Chapter 1: The Beginnings

A lone boy ran along the side of a climbing street, he wore a red t-shirt and dark shorts that extended slightly below his knees. He seemed fairly well-built, tall and had on a stern face with black hair and grey eyes around which the sweat came down in several drops. He seemed to be around fourteen years and recently moved to this area. It was situated on an artificial island built by Dr. Genevieve Hailing as a counter-measure to Earth's increasing population on natural land. He kept pumping his muscles to the beat of the music as he climbed the hill and half up he heard severe panting from behind him and turned around only to see a wiry shorter fourteen-year-old try to get up to him. Out of kindness and yearning for some company Ned stopped. The wiry shorter boy was Connor, Ned's first friend on this island and they lived next door to each other, Ned with his older sister and Connor with his uncle. Both boys shared a common trait in that their parents were no longer with them. In Ned's case, they were on mainland, his dad managing his business and his mom keeping him company.

"Why the hell would someone put a hill on an artificial island, as if there weren't enough of those on the mainland," huffed out Connor catching up and bending over to catch his breath.

"They wanted to make this island as realistic as the real deal, I think," answered Ned as he lifted his shirt to look at his jogging tracker.

"Why'd you come out?" he asked as he pulled his shirt back down.

"When I looked out the window you looked real lonely so I decided to come out to keep you company," said Connor still huffing.

Ned sighed as he looked at the still-to-be run up hill and he grinned, "Why'd you really come Connor, we both know you'd much rather prefer it in the sheets."

"We do?" asked Connor. "Yeah we do, but my uncle doesn't, why'd you have to pick this specific time to run anyway mate."

"I usually run at this hour, is there a problem."

"Nothing other than the fact that he kicked me out to do my running, according to him I'm lazing off," said Connor only to receive a condescending smile from Ned which made him continue. "I'm not by the way, I eat, I sleep, I watch TV sometimes and I sit most of the time, these are all things I have to do and that makes me a very busy boy, but d'you wanna continue or d'you wanna just go somewhere, sit and maybe talk cause if you're running then I have to follow and you don't want me panting after you, it gets real ugly after ten minutes of this and I didn't even bring a sick bag."

Feeling pity for Connor and himself because he had Connor follow him once and he did exactly what he threatened to do since the near start of the run which was vomit horrendously, Ned said "Fine, yeah let's sit but not here, your uncle walks past here on his way to work, it's not like I'm losing much anyway it's just one day."

"That's my boy, I knew you weren't a fitness freak contrary to common rumors."

"Wait there're rumors about me being a fitness freak?"

"Yeah, I made them up by the way, you can thank me later for giving you such a high opinion at school."

"You're an ass but let's go I'll make up today's worth tomorrow, just have to run extra."

Ned walked up the hill followed by a Connor dragging his legs and panting heavily still not calming down.

"You know if I have to run with you tomorrow then you can find me in the mortuary the day after so please no matter what, run this route, take a different one, hell buy a treadmill, everyone these days owns one right."

"I'd love to but you just can't get the feeling of cold fresh air in your house, all enclosed."

"Blast the damn air con or something, its air and its cold, I can't exactly guarantee the freshness."

Ned reached the precipice of the hill and waited for Connor with his extremely slow pace to catch up.

"Thanks man…" said Connor catching his breath and he looked so eternally grateful as he once again bent over to catch his breath but Ned grinned and then turned and bolted down hill leaving Connor to whisper in pants. "You ass…"

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Ned bolted at full speed downhill not even bothering to control himself or brake for that matter and Connor up on the hill got farther and farther away. It was a feeling of absolute exhilaration for the moment as the air blasted at its face cooling him down and letting him relax, he had not thought about the problem of how to brake but that was something that was the farthest on his mind. His heaven was shattered when he heard a loud honk, every out of control downhill runner's worst nightmare, a car. It was coming up hill at a speed at which it should not be climbing, or rather it might've been Ned reaching it quicker due to his excited pace. Anyhow he tried to brake but for some reason his muscles did not respond and he couldn't stop, the momentum was far too much. The car honked again but for reasons unknown it showed no signs of stopping and Ned turned from an exhilarated bright face to a very pale and frightened one and he could just picture the headlines, maybe more like an imaginary headline 'Boy under a Car', a stupid headline for a stupid case. What was the car not doing, stopping, it very clearly was about to run into him? With a finality in his tone he shouted out, to the car driver's obliviousness.

"STOP!" shouted Ned but it went upon deaf ears.

It was at this moment his will to survive kicked in and he dived to the side as the car came up and headed a wall and with a crunching sound it impacted painfully and dull pain ran through his head right down to his heels and he fell to the side of the road as the car whizzed up past him. After the car went past him he with shaking resolve got up and looked at himself and then at the car and then he looked at himself again and then Connor caught up with him.

"Dude, that would've totally been more awesome if you didn't hit your head and fall," said Connor smiling, he was panting a lot less now and he seemed really happy. "Karma's a bitch isn't it."

"No, it isn't, that driver's crazy that's all and what the hell was he even looking at," said an angry Ned as he felt around his head and found something sticky.

"He was very clearly looking at you, maybe he hoped to run over you, save you the trouble of dying y'know," said Connor smiling more widely until he lost a slight of it when he looked at Ned. "Jesus Christ, you're bleeding…"

"Yeah, figured that out myself," said Ned feeling around again and finding the same sticky patch and wincing as he rubbed his hand across it.

"Y'know I was really happy about that but this kind of, slightly puts a damper on things," said Connor as he got closer to see the injury.

"Well if I had a died, damper wouldn't be the only thing that would be put on," said Ned gulping as he realized how close he was to being buried six-foot underground.

"Gee, yeah, d'you think the best man suit I used at my brother's wedding would work for the funeral?" asked Connor as he looked genuinely interested.

"No, it would not work and I haven't died yet Connor and I don't think I'll be dying before you," said Ned as he winced again after rubbing his wound slightly.

"Yeah you're right," said Connor and Ned looked surprised. "I don't think that suit would fit me anymore, so it wouldn't work."

Scowling at this Ned looked around, "I think we should go somewhere to get this treated, the hospital maybe, but they're going to call my sister and she 'd kill me, we could go to my house though but she'd kill me again, what about yours Connor?"

"Well, that is a workable idea," nodded Connor. "Yeah, first I'd get killed and then after my uncle calls your sister, you'd be dead as well."

"What do you wanna do, I mean it's bleeding, seriously."

"We could go to Tom's…" said Connor thinking. "Yeah, it'd work, I mean he'd treat you all, these days all human beings I'd think possesses a first aid kit and if you feel faint or something we'd have him take you to the hospital and we could ask him not to mention this but if you wanna hide this the bandage on your head is a dead giveaway, y'know that right."

"Yeah but by the time she finds out, it'd be around evening and I can make up a lie, maybe something that happened at school and anyhow, it sounds a lot better than running at a car then diving out the way and hitting your head."

"Well yeah, I s'pose, then let's go," said Connor. "It's a just a couple of rounds from here right."

Ned remembered the antiquary Tom ran, a decorated shop just a few streets across from the housing district, it was a place where anyone could sell anything useless, Tom accepted it all meaning he was either a nutjob or planning something brilliant, the boys liked to think he was a bit of both and he was an ancient history fanatic as well. The boy's first met him a couple of years ago when he was trying to trap a cockroach out on the streets to the side of his house with a cardboard box, they helped of course and Ned ended up crushing it under his feet which he felt left Tom quite a bit upset and Connor later brilliantly speculated that the cockroach might actually have been Tom's pet, which was still a feasible idea. Anyhow the boys became friends with him after they found out he was quite a strange man.

"By the way d'you know who that was that just tried to run you over?" asked Connor frowning as they stopped at an intersection to let several vehicles pass.

"No, I don't," said Ned and as an afterthought he added. "Do you?"

"Think so, I mean that car and that number plate, it should be Hailing, you know, that guy from Ebony Street," said Connor looking back Ned visibly paling. "It's no wonder he didn't stop y'know, if you hadn't died, we'd be scraping you up off the pavement in bits of red."

"Is he even old enough to drive, I thought he was around us and where'd he get that car from?"

"He's Jason Hailing, does it really matter?" asked Connor with a smirk and Ned shook his head appropriately.

Ned's world spun slightly as he was about to cross the road something which Connor picked up.

"Is it the wound?" he asked and Ned stabilized himself by holding onto a nearby light post.

"I feel really sick for some reason, is that normal?" asked Ned as he felt himself about to hurl on more than one occasion.

"If that's the case then it shouldn't be the injury, it should be just shock," said Connor and he moved to support Ned.

"Thanks," said Ned sighing as he felt himself to about hurl again.

"It's no problem but please don't vomit cause if you do then I'll do it as well, I'm a sympathetic vomiter and it's not going to be good," said Connor just as Ned again battled to keep his food in.

"We probably should go to a hospital, get this professionally checked out, I mean you were almost run over," said Connor again as he looked Ned visibly worsening.

"No…don't…she'll kill me," muttered Ned as Connor dragged him along.

"I understand this but Ned, if you faint or something then she's bound to find out and we'll both be in trouble but fine, guess I'll get you to Tom's hopefully he'll be able to help and don't faint 'cause I can't carry you, you're way too heavy man," said Connor, reddening slightly as he strained with the effort of lifting one half of Ned's weight as he dragged his leg along. "It's all that muscle you've put on, you gotta be like me cause I'm easily carriable see."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Connor…"

"What?" asked Connor not looking back as he led himself along the footpath.

"Can you shut up for a moment, you're making me more nauseated."

"Yeah I prolly should, sorry…"

Connor turned a street and ended up at the edge of the housing district where the housing district met with the market district and it was where Grey Tom's Antiquary was located, a most weird shop with bricks that took the shape of and color of polished wood. It had fancy grey and gold letters and was written in bold letters. It had two large windows to either side and a fancy looking but most likely cheap ornate double door with windows on them as well at the front. The windows were covered with blinds to be pulled up when the shop opened. On the door's interior hung a close/open sign inside the blinds.

"Hey they might be asleep inside don't you think?" asked Connor dropping Ned unawares as he went to knock and Ned fell to the ground with a thud and groaned.

Connor turned with an apologetic look, "I'm so sorry, I was just a little flustered, you are really heavy y'know."

"Stop being an ass and help me," voiced out Ned in between groans.

"I will but I'm bound to drop you again so just lie down there and let me knock, I'll help you up after…" said Connor as he turned to knock again but then he turned back. "In case you need to vomit, there's drain a few feet behind you, it'll work–"

"Just knock will you!" muttered Ned in a slightly loud voice which had him bend over.

"Yeah got it…"

Connor knocked on the door twice and waited. Ned too apprehensively stared at the door. Connor knocked again.

"Tom, it's me Connor and there's Ned here as well, could you open the door," shouted Connor in a voice loud enough to be heard by those inside but not loud enough to become a nuisance.

Just then they heard shuffling inside the Antiquary and the door to it opened. From in it a musty smell came and hit Connor.

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"Yes, what is it?" asked the man and he looked really funny in his long gown and pyjama pants along with blindfold. His hair was messy and bits of it were grey.

This was Tom and his face showed every sign of ageing with wrinkles and grey hair and he stood there not even taking the blindfold.

"Tom, it's us, Connor and Ned, can we just come in for a sec, 'cause we need help," said Connor and he could see Tom very clearly frowning.

"Boys…" he started. "This is ridiculous, what are you doing up so late and what time is it, like midnight?"

"Yeah Tom, it's midnight…" said Connor and he pulled the blind off making him squint. "The moon just came down to Earth, that's why it's so bright see."

"Oh… oh god– ." Tom looked shocked as his squint unraveled. "What time is it…?"

"It's not time to open shop yet," said Connor handing the blindfold back to Tom. "But we need help."

"Help?" Tom looked sharply at Connor who himself seemed a little pale. "Where's Ned, you told me he was with you."

"He is…" said Connor. "Just uh, step out for a sec yeah, he's um lying down."

"Lying down…?" Tom stepped out of his shop with curiosity and was shocked to see Ned sprawled on the ground at the sidewalk next to the drain with a clammy look and a cut forehead.

"Oh my god, what happened." Tom rushed forward to help Ned of the floor. "We need to get him to a hospi–"

Connor abruptly interrupted Tom cut in and said, "We were hoping you could patch him up see."

It was just luck that Tom in his state of lightened surprise didn't drop Ned again, "Me patch him up, you boys are crazy, I'm not a doctor while it is true that I studied to become one, I completely failed there… we need a proper doctor, or hospital."

"Wait, you wanted to become a doctor," Connor was surprised as well. "I need to hear more about this–."

Just then cutting across Connor, Ned groaned out loud and like drum slamming into the silence they all preparedly jolted back to reality.

"Tom… it's just a minor cut, it's more from the shock, just patch up the cut will you, and I'm kind of thirsty," said Ned shakenly.

"If it's a minor cut, why're you so shaken?" asked Tom rhetorically.

"It could be brain damage, y'know I've heard of people getting brain damage from thing like this," said Connor either pretending or thinking deeply and it made Tom pale visibly.

Ned sighed and groaned. "Connor, you're not helping here and if it was that easy to suffer damage to the brain then I would've lost a few points of my IQ by now just from hanging around with you."

"That was good, that was decent I mean, it wasn't good but it was decent for a comeback," said Connor nodding his head and Tom shook his head in frustration and dragged Ned inside.

Connor followed inside, into the darkened store room. Here the lightheaded Ned was greeted with a strong musty smell, somewhat combined with cats. The smell indeed seemed slightly overpowering and the antiques inside were all over the place, there was a counter to right strewn with little items obscuring the register books and the PC. They went to the corner of the store room and there was door, unseen perhaps at first sight but it was there nevertheless obscured by a several chairs sitting on top of a table upside down. On the way there Ned knocked into a chair which slid slight across the table.

"Careful, it's my livelihood, don't mess with it," said Tom cautioning Ned and pulling him away.

They went into this room only to be greeted by a row of books and a long table. Ned was lain there on the table.

"This is just first aid, if I had first choice in this you'd be in a hospital by now and I'm still telling you we could go to the hospital, just to be safe but if we're going to do this just relax and don't puke," said Tom and he went to the side and moments later came back with glass of what appeared to be cold water.

"Drink this and calm down a bit, it's not just pure shock but your head was hit hard and you're a bit shaken up." Tom turned around and went to the cabinet under the row of books and opened it up and out of it he got out a bandage and tape and along with it iodine and alcohol swabs.

"Wow, you actually seem to know what you're doing, I'm wondering why you didn't actually finish your medical course?" Connor asked with care as he watched Tom gather a whole lot of equipment.

"Because, you need to know more than just patching up cuts to pass a full medical course," Tom replied without haste as he placed all he had gathered next to the laid Ned.

He then went over to fill a metal basin up with lukewarm water and placed that next to Ned as well and then he proceeded to clean the wound gently with the lukewarm water after which proceeded to dry it all the while Ned winced nonstop.

"This might hurt a little bit more than that last one," said Tom as he took an alcohol swab out.

"Oh ouch, yeah I've been on the receiving end of one of those before, they sting absolutely, wow just watching that is kind of hurting me." Connor got closer to look at the wound and he saw a gash and he thought he might've seen a bit of white. "Ok, is that bone cause if that is then I need a sink, no wait even if that isn't I might vomit here."

"Not right here you won't, there's the sink, it's all yours to use." Tom progressively worked cleaning it with a swab and then spreading iodine on it after which he layered a bandage folded on top of it which was then sealed set with tape.

"Oh, that hurts a little less now and I can see the world without swimming vision," said Ned getting up.

"You are fine right, no other injuries, you're not feeling any dulling pain in your head, maybe something else because if you are then we are going to the hospital right now," said Tom all the while packing away his stuff.

"Yeah, thanks Tom, you're a real lifesaver," said Ned standing as he felt the bandage over his wound.

"He is too, we probably should get home, don't wanna get lectured at before school and you buddy, how are you going to sneak in without your sister noticing and then get out without being seen by her as well?" asked Connor looking at Ned's bandage and Ned seemed to turn a shade of blue when he thought about what his sister would say.

"I should probably avoid getting yelled at, Connor help…please" said Ned imploringly, looking at him with huge eyes.

"Well yeah, I would but I don't wanna get caught in the crossfire between you and your sister," said Connor as he played with the knob of the tab at the sink.

"There won't be any crossfire, you're helping right?" said Ned as he looked further imploringly at Connor.

"That's true as well, but, yeah fine, there's nothing much to lose I guess but if you get caught you're on your own, I don't want to get lectured twice before going to school and don't think for a second I'd stick up for you 'cause I'll run," said Connor moving away from the sink with a thoughtful look clouding his face meanwhile Tom had decided to just ignore the two and leave the room.

"Yeah, that's fine too, so let's go," said Ned.

Connor too was about to follow him but stopped and held back Ned as well, "You'll have to climb over the fence at the side and then jump onto the window latch so if you fall you're on your own there as well 'cause I'll be feeling absolutely no sympathy."

"That's cruel…but…fine as well I guess," said Ned and Connor nodded and he moved forward.

"Let's go the, come on," said Connor and overtook Ned.

They made their way out of the room and into the store room where behind the counter reclined Tom.

"Finally done with your plans are you?" asked Tom as he relaxed back.

"Yeah, it's done, thanks again Tom," said Ned and Connor nodded his thanks as well.

"Sure, just drop by anytime but not when you're injured, seriously this is a onetime thing," said Tom to which Ned nodded.

They both got out Grey Tom's Antiquary to make their way back to Ned's house, just before the center of the housing district.

"Good to see you don't have brain damage Ned," said Connor. "Though I was wondering what more damage could be done to that brain of yours, seriously taking off at full throttle downhill."

"It's something I wanted to do, I survived didn't I?" asked Ned. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, let's think here Ned, the fact that you were nearly dead, does that matter, or maybe the fact that you hit your head so hard that you were swooning, or maybe the fact that you felt very nauseous for a couple of minutes, you need to think before you do these things, honestly I feel like I'm compensating for both our brains."

"Oh see, that's why my head feels lighter, you have my brain with you," said Ned jokingly and Connor scowled.

"See that's not funny, it might be funny when I say it but you're not the funny type and you need to get slightly better come backs, come on man, there were at least three different things you could've said there that would've been more of a comeback than what you said just now," said Connor shaking his head.

"Jeez, I'm sorry man, didn't know you felt it that much," said Ned.

"Well from the look of things currently Ned, you felt it much more than I did, so I'm pretty fine with the end results," said Connor laughing and Ned scowled this time as they walked back to their houses.