A Safe Place

Chapter 1- Where Am I?

Miranda's pov

I had just gotten home from a long exhausting day of school. Me and my twin brother Sean were setting up for a math tournament. We both work on student council and help out with extra curriculars. "We've still gotta make that banner." Sean says as I set my backpack down. Mom brings over some carrots and ranch for an after school snack. "Thanks." I say. "I was thinking a blue background with the words Math Wiz Tournament in gold paint." My brother continues. I nod while eating carrots. "Hey what about painting math symbols around the word kinda like they're floating?" I suggest, pouring myself a glass of milk. He smiles. "Awesome idea sis!" I smile and he goes to his room to get started. "You guys are busy this week." Mom says, smiling and sitting beside me. We share a hug. "Yeah gotta get the gym ready for three different events. Basketball, the math tournament and the job simulation fair." "That sounds cool." I shrug, not really caring. "They just give you an amount of fake money and ya gotta survive a fake month on it by using math to divy it up. Stupid really." It doesn't even prepare you for the real world. Ugh I am exhausted. "I think I'm going to take a nap." I say, going to my room and laying down. What feels like minutes, I groggily wake up only I'm not in my bed anymore. I was in a solid white room with a door and no windows. "Hello?" I gape. "Where am I?!" The door opens. "Hey guys we got a new one!" A tall teenage boy probably my age says. He had shoulder length bluish black hair. He wore overalls with a red shirt underneath and had a bandana wrapped around his bicep. "W-Where am I? What's going on?" I shakily ask. "It's alright. First time's are confusing. Follow me." I reluctantly follow him to a white room with a large TV mounted on the wall. An unlit fireplace was under it along with a zebra print rug. A tan colored coffee table sat on the rug with blue and white striped couch. Four other people sat on the couch and they were all looking at me. I don't like being center of attention. I keep my stare on the ground. "W-What is th-this place?" "It's kinda hard to explain." The overalls kid said. "Let's start with your name?" A brunette girl says, standing up from the couch. "Oh um I.. I'm Miranda." I say nervous. "Well I'm Nicole. You've met Pete." She says, nodding to the guy standing beside me who nods in reply. "Then we've got Jase." She gestures to a cowboy looking kid who tips his hat. "Briar." A dark green haired girl waves with a smile. "And Thomas." A tall boy with black hair waves. "OK but what is this place?" "We aren't really sure. We just woke up here one day. There's always food in the fridge and cabinets. There's pretty much anything we could ever want. You think it and it shows up. Only problem we can't figure out how to leave." Shock shoots through me. "What?!" "We also don't age. We've been stuck here for years or at least it's felt like that." The others look upset. I glare at the group. "Have you tried the front door?" "It's locked." Nicole says. "Don't tell me three guys and two girls can't bust a door down!!" I gape, walking over to it. "We've tried, Miranda. What do you think was the first plan?!" Pete says, walking over. "Have you all tried at the same time?" He nods, looking sad. "We were all in your place at one point. Take your time." Briar says, walking over. "I know it isn't easy to accept but if you need something, we're here." It sounds so absolute. They've clearly given up and resigned themselves to this life! I'm scared. I can't be stuck here. "I've got commitments! I've got a life!!" I shout desperate.

Jase's pov

She goes on ranting for a few minutes. I can't really blame her. We all had our own battle when we first woke up here. But something has me curious. It's been a while since we got a new person. I have to know. I nervously stand up. Briar was worried and Pete was just plain sad. He really misses home. "What year is it?" I shakily say, fearing the answer. My friends release shocked gasps. I guess they never thought about it. "2010." She says, making my stomach do flip flops. "I've been tr-trapped here for almost 30 years." I sahkily say shocked. The girl's face goes white as a sheet. "S-So th-this is real? I can't.... G-Go home?" She whimpers, starting to cry. Briar hugged her. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard but we're here for you." I looked behind me at the shocked faces of the crowd. Thomas looked shell shocked. He told me he came in the 1920s so he's been here over a century. Pete was from 1955. Briar came 4 years after me and Nicole refused to tell anyone what year she last remembers. I wonder if she's older than Thomas. "This is insane!! It can't be real! I'm just having a nightmare!" She cries, gripping her arms, shaking. Poor girl. "It's going to be alright." She tries to calm her down but I don't think it's working.

Miranda's pov

I can't believe this. No. I won't. I have to be dreaming. This is some fucked up crazy ass dream. Jase walks over and hands me a cup of hot chocolate. "W-What... How.. How'd you-" "Well you can do pretty much anything here." He says kneeling beside me. "Anything except go home." I shakily whisper, the warm cup actually helping to calm me down. "Oh and we also can't kill ourselves." Thomas mutters from the couch. "Believe me. I've tried." My heart clenches at his words and it only makes me cry harder. "Thomas!" Briar snaps glaring at him. Briar helps me stand up but I'm shaking so bad. I try to get it under control. I take a few sips of the hot cocoa. "Wow this is great!" I say, surprised. Jase smiles but looks sad. "It's my grandma's recipe." Damn. He must really miss her. I nervously sit in a rocking chair with a little red cushion. "I... What's my brother going to do without me?" "You've got a brother?" Pete asks. I nod. "We do everything together." Briar hugs me. "We'll be here for you. It'll be alright."