Blank Slate | ONC2023

Chapter Eleven: Take A Break and Be A Geek

Fingered shadows sway on the wall, frail copies of the branches outside my window casting them. Faintly, the shh, shh of leaves rustling together leak through the reinforced glass, underlining the silence surrounding me. Leaving my small bag of newly-bought clothes on my bed, I let myself drift towards the window and peer into the large, ancient oak outside.

Grass stretches out around underneath it, speckled with carefully tended flowerbeds and a winding, gravel path which only ends at the forest's foot in the distance. Trees. Grass. Greenery. Everywhere!

I have never been out of the city like this, where nature reigns, and it is unnerving. There is no hum of hovercars swishing past, the gurgle of water rushing down pipes, or footsteps ghosting above you. No, there is only silence. Deep, utter silence that rings in my ears, murmuring with the static in my head.

Running my hands through my hair, I sigh and face the rest of my room. It is large—or at least, larger than my apartment's bedroom—and fully decked out with furniture and even a walk-in closet. And this safe house isn't even a mansion.

Shaking my head, I grab my bag and sift through its contents. It's mostly long-sleeve shirts, hoodies, and baggy pants, like my previous wardrobe, but it holds some brighter colors that I didn't have before, like a shirt that's a rather pleasant shade of forest-green, a light blue hoodie, and a nice deer-hide tan pair of pants. Not bad, I guess.

Scooping up all the clothes and nudging open the walk-in closet's door, I begin to hang them up and sort everything that doesn't hang into neat piles. I don't need to organize this but it's something to do. Something to occupy me and keep me away from the heroes downstairs.

A knock sounds at the door. Well... Keep me away from the heroes unless they decide to come to me. "Yeah?"

David opens the door and peers around, short electric blue hair clashing horribly with the neutral gray paint on the walls. His eyes land on me and quirks one eyebrow. "How's it going?"

I shrug. "Fine, I guess." I am just sorting clothes. That can't really go wrong. Unless they come alive and start attacking you, a part of me mutters and I have to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Like that'll ever happen.

"Hmm." David studies me for a beat and opens the door wider, stepping inside. "Well, take a break and be a geek for a while."

My movements slow and I narrow my eyes at him. "A what?"

He chuckles and folds his arms. "A geek. Someone who knows and likes something a lot, you know."

"I know that." Hanging up one last shirt, I face him, eyeing the mischievous glint in his eyes. What is he up to? "But why would I be a geek?"

A grin splits his face, the glint in his eyes growing brighter. "Because you are a geek."

"I am?" Since when? First keeping plants as a hobby and now being a geek? What kind of villain am I?

David laughs and slaps my shoulder playfully. "Oh yeah. You were probably the closest geek to being as geeky as me. Have you ever wondered why we were good coffee friends? That's why. We could talk on and on about games, movies, books—you name it. I almost missed heroing once because of it."

I stare at him, mouth slightly open. Who would have guessed that? Me? A geek? I—I almost don't believe him. But he said he would tell me things that he remembered about my old self. Just...he's a geek too? I glance over him and his vibrant, stand-out-of-the-crowd style. "You're— a geek too?"

"Yep. Where do you think this style came from?" He waves a hand at himself. "Favorite character designs mashed together into one awesome costume! Now come and be a geek with me. I've brought some of our favorite games along to show you."