Beep Beep Beep!!

"I'm up, I'm up," Zach mumbled as he reached to shut off his alarm clock. He got up and opened his curtains, welcoming the warm, golden rays of sunshine. It was Monday, which meant he had to go to the worst place on earth for most teens his age, high school. The place where homework and anxiety rule over helpless kids who are just looking to make it another day.

Zach stood in front of his mirror and pushed a comb through his messy, brown hair, his foggy green eyes displaying his fatigue. Once he thought he looked presentable Zach made his way towards the kitchen to grab a snack. He picked up an apple, biting into it as he scrolled through the notifications on his phone he got the night before. He checked the time once more before heading out the door, his dark gray backpack, slung over a shoulder, bouncing up and down as he walked the same, familiar route he took every day towards the corner of the street where the bus would stop.

His phone buzzed lightly as he climbed into the bus. A banner covered the top of his screen indicating that Skyler had texted him. Zach tapped it, letting it take him to their messages. Skyler was his best friend since second grade. He had dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and chestnut freckles that speckled his nose and cheeks. Like Zach, he was quite unpopular but accepted more than him. Zach envied him for that, but just a little. He was fine with not having that many friends or being someone that people wanted to partner up with, for he had grown used to the rejection of others. Yet it was still a bit of a touchy subject for him. Zach focused his eyes back to his phone.

S: I'm not on the bus

Z: I know, I didn't see u

S: do u wanna know y

Z: not really, got better things to do, like study

S: u and I both know u won't

Z: ok then why

S: u gotta guess

Z: whyyyy

Z: it's too early in the morning to deal with u

S: fine I'll tell u

S: I got a car

Z: omg really

S: no I just wanted to get ur hopes up lol. I got a ride to school, but something else happened tho

Z: what

S: I'll tell u at school

Z: wow, ok then

S: lol you'll survive

Zach exited out of their chat and pulled his white apple headphones out of his backpack, placing them in his ears as he chose a song. Music was always an easy way to cope with stress, feel happy, or in Zach's case, pass the time. The trees and buildings became a blur as the bus drove down the street to Ryder High.

Zach lived in Sylvan a small town hidden in the countryside along with the neighboring towns of Ryder and Salinas. Salinas was in between Sylvan and Ryder, two miles from the edge of each town. There was a forest on the outside of Sylvan that stretched from the edge of the town ten miles east to a lab. The lab was restricted for the people in the town. It was a wolf sanctuary with a fence surrounded a half-mile radius around the lab, enclosing some of the forest inside.

They said it was restricted because they were studying diseases from wolves, for they wanted to see if they could find a vaccine to help more of them survive. A year ago there was a virus called the "blue fur virus". It was detectable for it turned the tips of their ears an eerie blue color. It caused wolves to refuse food, go particularly blind, or loose memory of other wolves or people, causing them to lash out attack them. That was the most recent one. They built the lab about five years ago, but some think it's that it's not for wolves, that they're just a cover up for what's really going on...

"Zach!"

He turned his head towards the direction of the call. The voice sounded familiar, Skyler. The bus stopped at school and the people in the front started standing up and getting off. He took out his earbuds and stuck them in his pocket before look down through the bus window. Below he could see his friend waving. Finally Zach hopped off and walked towards Skyler, his head hanging a bit.

"Don't do that please, people might see you, and... That sounds wrong, sorry." He said, seeing Skyler frown, "it's just... never mind sorry."

"Who cares what they think?" Skyler replied anger and annoyance lacing his words.

Zach looked down. "I do..." He mumbled so quietly it was barely audible.

Skyler's face softened. "It fine, forget it. Aren't you wondering what happened?"

"I guess." He said shrugged and looked up.

"Ok, so my uncle came over-"

"Seriously?"

"I wasn't finished. Anyway, he bought me a present. I ripped the wrapping paper off and it's a rifle! He told me he'd take me hunting. Isn't that cool!!" Skyler explained in excitement.

"Yeah, it is," Zach replied genuinely.

"I want you to go with me."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course. You're my best friend."

Ring!!!

"I got to go. I'll see you later." Zach waved and walked down the hall to the C buildings where English was taught.

"Hey loser!!"

Zach kept walking, he knew whoever yelled that was talking to him.

"Hey!" He recognized the voice right as he was pushed into the wall.  "Look at me when I'm talking you, got it!?"

Zach looked up nervously, two brown eyes, dark with anger, glaring back. It was Rich Carden, the boy who always picked on everyone weaker than him, especially Zach.

"Hey let him go. Don't you have class to get to."

They turned their heads to the sound of the warning. A few feet away stood one of the teachers aids. No one dared to stop Rich but a few ignorant substitute teachers. Rich's father was one of the most authoritative people in the town, most didn't stop him because they were afraid of his father, Jeff. They knew he could fire them so no dared messed with Rich. But she didn't know of this this so she stopped him, letting Zach safely get to his class.

"This isn't over." Rich whispered through clenched teeth and pushed him on the ground before walking away.

Zach picked himself off the ground and headed towards his class, his head hanging low.

I'm thinking my main gift in life was being able to write all my twisted, sick feelings all
Instead of starting a commotion, the ocean is my favorite place look right now
What's underneath all greens, the blues is a you
Is it you....

The only thing I confide in is you
What am I to do
I've got no friends to loose....

Good morning students...

Morning announcements always started with a part of a song, news following after. Zach didn't really care so he drowned it out as he took his binder out and prepared himself for another day.

...

"Don't you think it's weird?"

"What?" Zach asked in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Skyler replied.

"Well, you just came up to me and said 'don't you think it's weird'. So forgive me if I'm confused." Zach ended sarcastically.

"Oh yeah sorry. Don't you think it's weird that everyone has to take a blood test?"

"What?! Why?"

"Were you listening to announcements?"

"Yes....." Zach trailed.

"You didn't did you."

"Nope."

"Well, being the 'amazing' student I am, I did. Apparently, everyone has to do it because of some virus going around that mostly affects our age. So it's only the high school that has to do it. And they have trucks parked out there taking two classes at a time." Skyler explained.

"Yeah,- wait why would that be weird? Aren't they just worried about our health?"

"I just find it weird that so people from who knows where are doing it rather than just telling us to go to the doctor or something."

"Efficiency?" Zach tried.

"Yeah, I guess."

"When do you go?"

"Next I think. You?" Skyler asked back.

"No idea, I wasn't paying attention remember?"

"Oh, yeah, right."

Ring!!!!

"Bye Zach," Skyler said and walked away.

"Bye"

The rest of the day was a blur of homework and stress. The only time he was able to rest was on the bus ride home when Zach was able to forget everything thing and let music calm his nerves. Soon it stopped at the corner of his street and hoped off, walking down the sidewalk to his house.

He fished his key out of this pocket and pushed it into the lock. Zach pushed the door open to his German Shepherd sitting behind it, wagging his tail eagerly.

"Hey Chase." He smiled, "move, I wanna get inside."

Chase moved just enough for Zach to squeeze his way in without letting him outside.

"Anthony?! Are you here?"

"Yep." He heard a voice say followed by footsteps.

"Can you take Chase out? I have to do homework." Zach asked and looked up towards the stairs. An older teen with tan skin and raven hair came down the stairs. His brown eyes were calm unlike Zach's semi-stressed and tired ones.

"What do you have to do? Homework wise?"

"Well I got to start on a research project for science and I'm not going to much time cause Saturday Skyler and I were going to hang out. Also, I have a few math problems and a bit of vocabulary to do." Zach explained.

"Good, cause if you considered one worksheet a lot just to get out of walking Chase then I'd make you walk him."

"Also can I go hunting with Skyler Saturday in Hesper Forest?" Zach asked

"Will there be an adult?"

"Yes."

"Ok, just don't stay out too late."

"K, thanks." He said while running up the stairs to his room.

Zach lived with his older brother, who's a freshman in College. Anthony would take classes online because he couldn't leave Zach alone at home and he didn't want to lose him to the people at foster care or orphanages. Anthony loved Zach even if he didn't always show it, he still cared. That's why he always forced him to eat dinner with him. And so he could stay out of his room for a bit.

After the brothers ate Zach went back up the stairs to his room. He silently closed the door behind him before closing his curtains. The mattress squeaked as he climbed under the blue covers of his bed. With a click he shut the light off and rolled onto his side, letting sleep carry him away to the place dreams lived and anxiety floated away.

But he when woke he wouldn't be the same.

*****************************

Hello. This is an original story so all the characters and ideas belong to me. I will update every Saturday.

(Song: Under the Weather by The Blank Minds)

Plz vote and keep reading ❤️❤️❤️