Backyard Hero

Chapter 1: The Girl in the White Dress

The sun had long since set by the time Max rode his ten-speed bike down the narrow ramp leading out of the Class-Tech parking garage. Flickering yellow lights lined the street outside the office building, but it was the giant blue sign spelling "CT" at the top of the tower that lit up the sky like a second moon.

Blue light fell over everything, even washing out the pale flicker of the streetlamps. A few cars exited the parking garage - fellow late workers - and drove past Max as they hurried back to their lives.

They'll be back here tomorrow, thought max. Just like me.

They'd sleep and work only to repeat it again, they had nothing to break up the monotony of their boring lives. Only the company mattered, only Class-Tech. But not for Max, at least not since last week when a package had arrived on his doorstep in a white, carboard box. There had been no return address, just a small drawing of a door in the upper left-hand corner, a symbol often found in the letters Max's grandfather sent from his 'expeditions.'

When he opened the box ... well Max couldn't wait to get home and try it again. He began to peddle his bike down the long narrow road, appropriately named Class-Tech Avenue. Max smiled as he charged past the green and white street sign, peddling just a bit faster than an average office worker should have been capable of.

Max slowed down as he started to catch up to one of the cars that had passed him earlier. He had to be careful. It wasn't exactly illegal to have an unregistered class, but it would raise a lot of questions Max wasn't comfortable answering.

A quick flash of light was followed by the crackle of thunder. The sky seemed to open as rain fell in thick sheets. Max could barely see through the torrent. He began looking around for shelter before spotting an old bus stop with a closed roof.

"Just my luck," Max sighed.

He pulled off his soaked work shirt, revealing the equally wet t-shirt beneath. He rolled up the blue button-up and shoved it into his backpack before sitting down on the wooden bench. He'd just have to wait out the storm. How long could it last?

Max reached into his bag and took out a set of earphones before plugging them into his phone. He laid back on the bench, scrolling through songs before finally selecting one that was loud and energetic enough to keep him awake. Max waited, but the rain grew only heavier and the crash of thunder grew more frequent. Looking up at the clock on his phone Max sighed, 10:47.

No, there was no way he was spending the whole night here. He was finishing that level even if he had to stay up all night. He'd pulled all-nighters before, in fact, a stat point spent in Might had made them a tiny bit easier. A few energy drinks and he'd be good to go.

Max grabbed his bike and pushed it out of the enclosed bus stop. The rain was heavy and cold and he was occasionally forced to stop so he could wade through knee-high puddles. He was shivering and soggy by the time he made it to the bridge leading out of the city. Fifteen minutes, even in this weather, and he should be home.

Plenty of time to get in one more go ...

A bright white flash nearly blinded Max, and he shielded his eyes with an outstretched arm. What kind of storm is this? Max thought.

He looked over to the bridge where the glow was continuing to grow brighter ... until it suddenly stopped. A shockwave pushed Max backward, nearly causing him to fall. His bike was ripped from his hands and sent tumbling behind him.

"What the ..." Max said. He watched his bike land in a deep puddle before he turned his eyes back to the bridge.

Steam was pouring upwards as rain fell onto the cracked pavement. At the center of the branching network of fissures was a deep crater, glowing red around the edges. Long tendrils of white cloth spread out from the depression in a perfect circle. Max heard something begin to move in the rubble, and the white cloth spun and pulled inward.