Chapter Text
Jeffery’s POV – February 2009
The school parking lot was emptier than I’d ever seen it, the snow crunching beneath my boots as I walked toward the gates. There was something eerie about it—like a sense of finality hung in the air. The place felt deserted, its old brick buildings just hollow shells now. The windows were boarded up, like they were trying to hide something, and bits of trash scattered in the wind. A single car stood out in the lot—a weathered Honda Civic parked at the edge, its paint faded like it had seen better days. Of course, that was Emily’s car.
The sign on the gate caught my eye, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at it. A laminated piece of paper fluttered in the breeze:
“NOTICE: SCHOOL PRIVATIZED. FOR EDUCATION VOUCHER INQUIRIES, VISIT WWW.EDU-FREE-MARKET.COM.”
I read it again, almost as if expecting it to change, but it didn’t. A wave of frustration washed over me. “Free market, huh?” I muttered to myself. That was what this world had become—a world where everything had a price tag and the poor got squeezed out in the name of ‘freedom.’
I spotted Emily leaning against her car across the lot. Her dark hoodie pulled up over her head, making her look like a rebellious figure straight out of some post-apocalyptic dystopia. She had a meth pipe in her hand, its faint blue smoke curling in the cold air. Not that it was illegal anymore. In this new world, drugs weren’t just tolerated; they were part of the economy. Everyone needed something to take the edge off the chaos, right? The government had collapsed under the weight of corruption, and now corporations ruled everything. Private security, private cleaners, private everything. The world was crumbling, but at least it was clean.
“Jeffery!” Emily called out when she saw me approaching. She gave me a lopsided grin, clearly enjoying the chaos of it all. “Welcome to the end of the world. What brings you here?”
I glanced back at the school’s decaying exterior and then back at her. “I… didn’t know school was closed.”
Emily laughed, a sharp, almost mocking sound. “Seriously? Dude, you’re, like, two weeks late to that party. They auctioned off the desks last Tuesday. Some startup bought the gym to turn it into office space. They’re gonna call it 'innovative collaborative space' or some crap like that.”
I blinked, trying to wrap my head around it. “No way.”
“Oh, way,” Emily said, taking another hit from her pipe, blowing the smoke out like it was no big deal. “Everyone’s gotta hustle in this new world, Jeff. The old systems are gone. The schools, the cops, the social safety nets... they’re all just... gone. Just like the government. You gotta adapt or get left behind.”
I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, trying to make sense of it all. “So, what now? Is this it? Is this what we have to look forward to?”
Emily gave me a pointed look, her eyes narrow but amused. “You think this is it? Nah, Jeff. This is just the beginning. It’s chaos out here, but it’s also a market—and that means opportunity. If you’ve got the right skills, you can get by. But you’ve gotta be ready to sell yourself to the highest bidder. That’s how it works now.”
I looked around, the emptiness of the lot starting to sink in. The city felt different—creeping with the oppressive presence of private security. Everywhere I looked, there were men and women in dark uniforms, standing at attention, scanning the scene with cold eyes. They weren’t cops, but they sure as hell made you feel like they were. They were guarding buildings, watching everyone like hawks. They didn’t care about laws or morality—they were there to make sure that order was maintained in the chaos, but only if it served the highest-paying client.
Private cleaners were everywhere too. Machines that could have belonged in a sci-fi movie rolled down the streets, scrubbing sidewalks, picking up trash, and making everything look pristinely artificial. But it didn’t feel right. It felt like a mask—like they were trying to cover up the decay beneath. The city was a well-maintained husk, operating under the watchful eye of those who could afford it. Clean and controlled, but hollow at its core.
“Yeah, I see that,” I said, my voice flat. “It’s hard to ignore.”
Emily’s lips twitched into a smirk. “You gotta learn to live with it, man. If you wanna survive, you gotta figure out what you’re good at, then make it work. The market rewards efficiency. But you don’t wanna get too soft, you know? People here don’t care about feelings.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, still feeling lost. “I don’t even know where to begin. What am I supposed to do?”
Emily shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You could fix stuff, you could draw, you could even teach if you wanted to. I don’t know what you’re into, but you’ll find something. You just gotta sell it right. The free market doesn’t care about what you want to do. It cares about what people are willing to pay for.”
I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of her words. I wanted to believe I could do something with my life, but I wasn’t sure where to start. The old world was gone, and the new world was a game I didn’t know how to play.
“I guess I’ll figure it out,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
Emily tapped the side of her car, looking thoughtful. “Speaking of finding your niche, did you hear about Principal Lynn?”
I raised an eyebrow. “What about her?”
Emily leaned in, her voice dropping to a mock-conspiratorial whisper. “Get this. After the school shut down, she got lost—nobody was buying her out. But now? She’s... well, she’s found a new way to make money. And it’s... not what I expected.”
“Okay, now I’m intrigued,” I said, half-expecting the worst.
“Yeah, you should be,” Emily said, leaning back and smirking. “Principal Lynn is a lesbian escort now. Some of the rich clients love that ‘mature’ charm of hers, and they’re willing to pay top dollar. I saw her last week with some chick in a luxury car. It was... honestly, kind of hilarious.”
I blinked, not sure if I’d heard her right. “Principal Lynn? An escort?”
“Yep, for real,” Emily said, laughing. “She’s doing it full-time. Guess she’s gotta survive somehow.”
I stood there for a second, just trying to process what she’d just said. “I can’t even...”
Emily grinned wider. “Yep, it’s a crazy world we live in now. Everybody’s gotta make do with what they’ve got.”
I let out a slow breath, still shocked by the idea of Principal Lynn in that kind of work. I always thought she was kind of a stickler, a hard-ass. But now? She was just another person trying to survive in this new, fucked-up world.
“Well, I guess if you can’t beat ’em…” I muttered, trailing off.
Emily raised an eyebrow. “Exactly. You’re starting to get it.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I guess.”
“Anyway,” Emily said, shoving the pipe into her car and slamming the door shut. “I’m heading to the mall later. You should come with me. Maybe you’ll find something there that’ll make you feel more like you’ve got a grip on this new reality.”
I thought for a second, my mind still spinning. “Yeah, alright. Maybe I need to clear my head anyway.”
Emily pulled a small pill bottle from her jacket pocket and handed it to me. “Speaking of clearing your head, I’ve got something for you. It’s experimental—really weird stuff, but it’s got potential. You might like it.”
I took the bottle, staring at the little pills inside. “Weird how?”
Emily’s grin widened. “It makes you feel... kinda like an anime catgirl. You know, all cute and stuff. But totally out of it at the same time. You’ll feel, like, high but also... super adorable.”
I stared at the bottle, then back at her. “Seriously?”
She nodded. “Trust me. You’ll get it.”
I shook my head, a mix of curiosity and skepticism swirling inside me. “Alright, fine. I’ll try it.”
“Don’t take too much,” she warned, tapping the bottle with a smile. “Or you’ll end up meowing at people in the middle of the street.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Noted.”
I took the bus to the mall later that afternoon. The cold wind bit at my face, and the city felt so... wrong. The usual hum of the city was quieter now. The buildings were still standing, but they looked like empty shells—like they were waiting for something to come along and fill them up again. The private security guards were still everywhere, scanning faces, keeping an eye on everyone. They were like the watchful eyes of some unseen force, making sure nothing went off script.
I wandered through the mall, trying to distract myself from the disorienting emptiness. The food court smelled the same as always, but there were fewer people, and the energy was... off. Like it had been drained by the surrounding chaos. The private security guards were still out in full force. They didn’t smile or look like they were even human—they were just there to make sure people didn’t cause problems. They were walking barriers in black uniforms, with earpieces and expressions like stone.
And then I saw them.
Ari and Nicole were sitting at a booth, sharing fries, their heads bent together in quiet conversation. They looked... together. Their hands intertwined across the table. I blinked, still shocked by the sight of them. Ari looked up first and smiled when she saw me approaching.
“Hey, Jeffery!” she said, her voice light, almost like nothing had changed. “What’s up?”
Nicole gave me a lazy smirk, looking too relaxed. “I’m surprised you’re even in the mall. Doesn’t seem like your scene.”
I sat down next to them, still processing. Nicole looked a little... off. Her pupils were dilated, her movements slow. It was hard to tell if it was just the world around her, or something more. Something else.
“Nicole? You okay?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She just smiled and giggled softly. “I’m... fine. Just... living. You know? Everything’s different now, huh?”
Ari looked at me, her tone calming. “She’s just... experimenting with some of Emily’s stuff. It’s... not like anything we’ve tried before. Makes you feel lighter.”
I wasn’t sure how to feel. Nicole was different, but she didn’t seem to care. Maybe that was the point now—nobody cared. They were just surviving however they could.
“Well,” I said, still unsure. “I guess it’s better than sitting around doing nothing.”
Nicole’s grin widened, and she squeezed Ari’s hand. “Yeah. We’re figuring it out.”
I nodded, but my mind kept wandering. Maybe that was the trick now—just... figuring it out. One weird step at a time.