I never thought that it would be like this. That my world would be destroyed, that I would lose everything that I had. This very morning I was in bed, in peace. I knew my schedule and what time I would meet Ashley by the lockers at 9:30 and I would walk her down the hall to class. But no, I didn't see her, I didn't feel her soft hair or the peck of her lips on my cheek. I wouldn't remember the voice of my own mother or the laugh of my old father, the giggles of my brother and the gentle hugs of my baby sister. I would never grasp those moments again. I live in this town that had so much life and now it is dead. I don't know where I am or what I am doing, all I know is to run. I guess you can call me a lost boy.

*That Morning*

I woke up and heard the sound of yelling. I look up and see my sister hovering over me with tears in her eyes and my brother hiding next to me.

"Mommy told me to come up here with you and brother." Little Cassie says.

I listen closely to the comments from downstairs and hear my mother bickering with a man. It sounded nothing like my father, more like the mayor.

"Mrs. Noel, I need you to evacuate now, this town is not safe." I hear a deep voice say.

"I will not be leaving this has been my home for the past 43 years and I will stay."

"Mrs. Noel I am aware that you are our newscaster but your children are in trouble."

I hear her grumble something and footsteps approach. The door swings open and my sister latches on to me as my brother slides under the bed slowly.

"Children for your safety your mother has allowed you to come with me to the bedside base near the edge of town." He gave us a quick smile and walked out.

"Grantie, are we going to leave?" My brother says to me.

I just nod my head. "Start packing guys."

I pulled out my Nike duffel bag then jammed some clothes and things that would help me last wherever we were going. I walk into my sisters' room then saw her packing some stuffed animals.

I laugh. "Alice this is not what you need." I pull out all the animals and pack many warm clothes and all the things she needs to be okay. She puts on her coat and then grabs her rain boots. We lived in a very swampy town and we always had to wear rain boots.

"Grantie can I bring Bow-Bow?" She carries with her a ragged bear.

I give her a gentle smile. "Sure."

I tell her to go downstairs and grab any food that is in the pantry and put it on the counter as I went to go help Sam.

"Grantie!" I see my brother packing more responsibly and help him reach his jacket and hat.

"Here you go." I hand it to him and bring him downstairs with me.

I see my mom and dad in the kitchen faces washed out and them glancing at each other wondering what to do.

"Hey, mom are you okay?" I give her a hug and she starts to cry.

"Gr-Grant, sweetie don't go with the mayor. Run with your siblings to the c-cabin in the mountains. Please, sweetie." I look my mother in the eyes.

"Why mother?" I say looking at her then seeing dad nodding his head not to question. "N-never mind." I tell my siblings to say goodbye then we leave.

I sit in the car clutching my sibling's hands as the bumpy road takes us to the cities outer limits. Our bags shuffle by our feet as we sit in silence glancing at each other every now and then. I see the trees passing by on both sides. The words my mother said still rings in my ears and I just thought she was crazy. She has been like this since she has seen some pretty bad things, and yes she has almost died before. But my father was more terrified. They both have grown up together and both do the same work but my father was more flushed than ever. I started to get anxious and squeezed their palms tighter.

"Grantie, I am hungry." I look at my sister and give her an apple out of my bag. She eats it then throws the core out the window.

Right as she does that the trees disappear and we go underground in a tunnel. I have been here before as me and my friends used to skate here. We pass by the big lake where I told Ashley I loved her and our first kiss was held underneath that willow tree. I sigh and look forward towards the darker tunnel ahead.

"Mr. Walsh, where are we going?"

He smirks. "A safe place for ya'll folks from those that are different."

I say nothing and keep my head down. I look behind us and see nothing.

"Grantie look." I look forward and see the tall wall ahead that has barb wire hanging from everywhere. "Are we going to prison Grantie?" My sister got really scared and latched on.

"I don't know Alice."

The car comes to a stop and he gives his code to the padlock, the gates open and we enter. I see the dark building covered in security cameras and we enter it. Inside is a large space with many cars and planes. We drive pass them and go to a door.

"Get out here folks."

We get out of the car and I carry Alice while holding Colby's hand in my other. The sound of our duffel bags goes through the empty white hall as we reach the other end. I see a door and we all just stand there in silence. The door opens for me and inside I see all types of doors.

"Hello Mr. Noel, nice of you to be here with us." I look at a boy who seems to be around my age dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. He had a chain around his neck and he had a bright smile. I let him shake my hand. "I see that you may have some confusion, that is okay and I am here to guide you and show you where you are." He signals for us to follow.

"Thank you." I say sheepishly.

We walk down a long hall where he explains what this place is. "Our town, well actually our country is having a mishap. We have noticed that different families are wired in different ways and we attend to help everyone to be the same. So everyone here is already different from the norms."

"Wait what do you mean we are different." The boy looks at me.

"We are highly different, we are either too smart or too pretty, to strong or too talented. We all are higher levels and society does not need that." He shows us our room that is labeled, 'The Noels.'

"Oh, by the way, welcome to the special homes." He slams the door and I look at my siblings in fear.