Adrenaline Rush: Vol. 1

And So It Begins (Part 1)

 "Come on, Matthew," a boy with brown hair and tattered clothes said to himself as he ran through the streets. "Just a few more blocks."

He ran past the crowds of people, bobbing and weaving through. He took a sharp left turn and slid through a small window into a large, empty factory. He slammed the window behind him, creating a cloud of dust that engulfed him. He coughed and fanned away the dust, taking a step back. The smell of oil and gasoline hit him like a truck as he looked around his home. There was a large machine, he assumed it was for making paint, judging by the paint coating the conveyor belt, on one side of the room. On the other was a stack of boxes up against the window he had entered through. He walked toward the left wall and looked into a tall mirror.

"Just a little more money and you'll be able to afford new shoes," he said to his reflection. "And then we start all over again."

He dumped a small pouch of necklaces and rings behind the mirror. As he stood, voices began to speak in his head.

"Matthew," it said. "You seem to be struggling."

"Who are you?" Matthew said, panicking.

"Don't worry about that for now, I would like to propose a deal."

"What is it?"

Matthew was skeptical, but it might be worth it if it meant getting off the streets.

"Sneak into the home of the Andromeda mansion," the voice said. "Grab what you will; your reward will come shortly after."

"Fine, but security there is tight as Hell."

"That will be taken care of. The Andromeda family is going to a party tonight. The window to Stella Andromeda's bedroom is unguarded. You can enter through there."

"Okay, I'll be there."

Matthew stood in the garden of the Andromeda family's mansion, staring up at the window to Stella's bedroom.

"Well," he said to himself. "It's now or never."

He approached the house and noticed vines along the side. He climbed up them and jumped to the window. His left hand slipped, but he pulled himself through the window.

"Whoa," he said in awe. "This is one Hell of a bedroom."

The room was full of posters for various bands, games, movies, and just about every form of media you could think of. The smell of, what is that smell? Pizza? Why was it getting closer?

Suddenly, the door swung open. A teenage girl stood there, her foot outstretched after kicking the door open. Her hair was blonde, with silver eyes to go with it. She was wearing pale blue pajamas.

"Uh," Matthew started. "I was never here."

He dashed for the window, but the girl grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him backward. He fell to the floor, hitting his head on a desk. A small trophy landed in his hands that read "1st Place, Adrenaline Rush 100 Meter".

"What are you doing here?" the girl demanded. "Stealing business secrets, sabotaging my family from the inside to make my parent's relationship crumble thereby destroying the business?"

"Uh, no," Matthew said. "I was just gonna steal shit and sell it on the streets. By the way, how much is this trophy worth?"

The girl stepped back and sighed, flopping backward onto her bed.

"Two-hundred thousand dollars. Go ahead and sell it. I don't need it."

Matthew looked at her, confused. He started to say something, but a woman appeared in the doorway. She shrieked and Matthew dived out the window. He landed headfirst on the ground, knocking himself unconscious.

Matthew looked around the bright white room he was in. There was a heart monitor and a few other pieces of medical equipment around him. He was lying in a hospital bed with the girl passed out in a chair by the door.

"Well, well, well," the voice from before said. "Look who finally woke up."

"What?" Matthew muttered in confusion. "Oh, it's you."

"Don't be like that, Matt! Your reward is coming very, very soon."

Unexpectedly, the girl jolted awake and the voice stopped talking. The girl's eyes locked on Matthew and relief washed over her as she rushed to his side.

"Hey," she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Matthew said, sitting up. "Why do you care, anyway? I broke into your house."

"I'm sure you had a reason."

Matthew sat in silence, thinking about it. What was his reason? Because some voice in his head told him to? That's nowhere near enough to justify it.

"Anyway," the girl said. "You can sell that trophy if you want to. I don't need it."

"Oh," Matthew said as the girl handed the trophy to him. "Thanks."

As the girl walked out, Matthew realized something.

"Hey," he called out to her. "I never got your name."

The girl turned back and smiled.

"Stella Andromeda. My friends call me Star. What's your name?"

"Matthew. Matthew Adren."

"Well, Matthew, it was nice to meet you, even if you did break into my house and jump out my window."

With that, she left the room and, as he thought at the time, Matthew's life.