A Teenage Life Chapter One- Leaving Home

Camden Village, 4:34pm, Midwinter
Camden, just east of Ramahi City.

Shaan Tamori-15-ninth grader

Shaan sighed heavily as he slowly walked through the streets, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Gazing around, he let his brown eyes wander over the small houses and stores, dreading what he had to do. Rounding a small corner, he spotted the cafe not far away, and slowly entered it, spotting a few kids he knew a few feet away at a small table, faces solemn. Slowly, he made his way toward them and sat down next to a quiet twelve-year-old. "Hey Dan," he said, and the kid gave a nod. "...So..." he huffed out a breath, unsure of what to say. They were all looking at him silently, their faces solemn. He checked the watch on his wrist and sighed slowly. "I have to be getting out of here in a minute...the train..." he broke off, frowning down at the table. There was an awkward silence, and he coughed to break it. "Um...so..." he cautiously slid out of the booth and got to his feet, glaring at the ground. "Um...bye...hope to see you again soon..." sighing, he turned and left the cafe, feeling their eyes as they followed him out the door. Rounding a corner, he hefted the duffle over his shoulder again and headed toward the Camden Train Station, knowing that the train would arrive within the hour. Rounding a corner, he headed out of the small village of Camden, knowing in the back of his mind that he may never return. Having said his goodbye's, he knew he had to leave; the train would be coming, and then he would be sent away to some unknown destination. He didn't want to know what was going to happen; he dreaded it, he feared it, and he hated it. Sighing, he inched closer to Camden Station and slowly left behind the place he had grown up in.

Radimor Station, 4:41pm, Midwinter
Radimor, just north of Calazar Valley.

Shaka Rasun-13-seventh grader

Shaka slowly lifted his head from where he had previously rested it upon the dusty table, his eyes, a bright green, shy and alone. His duffle bag sat next to him on the bench, untouched and lumpy with his things. Sighing, he gazed around at the hussle of commotion coming from the other teens currently occupying the station. The train was to arrive shortly, and he desperately wanted to skip the train and go back home, back to his friends and family. He didn't want to be here, he was only thirteen; he was still figuring things out in life. He wanted to go home. He looked around again, wondering if he recognized anyone so he wouldn't be alone, but he wasn't fooling anyone; he didn't know any older boys. His friends were all still back at home; they weren't coming, not for another year. Sighing, he closed his eyes, swallowing thickly as he tried to block everything out, but it was just too hard. 'Please, I don't want to go...I'm just a kid...' he thought to himself. 'I'm just a kid...I don't know how to fight...' he hung his head low, silent tears filling his eyes. He didn't want to go.

Salazai Station, 4:46pm, Midwinter
Salazai, small village west of Omariz.

Cote Swazi-16-tenth grader

Cote sighed heavily as he slowly walked onto the train, putting his luggage on his lap as he sat down in a seat, watching as other teens filed in, grumbling and shouting, others quiet and shy. He rested his head against the window to his left, and allowed his eyes to close. 'I hate this,' he thought. 'Out of all of these kids...how many do they really expect to come back?' he shook his head slowly, and then sighed, his brown eyes closed. "Excuse me," a voice said slowly, and he opened his eyes to see a male standing next to his seat, with blue eyes and black hair. "Can I sit here?" he indicated to the seat next to him. "Everywhere else is full..."

Cote nodded. "Yeah, yeah sure." he moved over a little and allowed the male to sit down. "Um...what's your name?" he asked, trying to get a little conversation started. He heard a noise and felt the train pull away from the station, hearing the rush of the engine as it came to life. "I'm Cote," he added.

"Hi Cote," said the male softly, eyes downcast. "I'm Kota."

Cote smiled. "Nice to meet ya Kota." Kota nodded slowly. "This sucks, huh?"

"You got that right." Kota yawned. "My younger brother made me hang with him for hours. I just don't have that much energy anymore." he smiled to himself. "Six-year-olds can be a handfull."

Cote nodded slowly. "I know what you mean. I'm sixteen," he said.

"I'm seventeen," replied Kota. "Well, here's to hoping we come back home."

"Yeah...we can only hope..."

The train traveled onward, meeting up with a few other trains and traveling south.