Human

Prologue

My name’s Ethan Shaw. Ever feel out of place? Like you and the world are out of sync?

If so, we have something in common.

For starters, my school is weird. Freemont High averages one new teacher a week. Where do the old teachers go? No idea. Why do they go? Yeah, no idea there, either. Heck, even the date is weird. Us being in the year 2021 just doesn’t feel right. It’s not something I can put my finger on, but it feels wrong.

Also, I don’t take meds, but since my ninth birthday, I’m always happy. Stub my toe? Happy. Leg cramps or growing pains? Happy. I was even happy both the times I got sick. I mean really, who’s happy worshiping the porcelain altar? I used to have normal emotions. Not anymore.

So farkin’ strange.

Speaking of strange, since I was little, I’ve dreamed of a voice making proclamations about Zones One, Two, and Three. Zone One, clear for decontamination. Zone Two, data transfer commencing. Zone Three, all non-Simulation personnel evacuate immediately. That sort of thing.

Yeah, and those aren’t even the weirdest of my dreams. Not even close.

But all that is just part of why I don’t belong.

Yesterday was my seventeenth birthday....


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