Faculty Kids.

The story you are about to hear is not--repeat, NOT--a tale of science fiction. I use to believe in fiction...but i don't anymore. Not after what happened a month ago. My name is Christopher Hayden, age-12, but everyone calls me Chris. Let's get the obvious out of the way first. You aren't going to believe me--not at first--and that's understandable. I wouldn't have believed me either if i hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I wish i could tell you this is just a sci-fi gig, but this isn't a story for sci-fi fans. It isn't a story that pulls you in and let's you sleep at night because you can tell yourself it's just a story. No. This story is true and the truth is bigger than most people know or care to admit. We've been taught by fiction to be dismissive of un-natural things that go on in the world. Again, i know you don't believe what i am saying is true and that you think this is all made up in my head and fictitious, but guess what? Labeling something as fiction doesn't mean it is. That's the thing about fiction doesn't mean it is. That's the thing about fiction that so many people get wrong these days. Just because something is fictional doesn't mean it can't happen in real life. I learned that the hard way. There's no such thing as fiction. Just the truth. And what you do with the truth once you know it deep down in your bones, well...that's completely up to you.

I suppose the best place to start is the beginning. How long ago was that? It feels like years. In reality though, it's only been a month. It's insane how so much can change in so little time. Back then...back before everything turned on it's head and life as we knew it ended...back before the concept of living a single moment without fear became an impossibility. Back then, we were just normal kids living with normal kid concerns, like how we were doing in school or if we looked cool.

Normal.

Interesting how fragile that concept can be.

But i'm getting off track here. I wanted to tell you about what happened to me and my friends in Herrington, Ohio. It was 1998...and i was at the arcade, hanging out with my friends.


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