The CoDas: Reboot [By Hex]

Chapter 2: City of Gothenburg

The rain began to slowly fade away as morning arrived, the city was waking up. My head still slightly ached but I tried to start getting ready for the day.  I took a look at my Holo-Phone for weather forecasts as well as to read some funny comics. It's 7:37 AM in the morning, September 5th, 2215.

"Hmm, it will be sunny until 3 PM. I guess it's a perfect weather for the school trip."

It was awfully quiet today as well, my uncle was sleeping right now, I thought I shouldn't wake him. I figured that since I had woken up early, I could take an early walk around the city of Gothenburg. What else can I say, the city fascinates me ever since I was a child. Gothenburg is the city I am born in, it's one of the most popular cities in Sweden.

Finishing up my breakfast, I packed my bag, took my wallet and house key card then wore my light-grey coat. Opening the door, I shouted out to my granny and uncle,

"Uncle Kello, I'm heading out now! I won't be back until 5 or 6 PM"

There was a silence as I waited for a response.

My uncle replied with tiredness in his voice, "hmmuh-Okay Nathan, have fun on your trip...Be careful out there and stick close to Zack."

"I will, Bye Bye!"

Closing the door behind me I look up at the sky to see that the rain clouds have moved along and cleared the atmosphere. I quickly cover my eyes due to the sunlight hurting them, it's been a long week of rain that a single sunlight was never to be seen until now. My house stood a little isolated from the neighborhood as it was high up at the artificially built hills. I began heading down to the nearest E-bus stop.

'Where should I go?' I wondered as I traveled, 'I could check out Nordstan mall and walk around there for a while or head for Saltholmen (Salt-Hole-Men) where me and my class would be holding our trip at. Going a there little early wouldn't be so bad, would it...? Nah, I'll go to Domkyrkan (Dome-Shur-Kan) first and head over to the bookstore.'

I looked out the window, seeing the sun rising, looking at people walking through the street paths and pavement as and also being lost in thought. After 15 minutes of traveling, I got off at Domkyrkan and walked over to my bookstore. It always surprised me how a number of books they contain in this store are almost endless.

So much of the obscure and less of the popular, people nowadays would read the E-book versions but I preferred to read the real thing, I still do. Reading books that are in paper form makes me feel happy and somehow nostalgic even though I am born in an era where technology is everything. 

I don't really know what makes me nostalgic but it just makes me feel old school and I like old school. Looking through some of the books they offered in the store, one catches my eye. I stood there, looking at it then reaching out for it.

A person suddenly wrapped his left arm around the back of my neck and brought my head closer to his chest, his voice sounded familiar. "Nathan! How are ya, you sly little punk!"

He then rubbed his fist hard into my head. 

Annoyed and surprised I spoke out, "Hey! Let me go, will ya!?"

Using all my power to escape from his grip, I backed away, panting in relief. I took a good look at the intruder then smiled in an instant. It was Zack, my best friend.

Zack Kovlocke, I met him when we were in 6th grade, I still remember how he used to be known as a freak by everyone else due to him always joking around and trying to show off.  I use to be very high-tempered during 6th grade, I would get into a lot of fights with anyone in or out of my school but Zack was different, he helped me calm down.

He and I met when he stood up for me during a fight I had against some of the older students in the school. I never really needed his help in the first place but he was willing to join my side and we both kicked ass. Since then, Zack told me that if I ever get angry at anyone, I should take it out on him. After that, when I would get angry at someone, Zack would come by my side and help me calm down.

Since then, I don't believe I ever got in a fight with anyone, thanks to Zack.

Zack chuckled as he spoke, "I knew I would find you here, I always see you heading for this bookstore before and after school. How are ya, bro?"

Zack raised his hand for a high five, I reached out for his hand and slapped it as I chuckled.

"I'm fine. What about you, did you sleep late again?

"Hah, yeah I was binge watching Black Platinum. Man, if only you weren't so preoccupied with your books, you could see how awesome it is. So did you find anything new to read?"

Chuckling, I turned to look at the bookshelf in front of me as to point at the cover with a girl looking back at the viewer standing at a cliff with fire surrounding her.

"This one seems interesting. It's called Girl of Nightmares."

I pick up the book and show it to Zack. 

"You're right, it does seem interesting."

Zack turns it over and reads the summary,

"That's pretty cool, It's about a girl who has sacrificed herself to save the main character from being sucked into a portal to hell, she becomes a ghost girl. She then haunts the main character in his nightmares and so on..."

"Yeah,  that's why I'm gonna buy that."

Zack hands the book over to me as we both head over to the counter.

"You really do love the supernatural, don't you?"

"I can't help it!" I chuckled, rubbing my head. "Ghosts, spirits and such things of that nature fascinate me."

"Meh, your opinion, I guess." Zack shrugs. "I would rather look for something morbid or dark. Anyways, let's go."

"Ya know, how is it possible for someone as cheerful as you to enjoy something that has dark elements, the contradictions right there are outstanding."

He shrugged cluelessly, "I don't know, I guess being too happy will make me start putting on a strange facade so seeing dark themes keeps me in che-wait didn't you ask me this a few days ago?"

"Oh yeah, I did." I chuckled with slight shame, Zack slapped my back as he laughed. The truth is that I just wanted to hear him say those words again because it sounded so down to earth for me.

After we bought the book. Zack and I take a long 30-minute travel by tram to Saltholmen. While we were on the tram, I didn't look out of the window until we reached a plains area. I look up at the blue sky then far at the horizon. I winced as I saw something odd. Dark clouds began to form in the distance. Confused, I nudged Zack to look over at the window.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Look over there." I pointed at the dark clouds gathering on the distant horizon, expressing awe and confusion. "Clouds are already forming. Isn't that strange?"

"Yeah..." Zack's eyes widened as he replied. "Didn't the weather forecast say that it would be sunny until 3 PM?"

"Yeah, they did. The forecasts are never wrong, so why are the clouds forming now?"

"I...I don't know"

---------------------------

TO BE CONTINUED

----------------------------

Thanks for reading my second chapter, if there's any feedback you wish to tell me, please do so with honesty. I appreciate any feedback, whether bad or good.