"Innocence is a kind of insanity."
                                                    -Graham Greene

"See?  It is over there! And it's all kinda glowy!"

Levi is talking in the dark.  It is glowing...no glowy.  But you can correct Levi's diction later.  What's really weird is you know he's right.  It is glowing.  But how do you know that since it's so dark?  Wait.  Was it dark?

Then it's not dark.  That's because your eyes open up.  There's a soft peal of thunder and, from a window to your right, you can see rain falling outside.  Was it raining?  When did that start? And where are you?

You sit up.  It looks like a hospital room.  You aren't hooked up to anything that's making a beeping noise or a whooshing noise.  But there is an IV in your left arm.  Your head hurts too.

Two days ago, Mom had taken you up to Huntsville.  Your Grandma was coming to visit your Aunt Gilda, and Mom had figured she could tick off two relative's visits in one go.  She'd even taken a couple of days off from the store.

Levi had come along as well.  It was Levi.  Of course he came along.

You had gone by bus.  Mom didn't trust the old Toyota to last much longer.  She had a real dread of you guys getting stuck out on Highway 11.  So she'd come up with bus tickets, which probably cost more than any repair might have.  Certainly more than the gas would have.

"Not everything is about money Tyler," she'd said.  Mom always made it sound like money wasn't that big a concern.  But you can count quite well.

The trip was one worth looking forward to actually. Once summer was up, you would start to school at UTS.  Mom had insisted you take the entrance exam.  You not only passed, you got a scholarship.  If you hadn't...well.

Levi had taken the news with a shrug.  "Yeah yeah. You're smart.  You're a fuckin' genius.  Same dipstick, different day.  So when you gonna get rich?"  Levi had waggled his eyebrows and laughed.  But not at you.  He never laughs at you.

Auntie had a place just outside the city and the tourist parks.  She and Uncle Jim ran a business that took care of rental properties, of which there were a ton.  Huntsville backs on to Algonquin National Park.

You and Levi had stayed around to meet and greet everyone and have lunch before you'd jumped the back fence, and ran across the wood line that separated your Aunt's house from the Park.  It was like this every time you came up to visit.

Yesterday, you had suggested the two of you go to that place.

What place?

Your head starts to hurt.  That's all you can remember.

Touching your head confirms a bandage wrapped around it.  Poking it on the left side makes you feel a little nauseous.

The room is getting darker.  The lights are off and the rain outside is blotting out any light at all.  There's a cord by the bed with a button on it.  If you press it, something might happen.  Otherwise you could get out of bed or just lay there.

"Ow," is Tyler's first word as he sits up, touching his head.

After those first few moments of trying to remember how we got here, the situation he finds himself in starts to sink in. All alone, in a strange hospital room, with no idea where anybody is or how he got there. It's like something out of a nightmare, for Tyler.

He starts to scoot himself towards the edge of the bed, intending to get up, but he pauses as he sees that button. Though he'd never spent much time in hospitals, it was easy enough to figure out the purpose. Relieved that there might be someone he can talk to, he reaches for it, fishing up the cord and presses the button.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 3):

After a minute, the door swings open and a round, friendly looking Asian lady in scrubs walks in.

"Well look who's up!" She says in a suprisingly thick Ontario accent. "Lay back down sweetie.  Your Mom went to get some dinner.  We'll let her know you're up.  But you need to stay still for now.  You took a pretty nasty spill on your noggin."

The nurse is followed by another nurse and then a doctor.  The Doc is poking at you when Mom comes scuttling through the door.

"Give us just a minute please," the first nurse tells her.  "Doc is just finishing up the looksie over."

"Done and done actually," The Doc puts away her stethoscope.  "What's the last thing you remember?" she asks you.

After you answer, the Doc goes over to Mom and they talk.  First Nurse comes to you and tucks the blanket up to your chin.  "You hungry?  Thirsty?"

At last they all leave and you're alone with Mom.  She has that look she gets when you've pulled apart her cell phone to see what the insides looked like.  "Tyler. Thompson.  Don't you ever scare me like that again."

She surges towards the bed, taking up your hand and squeezing it as she sits on the side.  "I could just wring your neck. I-"  She clamps her lips together, shuts her eyes, and takes a deep breath.  She always does that before she lowers the boom.

"So you don't remember what happened?  Is that for real? Or you just trying to get outta trouble?"

So you know:  whenever I post in Orange, it's OOC.  You can answer all three sets of questions or none of them.  But you probably want to respond to Mom.  She looks super pissed.

Thanks.  Welcome to it.

Tyler seems relieved when the nurse that comes in is so friendly. He lays back obediently, and says, "I did?"

He doesn't get much chance to say more than that before the other nurse and doctor arrive, and the checkup begins. He looks relieved when his mother arrives, but then he looks back to the doctor and answers, "I remember going over the fence and into the park, with my friend Levi. And I wanted to go… Somewhere, I can't remember. My head starts hurting whenever I think about it."

He smiles to the nurse when she talks a man after that, and says, somewhat emphatically, "Both! Please," he adds quickly.

He'd been starting to get comfortable again, but that quickly fades when he sees his mother's face. "I'm sorry, mom! Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" Then he shakes his head, a bit too emphatically, "Ow. No, I don't remember anything! What happened? And where is Levi, is he okay? I… I think I had a dream about him saying something was glowing…"

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 5):

"Glowing?"

Mom sounds surprised.  Like you just suddenly admitted to liking parsnips.  Which, as everyone knows, smell like crotch.

She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and massages her forehead just above her nose.  This is her alright-Jessica-you-can-do-this pose.  She does it every morning she has an exam at school.

"Oooh-kay.  Let's just leave that be.  Levi's fine. He's recuperating. He's in another room." She makes a vague gesture.  "You don't remember what happened huh?  You're not fibbing right?  No.  You don't like you are.

"You didn't come back in after the storm started so we went looking for you.  There was a lot of unexpected lightning.  We found you by that creek that runs just inside the Park from behind your Aunt's place." Her hand is waved.  "Okay.  Maybe you fell or something.  We think lightning struck not far from where you were.

"Anyway, you're fine.  The doctor said it's not uncommon for someone who's had a head injury to have some temporary memory loss.  You must have slipped on some rocks and taken a tumble.  Knocked your noggin on the way down."  She looks you over.  The storm seems to have passed.  "I guess you didn't do anything wrong.  But be careful damnit!  Got me?"

First Nurse comes back.  A turkey sandwich, some chips, and a box of orange juice.  Normally they'd all taste bland, but you're so hungry it's like your Aunt's cheesy-chicken casserole.  Which is frickin' awesome.

Mom makes sure you eat everything and then she gets up to leave. She gives you a kiss on the  cheek.  "They won't let me stay overnight.  But you gotta.  I'll come back by in the morning to get you.  'kay?"

---

After Mom leaves, First Nurse gives you some more juice and a little bag of vanilla wafers.  Then she turns the lights off.  The rain outside is still falling, but it's gentler now.  You drift off.

"Poke poke."

The dream you were having is leaving you.  Something about Rosario Dawson trying to strangle you in a tub filled with warm cream cheese.  It's one of those dreams they talked about in last year's Human Sexuality class.

"Poke poke."

You feel your left cheek, the one Mom kissed earlier, being pushed back against your teeth.  Without even opening your eyes, you know Levi is standing there, poking your cheek with his finger, and saying that annoying thing.

"Poke poke."

Yeah.  That thing.

When you open your eyes, you can see him.  Kind of. The room is still dark.  He's leaning over the side of your bed.  Like you, he's wearing a hospital gown.  He's also got a bandage around his forehead.  Both his forearms are also wrapped up, with just the finger sticking out of holes at the ends.

"C'mon man," he whispers.  "I'm gonna be in way too much trouble if you're in a frickin' coma.  Poke poke."

Tyler's eyes widen as the story is told. Or, at least, what little she seems to know. In the end, it leaves him just more curious about what happened, though he gives a serious nod to try to reassure his mother, "I will."

---

That was weird, is all he has time to think about the dream before he gets another poke to his face.

"I'm up, I'm up," he says, grumbling, though he can't help but grin at the same time. He rolls onto his side facing Levi, eager to talk to his friend but pulling only his arm from under the blanket. Glancing at the casts, he says, speaking softly but quickly, "You got hurt, too? Are you okay? What happened? Mom said there was a storm or something, and lightning hit right near us? I don't remember anything after going over the fence."

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 7):

"I dunno," Levi shrugs.  "Sounds like I remember a little bit more than you.  We went over the fence.  You said, 'hey let's go to the trout brook'."

There's a creek about a half kilometer out that your Uncle has taken the two of you fishing a couple of times.  There's a rock outcropping that juts out onto it.  It's a quiet place.

Levi frowns.  "I don't remember much after that.  You...said somethin' about something being all glowy.  Some'in like that.  You remember what it was?"

Tyler frowns a bit in confusion at what Levi says. Unable to lie still, he sits up now, as if setting up giving more energy to solve this puzzle. He says, "That's weird, I remember you saying that. I thought it was a dream."

Now he tries to focus on that, concentrating on that fragment of memory to try to remember more.

I don't usually post twice in one day, I sometimes struggle to do twice in one week, but I'm having a good day today. And anyway, I've already dictated enough today that it will probably be a few days before I can again, so thought I might as well get it in. :-)

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 9):

No worries.  I knew going in your posting rate would be on the slower side.  As long as the game is enjoyable for us both, it's all good.

The memory seems fuzzy.  It's like trying to listen in on someone else's conversation occuring on three rows up on a bus full of gossipy girls. You can see Levi pointing at you, saying it, like you were the glowy thing.  But something seems off.

As you sit up, your head swims.  Levi and the room get woozy.  There's the sensation of someone strong grabbing the back of your head.  But maybe that's just the injury throbbing.  Because that's what it feels like.

Outside, a flash of lightning turns everything the color of a nuclear blast.  It's followed by a huge BOOOOOOOM.

Levi whistles, going to the window and peering out it.  "That sounded like it hit nearby.  You gotta metal plate in your head?  If anyone had a metal plate in their head, I bet you would.  Cos you're thick headed." He looks back at you, grinning.  "Get it?"

He stuffs his hands into the pockets of the housecoat he's wearing and trudges back to stand beside you.  He looks you over.  "Don't overdo it now.  You look a little loopy.  You sure you're okay?"

Your memory coughs up another tid bit.  You remember what Levi was telling you.  You had wanted to go to the trout stream.  You were hoping to get a chance to lay on that rock.  It would be warm from the sunshine.  It was like a hot stone massage you had seen on You Tube.

But the storm had rolled in pretty quick...No.  You two had gotten to the rock first.  And there was a guy.  A blue guy?  A guy wearing blue?

Your head hurts again.

Levi shakes your shoulder.  "Quit it.  You look like you're given yourself a stroke.  If you stroke out, your Mom'll say I made you stroke out."

Levi always uses your Mom as an excuse when he's worried about you but doesn't want to admit it.  Your Mom'll freak if she finds out we snuck out to the roof top.  or Your Mom'll say I'm a bad influence if we sneak that beer

But Levi's always been a little worried about what your Mom thinks of him.  If she told him to vamoose, he'd have to go back home.  To his Dad.  And what a prick that guy is.

Levi waves a hand.  "Look.  We both took a knock on the head.  We'll get back to one hundred percent in a couple of days.  Don't push it."  He thinks about it a moment then adds, out of nowhere, "Hey.  Do you really wanna go to that new school?  You're gonna miss 8th grade, ya know?"

It's when Levi shakes his shoulder that Tyler finally gives up, slumping down on the bed to lie on his side again. "Sorry. I won't try that again until my brain's healed, promise! But I remember something. I think someone else was there."

To the other question, he says softly, "I don't know. It's a really cool school, and classes won't be as boring, but everything else… It's scary," he admits, finally. "But it means so much to mom. I can't let her down. Especially now, after this," he adds, indicating his bandages.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 11):

Levi smirks.  But it's not an asshole kinda smirk.  "Yeah.  I hear ya.  Alright.  You're alive.  I did my bit.  Gonna go lay back down before they catch me."

He starts towards the door, stopping just before it.  He looks back at you.  "Hey Ty?  's gonna be okay.  Everything is gonna work out okay."

The two of you go back to your Aunt's the following morning.  The doctor tells you to not do any running around for the next few days.  Mom pretty much sits on top of both of you to make sure you don't.  Your Aunt isn't much better.  Your Uncle just shrugs at you.  You and Levi play a lot of Liverpool Rummy and Risk.

You're back home a few days later.  The doctor had said you should start remembering things.  But you don't. At least not much.  You recall what Levi told you:  you wanted to go to the trout brook.  Why you can't quite recall.  But it's always been a favorite spot.  So maybe that was it.

The only other thing that pops up is a vague memory about cotton.  There was all this cotton like fiber.  It was all around you.  Maybe that was a dream though.  Or a nightmare.  You don't think you were all that happy about the fibers.

Levi spends a lot of nights sleeping at your place.  No surprise there.  His Dad's out of work again.  Which means a lot of drinking.  His Mom's usually too stoned to care.

Your Mom never says much about it.  Sometimes you think she's not Levi's biggest fan.  But she never makes him go home.  And she sets out a plate for him at dinner whenever he's there.  So she can't mind too much.

He sleeps over the night before the first day of school.  "Wow.  Don't you look all purrrrrr-ty."

You check yourself in the mirror again.  UTS has a dress code.  Blue button down shirt. Black khakis.  Tie and blazer.  The school provided the last two items.  Mom dragged you to every second hand store in Toronto to get three each of the first two items.

"You have to keep that coat and tie clean Ty," she told you this morning.  "Dry cleaning is a bitch.  You got me?"

Levi watches you practicing tying your tie.  "No.  I think the rabbit's gotta go around the burrow two times.  Not once.  So what classes are you gonna take anyway?"

You check your schedule...

That's a good question.  What is on your schedule?

You have to take five core classes:  English, History, PE, a math of your choosing, and a science of your choosing.  You also have two electives:  the school urges you to choose a language as one of them.  The other class is completely left up to you to decide.

So...seven classes.  The second elective and PE meet on alternate days.

Let me know what:

Science you choose
Math you choose
Elective 1
Elective 2

Thanks

Tyler laughs at Levi's reaction to his uniform, and says, "Maybe, but I feel like I'm going to… I don't know, funeral, or something. I wish I could just wear my Clone Wars shirt."

Then, after the correction to his method with the tie, he says, after a slightly frustrated sound, "Thanks. I'm glad this wasn't on the entrance exam." Pulling apart the tie, he tries again.

After the question, he looks down at his schedule again, and answers, giving commentary after each class name, "English. I hope they pick a good book. Oh, cool, history, that'll be fun. P.E., ugh. Applied Geometry, probably easy."

He looks back up to Levi, grinning with obvious excitement, "I actually got to pick a science class, too, which is awesome! I picked Introduction to Physics. I googled, that's a grade 11 class in any other school!" He's always been particularly fond of science—if only to satisfy his curiosity on how things work—but elementary and middle school science classes were always too easy for him.

He looks back down and then says, "They hinted I should pick a language, so I picked French. They've been making me take it since fourth grade, I might as well continue. And my last class is Dramatic Arts. Just 'cause it sounds really fun."

For easy reference, here's my list of choices again. :-)

Physics
Geometry
French
Drama

(I really had no idea what to pick for math. UTS is accelerated but even at the higher grades I never took anything but just generic Math classes that covered all the subjects, so I hope Geometry works as a class.)

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 13):

You did tell me that. Sorry.  It's been a week

"You're excited about physics.  That's like happy dancing cos you're getting electroshock therapy."  Levi reaches over and picks up a tennis ball sitting on your desk, launching it up into the air and catching it one handed.

"Don't get too guffy when you get there.  You'll guff it all up. Ya guffer."  He nods at the closed bedroom door.  "Lemme ask.  Did you wanna go to this place?  Or did your Mom make you?  Not that it's bad.  Just curious."

Dinner that night is crispy fish and mac n cheese.  Mom talks about her upcoming class schedule.  She'll have night classes Tuesdays and Thursdays and one afternoon class on Saturday.  Levi has seconds.

Mom catches you in the hallway after you've brushed your teeth.  She puts a hand on your head and smiles.  You're not quite as tall as her yet.  But give it a year.

"I can't believe how big you're getting," she mutters.  Then she ruffles your hair. "You excited about UTS?  It's a good opportunity."

Sorry, what did I tell you before? Did I accidentally repeat something? (If you mean the choices, the 'again' referred to the same post, just listing the classes I talked about in dialogue so you can glance back later without reading through paragraphs.) :-)

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 15):

Sorry.  Things here have been a little chaotic and I lost my place when I posted before.  I thought we had talked about the class list before hand and I was making you reiterate.  I think I got myself confused.  Sorry again.  We are good.  Let's move on to your morning commute.  You can answer Levi if you wish or we'll just assume you did.  Thanks.

The next morning, you get up at 6.  Well.  6:18 AM.  And you don't get up as much as Mom shakes you awake.

You have to start getting up earlier now.  You can't just walk three blocks over to school anymore.  You have to take either the crosstown bus or hit the metro line.  Either way, you need to be out the door no later than 6:45 AM each morning.

This school better be worth it.

You shrug into your coat and chew on the egg sandwhich Mom whipped up.  She looks bleary eyed herself.  She normally would sleep in until 7.

"You're gonna take the rail, right?" she asks with a yawn.

She wants you to take the metro as, in her mind, 'it's safer'.  Mom's never liked the bus for some reason.  But the bus is cheaper.  Takes longer though.

For story purposes, let me know if Tyler usually try to take the bus or the metro rail to school each morning.  Thanks.

Tyler grows more serious at Levi's question, and he sits down beside his friend. "Yeah, I want to go. I think. I just wish you could come with me. But, not going to be living there, so we're still going to see each other every day anyway!" This last is said with some conviction. "And you gotta keep me updated on everything that happens in grade 8!"

This isn't just an attempt to reassure Levi. He is entirely earnest, as he ever is with his best friend.

---

Later, in the hall as he walks back to his bedroom in his Minecraft pyjamas, he answers his mother with a grin, "Yeah, it's gonna be awesome!" He particularly doesn't mention that he's also incredibly nervous.

---

In the end, he has quite a bit of trouble sleeping that night, both with excitement and anxiety competing to keep him awake. So, when he does get dragged awake he is sluggish, and a bit clumsy.

By the time he is getting his coat on, however, his anxiety has his adrenaline pumping again and he's wide awake. "Yep, I will. Promise." He knows it means a lot to his mother, and he doesn't want to be late for school.

He gives his mother a tighter-than-normal hug before going out the door, saying, "See you tonight!" If Levi got up early as well, he gets a grin and fist bump before he goes out the door too.

I think he'll take the Metro every day, barring other circumstances.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:40, Thu 21 May 2020.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 17):

One reason Mom likes the Metro is that there's always a cop around.  At least that's her theory.  A bored looking police officer is walking up and down the platform, nodding at people and generally keeping an eye on things.

You swipe the card at the kiosk and wander onto the platform, checking the schedule.  An old hispanic woman is playing a guitar in one corner, her guitar case open to collect a few coins and bills.  The cop ignores her, obviously deciding to be charitable.  Most everyone else on the platform does as well, though a couple passing by toss in a dollar. She nods at them, continuing what sounds like some Spanish serenade.

You'll need to take the Blue line to Kennedy, then the green line to St George, and then the yellow line for a few stops.  Seeing it on the map, you can kind of understand why Mom made you hustle.  You are going to have to get yourself across the city, to and fro, five days a week.  And the trip isn't just a fifteen minute bop either.  Adding it up, you might be looking at forty minutes one way.  The bus will probably take at least an hour.

First bell rings at 8:15...you should be fine.  As long as the train doesn't stall or break down.  But how often does that really happen?

As if God wants to let you know he's listening, there's a sudden sharp crackling sound.  A spark of electricity leaps off the rails and the air is filled with smell of ozone.  Everyone on the platform leaps back or gasps.  The cop rushes forward, looking around to make sure everyone is okay.

There's murmuring and muttering.  That isn't supposed to happen.

But whatever caused it, it doesn't look like it's going to be a problem.  The blue train rolls into the station a few minutes later.

Your cell buzzes as you get on the train.  Mom.  You make your connection ok? Text me when you get on each line.  And when you get to school

---

You huff and puff, coming to a stop right before the main doors of UTS.

The building is one of the old style European ones around the city.  At night, it'd probably look like a horror movie shoot.  But here in the cold light of day, it looks like some stuffy butler will scamper out to offer you tea and look at you disapprovingly.

You are a little later than you might have liked.  It's a little past 8 now.  You need to get to your homeroom.

Fortunately you memorized a map of the school.  And they showed you where to go at orientation.  Inside this door.  Up the stairs.  Turn left.  Third door on your left.  Room 314.

Almost no one pays you any attention.  Most of the kids are much taller than you. Of course, they are.  They're a year older.  Well.  Some more than one year.  But the kids in your grade.  The ninth graders.

You can tell cos you all wear a green tie.

Room 314 is pretty full.  A lot of the kids inside are talking to each other like they've known one another all their lives.  They probably have.  UTS apparently mostly takes kids from two or three middle schools.  You're the only one from your old school who is going here now.

This must be some kind of science room, because there aren't any desks.  There are tables with two chairs each.  So you'll have to share a table with someone.  THere are only three open seats.

One is next to a blonde girl.  She is staring at her cell phone, moving her mouth although not saying anything out loud.  She has a lot of piercings.  A nose stud.  Three earrings on each ear.  A ring through her right eyebrow.

Another is a guy with dusky colored skin.  He's chewing his cheeks and looking around, but trying to do so on the sly.  It's like he's looking for someone who isn't there yet, but doesn't want them to know he's looking for them.

The last is next to big, muscular looking guy.  His jacket seems a little small for him.  Like he took it off a younger, smaller kid.  His nose is a little twisted, like it's been broken once or twice.  And he's got a tattoo on his knuckle.  Looks like a skull.

You'll have to take a seat with one of them.  Choose your poison.

Covering a lot.  You don't have to react to any of it if you don't wish.  Just need to lay some groundwork.

I do need to know who you want to sit next to.  Decisions decisions

Tyler texts his mom back as he sits down, Just got on, and you should've seen the electric arc that just came off the tracks as the train pulled up! It was awesome!

He obediently texts after each of the stops, as well, though with more normal updates.

The excitement from the platform is starting to wear off by the time he gets to school, however, and the anxiety returns in full force as he looks around at everybody who is so much bigger than him.

The choice of who to sit with, in the end, turns out to be easy. The girl with all the piercings is scary enough, but the big guy with the tattoo is terrifying enough to make him quite literally gulp when he first looks to him. The remaining boy, however, seems normal enough, so he moves to sit down at his table.

"Hi, I'm Tyler," he introduces himself, giving a slightly nervous, shaky smile.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 19):

"Well Tyler.  I don't really give a shit." Normal Guy doesn't even crack a smile.  He stares at you like you just took the last grilled cheese.

"That seat's saved.  So go sit somewhere else."

He doesn't say this loudly, but he's not whispering it either.  The girls sitting at the table in front of this one overheard.  They glance back, first at you and then at him.

"Jeez..." one of them mutters to the other.

The other girl looks at Normal Guy. "You really need to get over it.  Casey won't sit with you."

Normal Guy blinks at her.  "Why don't you shut up Courtney?"  He looks back at you.  "Did you not hear me?"

Stand your ground?  Or take a chance on the cell phone girl or mean guy?

Like many gifted children, Tyler is the type to, as the cliché goes, wear his heart on his sleeve. So, his hurt at the instant rejection is obvious, not quite flinching back, even though he tries to play it off after a few seconds, "It's okay, there's other seats."

Standing back up, he looks between the other available seats, and cheers himself up a little bit on the few steps over to the girl with the phone by imagining a spark like the one at the platform zapping the normal guy and giving him the cartoonish hair-standing-on-end effect.

Getting over to the girl with the phone, he swallows again before asking, a bit more timidly now, "Can I sit here, please?"