dozens of students, meeting at the school at midnight. No faculty or staff to be found. What remained was a large group of incoming seniors. What they brought was an even larger supply of toilet paper. So many attention-hungry kids in their daddy's fancy car. Phones, forming a sixth finger on each right hand. Taking pictures and videos of the others laughing, dancing, and throwing toilet paper.
Don't they know some poor janitor will have to clean up their mess for them?
Not a care in the world for the repercussions of their actions. Not a care in the world for the people they hurt. No one except for me. I attended, as was expected. It would be social suicide not to at least humor these cretins. Not that I hold their opinions in high regard, but life is much easier when people have a vague fondness for you. But my hands did not touch a single roll of that damned paper. I watched the others, hoping someone might share my convictions. I was disappointed, but not surprised, to be let down.
TikTok has ruined this generation.
Their brains are like mush. 5-second attention spans bred from constant hits of dopamine. Idiots, all of them. I doubt any of them could even get through the intro to Stairway to Heaven. For a generation defined by making videos about dancing to songs, it's ironic how little any of them know about real music. How the hell can you listen to Doja Cat without bursting your eardrums? And don't get me started on the current state of hip-hop. It's not even about talent anymore, just the public persona you create. I'm half convinced that nobody actually likes modern hip-hop. They only pretend to be so that they fit in. But that would be giving my classmates far too much credit for their taste.
Why am I even here?
I need to calm down. Deep breaths.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Alright. I feel better now. I don't know why I was getting so worked up about this anyway. They're just children. Unlike me. Who is…who is what, exactly? A child? I don't feel like that's quite accurate. If I was a child, then I would have far fewer qualms with acting how my peers do. I feel much more mature than them. But I am, unequivocally, a high school student. I am also, by letter of the law, still considered a minor. It is like my mind is in a prison to the outside world, tortured with disrespect and idiocy.
"Why, hello there, Duncan."
A voice shocks me out of my thoughts. I whirl around, trying to discern the location of the speaker. I hadn't seen anyone else walking on the street with me. As if answering my question, a man steps away from a tree trunk. He must have been standing in its shadow, unlit by the sparse streetlights. The man makes his way to a more well-lit area of the street. He spreads his hands to the side, palms facing me. He looks fairly average for a man in his thirties. He is of average height, with brown hair cut high and tight and a friendly looking face. But the man doesn't look familiar to me. Based on his behavior thus far, he doesn't seem like a common thief or criminal. But you can never be sure with people who roam the streets at night.
Wait, how does he know my name?
I feel a shiver run down my spine. I don't know who this is, but he knows who I am. Furthermore, he was expecting me to walk this way. Why else would he be standing in an empty street at night? I force my mouth to form the words it is scared to say.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?"
Upon hearing this, the man breaks into a smile. It is a full smile. One that reaches the eyes and deepens crows' feet. He begins:
"I suppose I should have led off with that. My apologies, Duncan. My given name is John Draper, although most people call me Jack. As for how I know your name, it gets a little bit complicated. Do you have a moment to talk? I would feel horrible if I got in the way of any plans you have tonight."
That takes me off guard. I hadn't expected to see anyone on my walk home, but someone with the desire to talk with me is doubly surprising. My plan for the night had been to go home and relax in my room, so I do have time to talk. But it is generally a good rule of thumb not to cozy up to strangers. This lesson is especially pertinent in a situation like this. However, leaving right now would leave so many questions unanswered. I can't do that. Maybe this is a bad idea, but I need to satiate my curiosity. I need to know what this man wants.
"Fine. I'll listen to what you have to say."
At least, until I get bored of this, I add in my head. The man seems satisfied by this response though. He flashes a wide smile at me. The corners of my mouth upturn slightly as well. I suppose seeing him elated at such a small action of mine brings me joy as well. Or I want to laugh at his over-the-top grin. Either way, this whole situation is strange enough that I don't know how else to react.
"Perfect. Now, let's get some things out of the way. Your name is Duncan Thompson. You are currently a rising senior at West High School. Your grades are excellent and you are the president of the school's Chess Club. To those on the outside, you seem like a well-adjusted young man. There's just one problem: you have issues relating to your fellow classmates. In fact, you consider yourself to be separate from them. More mature. Do I have that correct so far?"
I nod slowly, still confused.
"You see, Duncan, I have been paying attention to you for some time now. You are the exact type of person my company seeks out. One who isn't suited to the life they are leading."
My confusion reaches an apex. My questions are being answered, but the answers only serve to bring more questions.
"You see, Duncan, I am an employee at FastLIFE. We are an organization which specializes in helping people just like you."
Finally! Something tangible that I can use. FastLIFE. Now I just need to figure out what exactly FastLIFE is.
"How do you do that?", I reply.
Jack's smile broadens. It looks so dominant on his face that one could believe it has taken over control of his mouth. Yet Jack finds a way to continue speaking.
"We grant wishes. Wishes for individuals all across the country. Although, when I say wishes, I really only mean one wish: to become a full-fledged adult and member of society. I know how long you have spent dreaming of the future. A future when you don't have to put up with your immature classmates and mindless homework. A future where you can spend your time as you want, choosing your own path in life. A future where you are judged on your merits and not discarded because of your youth. We can give this to you. All it takes is to reach out your hand and grab it."
He pulls out a small box from his satchel. As he slides it open, I see its contents. Pills. He reaches in, plucks one from the pile, and holds it up to me.
"This pill makes it all possible. In taking it, you will officially be enrolled in the program. It will make you appear older. It will deepen your voice. It is your ticket to a new stage of your life. Your FastLIFE awaits you. Only one question remains. Will you take this path?"
I try to think about all this information Jack has given me. The pill. The wish. The new life. The pill. The company. The stuff he knows about me. The pill. My thoughts keep getting drawn back to the pill. It is a small, white, capsule-shaped object. It looks so insignificant. It's crazy to think that something so tiny could change my life forever.
I want to change my life.
I see it in my mind's eye. Presenting in a boardroom with the CEO nodding approvingly. Climbing up the corporate ladder. Getting a corner office room. Meeting an attractive, modest, and intelligent businesswoman. Going on expensive dinner dates. Jamming to Queen and The Beatles. Proposing under the light of a full moon.
It's funny. The night started with the senior prank. TPing the school under the full moon. And that is only the peak of what has happened in the past three years. My frustrations with high school life have been growing ever closer to boiling over. I don't know if I could handle another year of this. And some higher power, be it God or some other being, saw my struggles and decided to save me. Maybe today is the turning point in my life. Maybe today is one of many possible turning points in my life. But some people only get one chance.
This is my chance.
I reach out my hand and grab the pill. There is an awkward moment of waiting until Jack remembers the water bottle he has stashed in his bag. He removes the cap and hands it to me. Water bottle in left hand and pill in right, I raise both in a victory pose.
"Tonight, the world lies witness to a landmark moment. I, Duncan Thompson, will begin the journey of a lifetime. Life itself. No more waiting around. My future will become my present. My FastLIFE begins…NOW!"
I triumphantly slam the pill into my mouth and wash it down with water.
I close my eyes for a long time, waiting to feel the changes running down my body like electrical currents. But nothing happens. I feel exactly like I did before I took the pill. I open my eyes up again, then shoot a quizzical look over at Jack. He has already pushed up his sleeve, revealing an expensive-looking watch I hadn't noticed before. He begins:
"Not too long now. Just need to wait until it enters the bloodstream."
Ah. I should have expected that. This pill may have an extraordinary ability, but it is still only a pill. It looks like I was a little premature in my speech. No matter. Five more minutes is nothing compared to–
A wave of vertigo hits me like a truck, pushing me down to one knee. I grit my teeth, trying to hold onto both my composure and my dinner.
"What the hell is this? You didn't say anything about side effects!" I somehow manage to push out.
"You are correct about that, Duncan. However, this is actually a direct result of the pill's main effect. Aging the body prematurely is not an entirely, ah, pleasant experience. But don't lose heart. It will be over very soon", Jack replies.
I can't bring myself to turn and look at Jack as he speaks, but I hear the bastard's smile in every word. He is enjoying this. I hate that so much. Hopefully, I won't have to deal with him much after the pill finishes its work. Otherwise, I might get arrested for knocking out his front teeth the next time he keeps his lips open for too long.
Jack starts talking about something else, but I don't really care what it is. I don't even bother deciphering his words, just let their rise and fall roll over me. What a fortunate turn of events. I wonder if that's the pill kicking in. Maybe one of the side effects is the ability to block out the childish prattle of people around you. That would have been nice to have in high school. Although all I really want is silence. I want to relax. To drift deeper into the darkness. To allow the currents to take me away. To skip forward to my new life.
I fall asleep
POV: Jack Draper
Duncan's eyes begin to glaze over. That is my cue. He should no longer be able to process what I'm saying. I can finally tell him the truth.
"You see, Duncan, there are far too many people like you in the world. People who don't appreciate the gift of life. Who are unhappy with their current situation. Who wish that they could be somebody else. Who just need one thing to go their way.
If only I could find a girlfriend.
If only I could replace my bucket of bolts with a nice new sedan.
If only I could get into a good college.
If only I could fast forward through high school.
But it never ends up like that.
Sometimes, nothing goes their way. The hopes start to fade. Maybe they were too ambitious. Maybe they were not ambitious enough. Either way, it brings them back to the same decision. Succumb to their melancholy or begin the cycle anew.
Other times, they achieve that "one thing". And it usually does make them happy. But, over time, that begins to fade. The happiness they achieved is no longer good enough. So, they begin the cycle again. They search for a new "one thing".
I pity them.
Living a life dependent on external factors. Playing victim to the whims of the universe. Spending most of their time wallowing in their despair.
But I don't hate them.
Everyone deserves to find happiness. I believe this to my core. Jesus delivered the world from their sins. Kings and beggars, priests and prostitutes, and farmers and lepers alike. I am not Jesus. But I have been given a great gift by a higher power. I find delight in making others happy. So, like Jesus, I must use this gift that I have been given.
I hope that you, who did not appreciate life, find joy in your death.
Goodbye, Duncan"