1 Chapter 1

[June 7th, 2020]

I look upon the large cheering crowd at my high school graduation as I grab my diploma. It's been 4 long years but I'm finally graduating from T.L. Hanna High School. I've studied hard, and while I may have gotten past high school, the problem lies beyond. I still have to go to college because I currently want to be an officer for the ACPD, just like my father was, but most police departments require a college degree now. I'll struggle to find a college that'll accept me, especially now in 2020 with the pandemic, but that's not going to stop me. I'm going to find a college. I firmly clasp my principal's hand to shake it, sealing my deal to be released into this world.

Or at least I hope I can find a college.

[December 15, 2020]

I don't understand... I worked so hard. All throughout high school I got all A's. How did this happen? I look at the letter from the last college I applied to in my hand with immeasurable sadness.

"Dear Jackson Hues,

The Administration Committee has carefully considered your application and we regret to inform you that we will not be able to offer you admission in the entering class of 2024..."

Why is this happening..?

[January 3rd, 2021]

I sit at the round dinner table with my girlfriend and her family as we have a wonderful meal. Me and her have been dating since the end of Middle School. I look at her light brown eyes and she looks at me. She flashes a sort of smile but it almost looked... sad? I'm sure that it's nothing, she probably has something else on her mind, right? I'll ask her about it after dinner. I look at my food and get a sudden, sickening, churning in my stomach. I lose my appetite so I just sit there and converse with her parents. We talk about the ordinary things like politics and my mother and father. They just ask how they are and I tell them about what's happening at the house. After a bit they seem to notice that somethings up with their daughter. Her father speaks up "Hey, Jess, are you ok?" She just looks at him and then to me. "Jack, can we talk for a few minutes outside?"

[January 15th, 2021]

"So, Jack." I look at the sharply dressed man in front of me. "Yes, sir." He looks at the clipboard in his hands, and then to me. "What made you interested in our company?" I ponder for a moment. I'm really not all that interested, I'm just in a terrible spot. My college rejected me, my girlfriend dumped me, I got kicked out of the house because of an argument I had with my parents. I'm just desperate, but I can't tell him that. I look at the man and answer. "I'm in a rock and a hard place and I've always had an interest in what you do here. So I figured that I could get some extra money to help pay off rent and maybe find a place that I belong." He looks at me with piercing eyes as he sets down his clip board. "It says in here-" he stops mid sentence to motion towards the clipboard "That you didn't do any extracurricular activities or take any specific classes that relate to what you'd be doing in this position." I hit a roadblock there, and soon the interview was over. "I'm sorry Jack, but it seems that you don't quite fit our company's needs" I look on absently as I walk home. I was completely zoned out. Without noticing I had crossed in front of a car and suddenly.... black. Black consumed my vision, then I fade in and out of consciousness. I slightly open my eyes to hear sirens in the background of the dark, starry, night. I open my eyes again and I see flashing lights near me. I heard people talking but I can't hear them. My hearing is muffled and my ears are ringing. "...-et.. ...-recher..!" I can barely make out anything. I fade out of consciousness and next I see bright lights. "1.... 3..... clear!"