1: ARRIVAL AT GREEN TALES

It was early 1:00 a.m. in the morning.

Alex blankly looked out the train window staring at the distant lamp lights passing in a blink. The murky night limited his vision to look farther away. A while later the train stopped at a station. Alex who was completely slumped in his seat adjusted himself as he straightened up stretching himself. The doors opened as a single person with a briefcase walked into Alex’s coach.

He was tall man about 6 feet, having little greying beard and a complete grey hair with a few locks of black hair here and there. He was wearing black casual clothes and a goggle. But the most peculiar thing about him was the Chinese hat he was wearing on his head.

Alex didn’t think much of him as the man took a seat in front of Alex. Apart from a few other people here and there the coach was mostly empty. The man immediately rested his head back and soon drifted to sleep.

Meanwhile Alex grabbed his bag from the luggage rack above. He opened it to remove something to eat while he waited for the next station which was also his stop, Uphill station.

However, suddenly the train came to an abrupt halt throwing the passenger inside off balance. Alex’s bag fell from his hands along with his stuff which dropped out of it while he fell to the left almost hitting his head. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt.

He quickly bent down to gather his things and stuff them in his bag. As he got up, he noticed something strange about the man. Even after the sudden halt he didn’t budge from his place. He was still like that, resting his back sitting on his original position. What made Alex feel even weirder was that the man was still asleep.

‘What the…’ Alex couldn’t help but contemplate this situation when suddenly the voice came over the speaker in the coach informing the passengers that they had some obstacle on the track which was now being cleared and assured them that the journey would resume shortly.

Alex didn’t think much of it as he packed his bag and put it back on the luggage rack. However, what he didn’t notice was that the man’s briefcase had opened up after which something having black legs like structure crawled out if it and the second his attention was attracted by the announcement, the thing had slipped inside his bag.

Not long after the train started back again and pretty soon Alex reached his station where he got off completely oblivious about the thing in his bag.

…

UPHILL CITY

It was early 3 a.m. in the morning. The only thing Alex wanted was to lay down somewhere but the place ahead of him stopped him from giving in just yet.

Apparently, he had taken the wrong route to his new boarding school from the station. He had been walking for the past half an hour since he arrived in the interiors of the city. There weren't any cabs available at this hour.

There weren't many locals he can see about aside from some whom he deemed to better be away from as they were clearly drunk. But he was lucky to come across some villagers who directed him to the school.

A few minutes later he reached the gates of the school. Alex started observing the school blindly lost in thought about the events which lead him here.

"What are you doing there!?"

As if snapping out of a long sleep he covered his eyes from the flash of the guard’s torchlight. Alex responded "I am a new admission here; my train was delayed and I was a little lost."

The guard moved a little forward and found a young boy rubbing his eyes. The guard then asked for his name to be checked in his register whether there was a new admission coming in today. After confirming Alex's registration as 'Alex Morgan' and appointing someone else to his post he led him inside.

Alex followed the guard through the school gates observing the guards(watchmen) cabin to the left side of the old creaking giant gate. Lamps were lit at almost every turn. As soon as he walked a few steps he sighted a three-way junction.

The guard lead him toward the left path. It was plain and clean with bushes, benches and a waste bin to either side. Ahead lay the boy's dormitory.

As soon as the guard left the appointed room, Alex just fell on a random bed and was drifting to sleep not wanting to even change his clothes or take a shower. The room could be more precisely called a hall which had many beds lined in arrangement for the students. He didn't care as even the other students hadn't arrived and he was alone in the big room or more likely a small hall which had beds arranged in lines for the students to sleep.

It was common for students to come to boarding school just a day before. He had travelled a whole day and had arrived two days before the commencement of school. Being exhausted he soon fell asleep.

The next morning Alex woke up to noises coming out of the room. He went out in a tired manner to check out the commotion and saw students coming in their respective rooms.

Since school starts from tomorrow so this was going to take place all day long. After finding out that he wasn't able to sleep some more even if he tried, he freshened up in the boy's common bathroom and arranged all his belongings in the locker allotted to him outside the room. The lockers were arranged on walls to either side of the corridor. Just as he finished the guard called him.

"Ready to go meet the principal?" the guard asked. Alex paused a little and remembered that the guard had told him to be ready at 10 in the morning.

"Just a sec." Alex replied before combing his hair properly with his wet hands, he didn't want to give the impression of a delinquent of which his hair was contributing to. After that Alex followed the guard out.

On his way out he noticed the name tag 'Gary' attached to the guard's shirt. Gary was about 5’8 with black hair and had a somewhat rough face. He looked in his 40s. Out of the dormitory they took a left from the roundabout and walked straight for the school's main building. The main building was accessible from four ways around the area.

The principal's office was on the first floor. Upon climbing the stairs over its creaking sound and taking in the surrounding it was obvious to Alex that this school was many years old.

A few minutes later they reached the principal's office. The door had a gold plate with the name 'Michael S. S. Rebello' engraved on it. Gary knocked on the door and then came a reply to enter in a stern voice. Alex followed Gary inside the office.

Michael was sitting in his chair writing something. He looked in his 50's with neatly, combed back greying hair to his sides. His face starting to give into age with slight wrinkles. As Gary was telling Michael about Alex, he was taking in the view of the normal sized office.

There was a bookshelf placed to the right and a door on the left opening to the staff room. A computer was sitting on the left side of the room. Overall, it was plain and simple. After reporting his part Gary left leaving Alex alone with the stern looking principal.

"So how do you like our school Mr. Morgan?" asked Michael. "So far so good but I haven't really checked out the whole campus" Alex replied honestly.

"You should make yourself familiar with the school so as not to get lost on your way to classes, anyway I hope you study diligently and develop yourself here at our Green Tales high school, cause after all your father is a lucky person to get you an admission in here.

The last sentence brought upon a little prick in Alex's heart. After all his father had gone to great lengths to get an admission here. Alex was a smart child right from his childhood and in order to get him good education his father had somehow got him an admission in one of the top 5 boarding schools in the State with the best teachings.

After a little chat Michael sent off Alex to prepare for classes next day, after all he would have to take the books and required materials from the library attendant.

Followingly getting the required things he wanted, Alex went to his dormitory to keep his books and other things. By the time he returned back he saw many students had gathered settling in.

When he entered his room, he saw a boy arranging a bed. Alex kept his stuff on the study table. Hearing the noise, the boy turned around and saw Alex. He then extended his hand in a goofy manner and said "Greeeyy! Grey Stormer and you?" with a grin.

Grey was a little skinny and the same height as about Alex standing at 5 feet. He had a playful appearance like a child with slight black disheveled hair.  Alex understood at that moment that he had gotten a very carefree of a person for his roommate.

Alex then normally extended his hands for a handshake replying "Aallexxx...!!" suddenly with a shriek and pulled his hand back hurriedly.

Grey started laughing hard showing his hand to Alex. Alex saw some pointy like things between Grey's fingers and understood the origin of his pain.

"Nice way to greet someone" Alex said rubbing his hands. "Sorry bud, but I liked the look on your face" Grey said laughingly." As his laughter died down, he asked Alex his name. "Alex Morgan” Alex replied in a mild irritated manner.

Grey, "So, I take it you are a new student here?". Alex, "Yeah"

"So, I guess we are stuck with each other for a long time now." Grey said with a sheepish smile. What do you mean?" Alex asked in a confusing manner. " Oh yeah you wouldn't know, the school don't change the roommates here. You, me and these 20 other people are here till the end baby!” grey said looking around.

'Looks like I am stuck with a kid for my whole life of the boarding school.' Alex thought to himself sighing inwardly.

By the time they finished it was almost 12:30 p.m. Suddenly Grey asked if Alex was hungry which he was indeed since he hadn't even had breakfast. Since he was planning on going to find the cafeteria anyway, he thought he might as well go along with him.

The cafeteria was located at the ground floor. Students could be seen having a meal or just chattering about. Grey and Alex both took their food and sat at the corner of the room. "So whuut kand of admisuon is your’s?" Grey asked while stuffing his mouth with food.

Alex, "What do you mean by what kind of admission?" "I meant how did you got in, was it merit or merit plus scholarship or the rich kid way- donation?" Grey asked more clearly stressing on the last part.

"It was merit plus scholarship" Alex replied. "Oh, I see, so you are a Smarty pants" Grey said with a weird smile. Alex didn't like one bit of Grey's look.

Time flew by as they both chatted away eating their food. Alex started to get to know Grey a bit more clearly. As per Alex though he was a combo of a wicked satin and alien in his view.

Regardless he felt he had a good warmth about him. Grey showed the whole school to Alex as he gave him a trip around the campus. Alex was actually greatly surprised to see just how large an area the entire campus covered. Time went by and it was almost 7 o'clock.

The whole school was now filled with students everywhere. But most of them had gone to their dormitories catching up with their separated friends over the summer. It was a happy reunion for the people living in this kind of world.

Alex and Grey were just wandering about aimlessly talking to each other, well it was mostly Grey doing all the talking and cracking silly jokes. Strolling around they reached the auditorium and Grey abruptly stopped talking. Alex noticed the change and glanced at him.

He was just staring at the auditorium. The auditorium was closely joint to the football field and they were very close to the auditorium with no one else around.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked shaking Grey. Grey snapped out of his daze and said "yeah of course, I was just checking whether you were even listening to me or not" as he hurriedly put an arm around Alex's shoulder and lead him in the opposite direction.

Since Grey didn't want to say what it was Alex didn't push the matter further but he could clearly make out that there was a brief look of fear on his face at that time for a brief moment.

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