"Can we speed this up already?"
"Don't worry sir, the transformation is almost finished!"
"And how much longer will that take?"
"Well, the screams have quieted down, so I believe we're getting close."
The enigmatic figure grinned.
"Excellent."
"Once the transformations are done, release the prisoners immediately. We can't afford to go through all this effort for nothing, can we?"
The scientist nodded respectfully to the tall figure.
"Yes, sir."
He glanced through the reinforced window at the teenagers, who faced the grim fate of either death or becoming something horrific.
"Melli!"
"What's the status of the transformation?"
"It's currently 70% complete!"
The scientist paused for a moment before replying.
"Great. Inform me when it's finished. I need to check on something."
"Understood, Mr. Consley."
....
One week earlier…
"Time to wake up!"
As the sun began to peek over the horizon, a voice rang out just before a door slammed shut.
Nestled under a pile of blankets was a boy, comfortably sprawled on his bed. He had just celebrated his seventeenth birthday, teetering on the edge of adulthood.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, feeling the remnants of sleep clinging to him. He stretched his arms and legs, trying to shake off the fatigue enveloping him. With a lazy effort, he reached for the edge of his bed, careful not to bump his head on the top bunk.
After a bit of struggle, he finally swung his legs over the side and stood up. Another yawn escaped him as he opened the door and stepped out.
He made his way down the narrow hallway and into the kitchen, where he settled into one of the six chairs arranged neatly around the table.
"Good morning, Ryden!" His mother greeted him with a warm smile.
"Ughh… Good morning, Mom," Ryden replied, his voice muffled.
"I hope you had a good night's sleep because the holidays are officially over."
Ryden let out a frustrated groan.
Oh right, I have to go to school today. Ugh, this is going to be such a hassle. Why did I stay up until 3 a.m.? he thought to himself.
Oh, come on, Ryden. Don't be like that. I'm sure school will be enjoyable.
"I hope so."
Just then, Ryden's dad entered the kitchen and greeted them both.
"Good morning, you two! I trust you both managed to sleep well despite the howling wind?" Ryden's dad asked.
"Not really, to be honest," Ryden replied.
His dad nodded in sympathy.
"Well, I had the dog and the cat playing together until 3 a.m.," he said. "By the way, has Harry woken up yet?"
"I don't think so. Let me check!"
With that, Ryden made his way past the kitchen and down the hall, opening the door to their shared room. He glanced up to find Harry still sound asleep on the top bunk. Ryden shook the bed, causing it to screech loudly.
Harry groaned and turned away, tossing off his blanket. He swung his feet over the edge and jumped down.
Without a word, Harry brushed past Ryden, giving him a glare.
Ryden ignored him and followed Harry out of the room.
The two quickly got dressed and headed out to catch the bus to school.
.....
Ryden and Harry climbed out of the blue car and waved goodbye to their dad. They crossed the street, looking both ways to ensure it was safe.
Once on the bus, they showed the driver their passes and settled into seats near the back.
Neither Ryden nor Harry felt like chatting, not even with each other. However, they weren't lonely; both had solid reputations at school.
Ryden was known for his forgiving nature, kindness (perhaps a bit too much), and laid-back attitude. He typically ignored the troublemakers and drama queens, focusing instead on his friends, family, and acquaintances.
Physically, Ryden was on the weaker side and wasn't one to instigate fights often.
Regarding Harry, he was known for his unwavering honesty, regardless of how harsh his views might be. He never hesitated to express his thoughts, even if it meant causing emotional pain to others. Lying was something he despised, no matter the potential fallout. However, he often found himself concealing various aspects of his life, keeping secrets close to his chest.
.....
As Ryden and Harry fought off sleep on the bus, they finally arrived at their high school. The bus came to a stop in front of the school, and the doors swung open, allowing the students to disembark.
A wave of over a hundred students surged out of the bus. Ryden and Harry navigated through the throng, careful to avoid collisions. Soon after, they went their separate ways, with Harry heading up the steps toward the library while Ryden veered off to meet his friends.
As Ryden made his way through the crowd, he spotted a large group of peers, all around 16 to 17 years old. Turning left, he caught sight of two familiar faces. The first was Dante, a male friend of his. Ryden had a diverse circle of friends ranging from ages 15 to 18, and as long as someone was funny or kind, he had no trouble connecting with them.
The second was Emily, a sweet and attractive girl with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She had light freckles sprinkled across her face, bright blue eyes, and a petite frame that made her the smallest among her friends, most of whom were relatively strong. Emily was undoubtedly the weakest in the group, and her knees sometimes popped due to her frailty.
Ryden waved and smiled at the two as he settled next to Dante, a routine he followed almost every day. Sharnai, on the other hand, chose to sit on the concrete floor right in front of Dante, leaning against the yellow railway.
"So, how was your holiday, everyone?" Landon inquired. "For me, it felt like a drag—time moved so slowly, and there was nothing to do."
"Eh, it was okay," Dante replied.
"I had a blast! My family and I went to Disneyland," Sharnai chimed in.
Ryden beamed at her enthusiasm.
"Awesome! I hope the rides didn't empty your parents' wallets too much," Ryder joked.
"I'd be lying if I said we managed our money well. Let's just say there wasn't much left for food after the trip," Sharnai admitted.
The trio burst into laughter, their giggles only interrupted when Dante noticed another one of Ryder's friends, Leo, approaching them.
"Leo! How was your eight-hour shift at that fast-food joint?" Dante called out.
As Leo drew nearer, he began sharing his experiences from his first day on the job. Meanwhile, Ryden drifted into his own thoughts, contemplating his life's path.
'What is my purpose? When will this world stop guiding me and allow me to embark on a meaningful adventure like those in fairytales? Am I destined for a mundane existence forever? Why can't this world provide me with an answer or at least a sign?' Ryden pondered.
"Hey Ryden! Are you daydreaming again?" Leo teased.
"Actually, I was just admiring the birds as they flew and chirped joyfully," Ryden fibbed.
His friends exchanged puzzled glances.
"So instead of joining our conversation, you chose to watch birds?"
"Ugh, yeah. They're just so cute, you know?"
The trio looked at Ryden in bewilderment, glancing at one another before shrugging and attempting to steer the conversation back on track.
"Alright, whatever. I've seen you do strange things like this before, so it's not a big deal," Dante remarked.
With that settled, Ryden felt a wave of relief wash over him.
After a bit, the bell rang, playing its usual tune. Unfortunately, it was yet another awful pop song that grated on Ryden's ears.
"Wow, I really hope whoever picked this song was just joking. If not…" Emily commented.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time and head to roll core!" Dante exclaimed.
As the four friends exchanged their farewells, Ryden made his way to the roll core, which was actually the Ag room. Arch opened the door, only to find a lamb attempting to escape. Ryden quickly crouched down, securing his grip on the lamb to prevent its getaway.
"Ugh, thanks, Ryden! Who knows how far this little rascal could have gotten," the roll core teacher remarked.
Once inside the room, Ryden noticed several other students his age. He sighed, bracing himself for the absurd conversations that were bound to unfold.
No sooner had he taken a seat than a brown-skinned girl piped up with something utterly ridiculous.
"Hey everyone, did you hear about the drama? Beck called Hanana a bitch, and now Hanana is dating Beck's boyfriend out of revenge!"
Before she could continue, a tall boy with blond hair interrupted, "Guys, there's a fight happening outside right now! Let's ditch this place and see who wins!"
With that, the entire roll core class surged out (except for Ryden and Miss Conlindal) to witness the showdown between two foolish boys.
Ryden shook his head in disappointment, realizing that these idiots might one day hold jobs if they could even manage to get hired.
Deciding to leave the room as well, Ryden opted to watch from the staircase instead of joining the crowd, curious to see just how ridiculous they could be. To his left stood a young man who was about as fit as Ryden, while to his right was a muscular guy with black hair, blue eyes, and brown skin.
Just as the fight was about to begin, one of the kids removed his shirt and began waving it enthusiastically in the air, cheering for the action. Luckily, the school intercom interrupted, instructing everyone to disperse and reminding Jackson to put his shirt back on. Almost immediately after, the announcement directed all students to gather in the hall for a meeting.
"A meeting in the hall? It's strange to have one this early!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Ryden spotted Leo, Dante, Sharnai, along with Harry, Lachlan, and Layton, making their way past the boys' restroom toward the hall. Ryden quickened his pace to join them.
"Do any of you know why we're heading to the hall?" Dante asked.
"Not a clue, man. I'm guessing it's about the fight or some other nonsense, like them telling us we're bad students and need to clean up the school or something," Layton replied. As they approached the hall, Ryden noticed a police truck parked nearby.
"Oh no, please tell me this meeting is just a drug PSA," Ryden exclaimed.
His friends turned to see the police vehicle and felt a chill run down their spines, along with a few other students nearby.
"Ugh, let's just get this over with!" Layton groaned. With that, the group entered the hall, uncertain of what awaited them.