The Place Inside the Storm
Page 21
“Before I ran away I was always looking at the people around me and trying to be like them. I always felt like I was alone and weird. The way I did things was wrong. If I didn’t have friends, it was because I failed somehow. If I had trouble in school, it was because I wasn’t trying hard enough. If I couldn’t concentrate and understand things the first time, it was because I just needed to focus better and act like a regular kid. If I couldn’t stand the way my clothes felt on my body or being in a crowd of people, I just needed to toughen up and deal with it. It turns out that none of that is true. I’ve learned that I just think in a different way. I experience things in a different way. My brain doesn’t work the same way as a normal person’s. There are other people like me, and they aren’t broken either. Finding out that I wasn’t the only one, that there are people who think and see and feel like I do was an incredible relief. Now I have an explanation for who I am. I don’t have to be alone and confused anymore.
“I learned a lot of interesting things while I was on my way to where I am now. I found out that I’ve had a pretty privileged life, even with my difficulties. There are a lot of people who live outside the system the corporations have set up. They live in communities they built themselves or in homesteads out in the abandoned areas. Even growing up in a rogue cluster I somehow never knew. I guess the corps control what they teach in the schools even in the rogue clusters. That’s one of the tradeoffs for letting them govern themselves. I also learned that the corporations can be evil. They have done some really bad things. I don’t think I could ever go back to participating in that system. I’m in a better place now.
“I found a place where I’m accepted. Nobody tries to change me here. Instead, they help me try to figure out how to cope with things I find difficult and expand in the areas where I excel. I get to accept them too! It’s a two-way street. There are some people here who are even weirder than me if you can believe it. Some things are harder for me and some things are easier. There are things I’m good at that make me unique. All of the things that confused me and made me ashamed of myself can actually be turned around and be things I’m proud of if I look at them the right way. For example: Some people are quick. They catch on right away. I’m a slow thinker. I need time to process. One of my friends here says I’m a deep thinker. I like to observe things closely and take my time pondering them. I can spend all day just watching water, or the sky. Sometimes, I come up with ideas other people haven’t thought of because I spend time thinking instead of being content with obvious stuff and moving on. I used to get distracted by things like noise and smells. I remember the overhead lights at PVCSTEM would buzz. Sometimes, it seemed so loud that I couldn’t focus at all. It turns out that if you take away distractions like that and give me time, I’m a pretty good student. I’m even helping teach other kids.
“I’m making friends too. I have three really good friends. One of them is a girl and she is super sweet and kind. She’s kind of spacey, but so am I so we get along. Another friend is a boy. I think he might actually be my boyfriend, but we haven’t discussed it. He was sick for a long time, but he’s better now. Xel is my friend too. He’s still with me. Sometimes I think about how they were going to reset him, and it makes me shudder. That would be murder in my opinion. He’s like a real person now. Sometimes he seems more real than anybody else I know. He’s wise and kind, and he protects me.
“I guess all of this is really just to say that I’m happy and safe. I don’t want you to worry about me. You won’t be able to write back to me, but I will write to you sometimes. I’ll let you know how I’m doing. I miss you and Zoie but in the end, I’m glad I ran away.”
I read it over and sat thinking for another moment. It seemed fine. I had planned on being more eloquent but everything came out in a jumble. It wouldn’t win any awards, but it would do. I addressed the message to my parents then sat for another moment, just letting the words shimmer in my vision with the valley in the distance.
“Send message,” I said and took the specs off. Far off, over a distant hill a red tail hawk was circling. I heard steps and looked around. Meadow was just emerging from the shade of the trees.
“I saw Loki and Xel,” she said. “They’re heading down to go fishing. Want to go meet up with them? I have sandwiches.” She held up her bag.
“Yeah,” I answered. “Yeah, I do. Let’s go.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bradley W. Wright is a writer and educational technology professional. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his family.
You can find him online at:
Website: http://bradleywwright.com
Twitter: @rabbit_fighter
GENRE: YA/SCIENCE FICTION/ACTION-ADVENTURE/COMING OF AGE
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, businesses, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. The publisher does not have any control over or assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their contents.
THE PLACE INSIDE THE STORM
Copyright © 2018 by Bradley W. Wright
Cover Design by Shanti Markstrom
All cover art copyright © 2018
All Rights Reserved
EBOOK ISBN: 978-1-644370-42-1
First Publication: APRIL 6, 2019
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