Alterra: The Second Earth

Chapter One

January 20, 2032 (Present)

When she stared into the streets from her bedroom window, recollecting memories from her past, a tear slipped from her eye. Faith missed the way things were because the ways things are now is depressing. The streets of her neighborhood were filled with trash, broken and abandoned vehicles, empty houses that are filled with the homeless, and no life what so ever. Lawns are unkept with dead plants and weeds crowding the untouched gardens. People are rarely out unless it is to drive from one place to another. It's too dangerous to be out because the people in the United States are no longer protected, they no longer have rights. It's people with money that run the streets and keep them in line, somewhat. It's no longer the world people remembered, they are no longer free.

Faith jumped about a foot off the ground when she heard her alarm go off. That wretched thing and the wretched noise it makes, think of a tire squealing over and over again. There you go. She slammed her hand on the snooze with all her might hoping to get rid of the device once and for all. The reason why she was up was due to a nightmare that made her sore afraid of going back to bed. Faith has always told herself she would rather die than to relive that moment again. Now it was time to stop wandering in her mind and to get ready for her job, the part of her day where she actually does something. If Faith had a choice though, she wouldn't go. It was always eerie as she made her spine-chilling bike journey to her job and back. If she didn't go, then how would she eat and stay under a roof with all the necessities of life?

She began her everyday routine that hasn't changed for a year now, like a robot with no purpose. Brush teeth, wash face, put up hair, pick out a pair of jeans, put on the same green polo, pick out a pair of sneakers, and put on her name tag. Same thing day in day out. The worse part is the bike ride there, always looking back and wondering if today is the day she gets robbed or worse, dies. With every little noise in a town that felt empty, she pushed on the pedals just a bit more swift than before. She stayed alert by looking at every nook and cranny around town. Faith was only a minute away from the shop before she was safe and sound. She had always been safe, yet she had been paranoid every trip there and back. It was the hundreds of stories she heard about in this very town that kept her on her toes, that made it to where she could never feel safe.

August 3, 2030 (Past)

Faith sat in her blue bean bag chair bouncing up and down to the fast beat music of her favorite songs to pass time away. The chorus of the song was approaching and Faith was ready to belt it out. Her shining moment, however, was interrupted by her twin sister who shouted, "Faith! Come here. Have you seen this photo?"

"Ashley, why now? I'm listening to music." Faith whined, dragging out the last word in exasperation.

Ashley only laughed at that thinking about how easily Faith got annoyed. "Come. Here." She said once again.

Faith couldn't help herself and ran over to Ashley's bed, giving her a little swat on the arm. "What is it?" She pouted.

Ashley turned her phone to her and Faith promptly took it out of her hands for a better look. It was a photo of their favorite boy group. Ashley then swiped her phone back out of thin air, "Don't take it from me." She frowned a bit.

"Hmmp. I didn't even get a good look!" Faith made large motions with her hands to show her frustration and puzzlement.

"Ah, but they look so good! They stole the night away at the red carpet." Ashley sighed with a bit of a smile and then a shake of the head. "Now get off my bed." She started to push Faith with her feet, moving her closer and closer to the edge.

"Hey, wait!" Faith frantically shouted, holding onto the bed to keep her on. "You wanted me to come here!" She held on even tighter, screaming as she felt the edge of the bed on her back and Ashley's feet on her stomach.