To Greener Pastures

Day in.

Day out.

Every second of every minute of every hour of every day.

Agony.

Complete agony.

That is exactly what the boy was feeling as he was walking home in the flaky and freezing december snow at 11 'o clock of the evening holding a couple of bags filled with some groceries. His winter jacket was barely protecting him from this cold, the gloves he had to pay with his overtime money were at least coming in handy.

You probably chuckled at that poorly made pun, but our favourite hero of the day is not laughing. For... Different reasons, let's just say.

This boy had shoulder length spiky black hair, no facial hair, slim and slender, faded blue irises and young features. He looked generic out of any school boy anime you could think of.

But he had his own personality that differentiate from the rest of those pieces of sexy paper.

He was in pain. Not a tragic backstory or in agonizing back pain or anything like that, no. He's monetarily in pain and he couldn't believe his rotten luck.

It all started when he had an argument with his parents about getting a job, he couldn't easily find one so his parents decided to kick him out of the house with very little money (Around... $30) and book him an apartment (to their negligence did not realize the state the apartment was in. Poorly researched on their part, major booboo) to give him some kind of pressure so that he could get a proper life, get a girlfriend and settle down.

Our young hero tried to talk sense into them but of course as all parents who like to think that they are doing the best for their children, they do not listen and assume this was a tactic to get him back in their house.

He wasn't lying.

After talking with the manager of the apartment, he was rudely shown to his room, it was the 'elegance suite'.

That is if elegance is a giant fucking' cockroach scampering on the floor and the bed covers looked like they were extremely rushed and probably never saw a working washing machine for all it's life... Then yeah, pretty damn elegant.

He was practically thrown into the room before the manager stomped downstairs and loud vocals were heard from downstairs. Out of pure luck however the walls were somewhat soundproof so whatever kind of argument the manager was having with his wife was very unintelligible.

That or he's piss drunk to make a coherent sentence...

Regardless, you would feel nothing but pity for the poor soul who has to deal with that piece of work.

Anyways, back to the room.

The room's wall paper looked... NICE at least, decor of flowers was not really what he had in mind but it was probably the only thing that was relatively normal in this shit hole.

Oh well, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

... Screw whoever made that saying.

Looking around he desperately went looking for some kind of button or switch to turn a heater on. Because believe it or not, it was more freezing in that room compared to outside.

Within a full hour of searching, it has come to pass that 'poorly insulated' is added onto the list alongside rushed house keeping, a giant fucking cockroach and some flowery wallpaper.

Only in New Jersey...

You and I would both shudder at the thought of all the other 'rooms' that man has... You'd rather not know, though.

So a day passes and he calls his parents to complain that there was a mistake... This is how the conversation went.

"Look, mom. There's been a terrible mistake in the booking, this place is SHIT!" He complains.

"Language!" His mother had reminded him and scolded him for the curse, to which he promptly apologised and she forgave him within a split second.

"Okay, but seriously though. This place is awful! The bed I'm sleeping in has been used God knows how many times--" Before he could even finish that sentence. "Don't ever say the lord's name in vain, we have told you about this, Ashton!"

Oh yeah, his name is Ashton by the way!

"I'm sorry, mom." He apologised again to which she forgave him within a split second... again.

"This bed that I am currently sleeping in, I have NO idea how many have been here before me... There's a giant cockroach on the floor, the place is poorly insulated and I'm freezing! There's has got to be a mistake, mom!" He pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Ashton. But I know these tactics all too well, and a mother knows when their children gets what they want." She replied.

"No, I'm genuine here! The manager shoved me in before I could ask about any facilities! This is unsanitary!" He once again pleaded.

It seemed however she was having none of it. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But you know how your father is, he is adamant you get a job and a girlfriend and then we would have to see--"

He had enough. "Okay, you know what? Fine, I get it. You hate me and this is punishment, what AMAZING parents! GOD FORBID--"

And click, she pretty much hung up on him.

"H-hello? Mom? Mommy?" He starts to panic and press the redial. "Hello?"

... No answer.

"FUCK!" He shouts and throws the phone off the bed in a heat of rage, throwing his back onto the bed and whimpers. "...Fuck my life..."

...

That was a month ago.

He didn't even hear a peep from his parents since, and if he was to be honest. He was glad that he didn't.

It was the month of Christmas, and it was almost here. 4 days to go, to be exact.

He had just come back from working at a convenience store, the pay was minimum wage but he didn't have to do much but work the till.

Luck would so have it that the convenience store doesn't get much customers so he barely had to do anything but sit on his ass and play on his 3DS.

And of course look busy to the boss when he 'slowly' but surely comes around to check up on him once in a while.

He was but an old man, he was in his 70s and he could barely walk. He was very happy to have someone help him in the store so he actually treats Ashton very well.

Hopefully that you are somewhat caught up, Ashton is now back in his shitty apartment room, but something is a little off.

The minute he opened that door, stepped inside, closed and locked the door behind him, he felt the room was a little bit off... More so than usual.

Around the room, was a few upgrades. He got a cheap but dependable heater, a new mattress and some new sheets and a clean floor!

Amazing what a month's savings and a generous boss can accomplish, all he had to survive on was instant noodles, cheap off brand cola and bread.

His boss was an amazing guy, giving him free bread and instant noodles when they are about to expire and no one has any care for the wonder foods. He practically made Ashton's life more bearable as he bought the necessities.

Ashton decided to not dwell on the unusual nature of the room, turned his lights on and started to get to work with filling the kettle and boiling it and looks at his grocery bags, since he had some money left over he was gonna eat like a king tonight. Actual branded Coca Cola that is currently cold from the harsh snowy winter (and to be enjoyed cooled as is), freshly made wholewheat bread, some butter for the bread, curry flavoured instant noodles and a GOD DAMN TV-DINNER to microwave!

Hell yes, tonight was going to be a feast, baby!

He sets the TV dinner in the microwave and activates it for a few good minutes, he had a quick look at the room and finally saw it.

It was a letter on the bed.

How the hell did he not see this before? It was staring at him as he was gallivanting over some shitty TV-Dinner and coca cola.

He went on over and picked the letter up, staring at it's blank surface. It looked like it was addressed to no one.

However, just turning it around revealed two letters that could possibly reveal initials.

'D.C?' He said in his mind.

Was this a joke, he thought? Was the manager formal enough to evict him? This might be the excuse he was after if that was the case, he could prove to his parents that this place WAS a shithole.

He quickly takes a bite out of his buttery bread and heard the kettle whistle.

Shrugging, he sets the letter back on the bed. "Eh, I'll read it later." He said while unsealing the cup of instant noodles and poured the kettle's spout over the cup and let the clear boiled water just assault the noodles and flavouring.

He smiles and puts the sealing over the cup, he gets a fork from the drawer and sets it above the cup.

And with amazing time the microwave starts going off, indicating that the dinner is READY to be served and eaten.

With a smile, he gets a glass and starts to unscrew the top of the coke bottle and pouring that delicious soda in there.

He was ready.

He was ready to dig in and no one will stop him.

... Yet, his mind keeps coming back to the letter.

He turns to the letter, with a bit of apprehension. He has NO idea what was inside of it, but it was just... OFF.

There was no other way to put it, the whole thing seemed UNREAL.

He concentrates and goes back to the microwave and gets the now hot TV-Dinner tray.

Tuna Casserole, hell yes.

He gets the little stand that's next to his bed and sets all the food and drink on it, his mouth was watering and it was time to eat.

"How did they say it in most Japanese animes?" He wondered. "..Ita-daki-masu? ... Fuggit." He said before finally digging in.

The TV dinner was a TINY bland, but it had plenty flavour and texture to be edible. Ashton didn't care, he was getting something proper in his body that ISN'T noodles nor bread, plus... Protein is a good thing for the body.

10 minutes later, food and drink consumed and Ashton was left with a content and full belly. But as it would be, his mind was completely elsewhere.

The letter.

He couldn't help but stare at the letter and wonder what was inside of it, so he finally had enough beating around the bush and grabbed it.

He stares at it for a few seconds before opening it up and saw a folded piece of paper in the envelope.

Shaking his head and assumed for the worst, he takes the folded piece of paper and unfolds it, as you would.

The contents of the letter was as follows:

"Having fun?" He said out loud to himself.

...

That was it, that was all that was written.

He blinks and stared at the back of the paper, nothing.

Putting it back to it's front and it hasn't even changed.

This had to be a joke, surely. Probably the manager having his kicks.

But then... Something strange happened, the note began to glow in a yellowish tint, which caused Ashton to drop the note.

"What the fuck was that?!" He said in a panic before staring at the note, there were words being WRITTEN into the note.

After the onslaught of strange voodoo, the note had brand new words. "Why yes, I am! Thank you!"

"This is bizarre..." He said out loud before the letter glew again, once more new words formed a sentence.

"I know I am, but what are you?" It said in some kind of childish curve, this would have annoyed him if he couldn't help but notice that the letter was actually listening and REPLYING to him!

"I'm insane, I've gone god damn loco! I'm talking to a FUCKING LETTER, for Christ sakes!" He said out loud, once more the letter glew.

"Goodness, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" It replied.

Needless to say, good ol' Ashton was freaking the hell out and there was no way in hell that tonight could get any more weirder.

{End of Chapter 1}