Chapter 0:

Prologue

Last Chance

Friday, 17th April 2025

Seated in the back of a rusty Taxi cab was degenerate Christopher Vance.

The late afternoon sunlight spilled across the gravel road leading to the gates of Eastern Gate Academy - An Adventist school that prioritized two important core values.

"Education and Salvation? Is that seriously your schools motto?" jested the taxi driver looking at Christopher through the rear view mirror.

Christopher wearing his headphones noticed his mouth moving but didn't bother to hear what he heard to say. Christopher was still staring out at the large iron arch that had the words Education and Salvation written on it till he felt a firm slap on his leg. He snapped back and took off his headphones.

"tsk. Kids nowadays don't have manners..... You know when I was your age I'd treat every adult like they were my parents and I certainly never responded to them with silence."

"Geez man I'm just trying to calm my nerves and your out here telling me about your bootlicking days."

"You know I'm going to have to charge you extra for you disrespect damn brat."

"Fine by me if that will shut you up."

The quite order of the adventist campus stretched outward with its unpaved road that lead to the student dormitory. A place which most students agreed resembled prison with its barb wired fences that stood tall encompassing the dormitory and kept separate the boy and girl sides. A single wide story concrete building which used to be one but now there was a huge wall inside separating the boys and girls. On the boys side were six rooms and at the end of the hall was a bathroom area. Same design as the girls but they had more rooms. Outside of the main building was a house for the Matron and her family situated next to the entrance for the girls side. Each side had a smaller dorm building informally known as the Zola. Behind the dorms was the dining hall. A brick building not known for good food but Christopher swears its good.

Christopher Vance stood with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and stared at the place for a moment.

Two weeks since school started for the finishing class huh?

Two entire weeks away from school. Two weeks where the rhythm of dorm life, morning worship, classes, and evening study had continued without him. The campus looked unchanged, but he felt strangely like a visitor returning to a life that had moved on without asking him.

He exhaled slowly and walked through the gate.

The dormitory building loomed ahead him of plain white walls and long rows of windows. Voices echoed from inside, mixed with the dull thump of lockers closing and the distant laughter of students who had already settled back into routine.

Christopher stepped onto the huge concrete step and pushed open the dorm door passing through the common area if you could even call it one. It used to be the dining area before they put up the wall now it's just place with a long platform regularly used for ironing, the platform stretched from the hall entrance to the other door which for the boys was never opened forcing them to go around from the gate to get to the other entrance. At the end of the platform supported by brick beams was a telephone.

The familiar smell hit him instantly as he walked through the passage: laundry detergent, books, and the faint scent of the cafeteria drifting in from outside. It was the strange perfume of boarding school life.

“Christopher?!”

He turned to look through the open door of Room 5.

David sat on the edge of a bunk bed, nearly dropping the razor in his hand.

“Bro, you’re alive!”

Before Christopher could answer, David crossed the room and pulled him into a hug.

“Where have you been?” David said. “Two weeks, man. We thought you dropped out or something.”

“Just… family stuff,” Christopher muttered, "and what are you doing with a razor?"

"Never mind that let me show you your room."

He set his bag down beside his bed in room 2. Everything was slightly different from how he’d left it when he stayed here last year.

Busting the door open walked in another boy

Michael.

“You missed a lot,” Michael said with a grin that suggested the opposite that whatever Christopher missed was probably ridiculous teenage drama.

Christopher sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Like what?”

David and Michael exchanged a look. The kind of look that meant gossip was about to begin.

“Relationships,” David announced dramatically.

Christopher groaned.

“Already?”

“It’s the final term,” Michael said. “People are desperate.”

David pointed a finger at him.

“I’m serious. Everyone suddenly thinks they’re in some romance movie before graduation.”

Christopher rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sounds exhausting.”

“Oh, you think that’s bad,” Michael said. “Wait until you hear this.”

"Wait Michael. I hope your not telling him what I think you are cause if so then I should be the one to tell him" said David.

He leaned closer like he was revealing a classified secret.

“I broke up with Leone.”

“WHAT! After two whole years???,” Christopher exclaimed. His jaw dropped.

“I guess all good things must come to an end,” David replied.

Michael laughed.

“That statement makes the breakup sound even worse but I find my situation far worse than Davids.” said Michael

"Really what could be worse than David breaking up with his girlfriend of two years?"

Looking down on the floor as his happy expression faded. Michael took a deep breath before he replied.

"Well unfortunately it seems I have fallen in-love with two girls and I am secretly dating both of them."

This idiot. He thinks just cause he feels bad that makes it better. This situation is obviously worse for both of the girls but for him? What should I say? I don't condone it but it's hard to confront him.

Christopher looked at David for an answer but David just shrugged his shoulders. Christopher not having a choice responded

"Listen man you need pick one otherwise you'll just break both of their hearts and imagine if both of them pulled up to you at once. That'd be awful."

"Heh. That's true." chuckled Michael.

Christopher listened quietly as they talked stories about awkward confessions, secret crushes, dramatic hallway arguments, and couples walking around campus holding hands like graduation was the last day love could exist.

The whole thing felt strangely distant to him.

For most of high school, Christopher had watched romance from the sidelines. Other people dated, flirted, argued, and broke up. Meanwhile, he had perfected the art of being invisible.

The awkward guy.

The reserved one.

The floater friend.

David leaned back on the bed.

“So,” he said casually, “what about you?”

Christopher blinked.

“What about me?”

“Any love stories during those two weeks or at all?” Michael teased.

Christopher shook his head quickly.

“No. I don't think I have experienced dating, only crushes. There was one time 2 years ago when I schooled at Cradford. A girl told me her friend liked me. I was so excited but then it turned out it was all a joke. I must have been a fool.”

David sighed dramatically.

“Tragic.”

Michael laughed again.

“You still have time, bro. Final term miracle.”

Christopher smiled faintly, though he knew the truth.

Miracles didn’t happen to people like him.

Outside, the evening bell rang.

Students began moving through the hallway toward supper. The corridor filled with footsteps, chatter, and the low hum of dorm life returning to motion.

Christopher got out of his bed.

“Let’s go before there is a line. I'm starving for some good food.”

"You know your the only that genuinely enjoys this boarding food."

They walked down the corridor together plates and forks in hand, pushing through the crowd of students heading toward the dining hall but before Christopher could advance any further he was stopped by the stick of the boarding master, Mr. K.

A short dark-skinned man roughly in his thirties, despite his stature there wasn't a student who didn't fear him. He stayed in the boys dorm with his room being the one at the entrance of the passage.

"Thought I would forget about your phone huh? Now go get it."

Not wasting a second he rushed to his room.

"We'll meet you at the Dining Hall," shouted David.

Rushing outside after he had returned his phone the sky outside turned orange and violet, the sunset stretching across the campus like a painting. A warm breeze moved through the trees.

Christopher slowed slightly as he approached the dining hall feeling nervous about entering.

The boys entrance was at the back the back while the girls remained at the front. Normally during lunch boys and girl would enter in turns but during Dinner time they would enter at the same time. The dining hall featured two long tables flanking the room, one for the boys and one for the girls with smaller tables situated between them for the girls. The boys, however, remained strictly assigned to their single long table.

As he entered he took a deep breath and observed the Hall filled with students. Some sitting down and some standing in the lines for food.

"Goodness what are you doing here? Though you left boarding.... and school."

He noticed Leon, his blonde hair messy as usual already eating his food looking up at him.

"Yeah well I came back. I'm going to get my food I will see you later."

Standing in line Christopher kept fidgeting with hands. constantly looking around. There were two girls in front of him laughing and making jokes. One of them was his neighbor Faith. She was talking to her friend who was in a Year below Christopher and Faith named Sydney.

"Stop Faith! You don't want to me angry." Sydney said playfully.

"Or what?" Faith replied.

Geez could this get any cornier?

"Just ask Chris about what happens when I'm angry."

Huh!? No way she's bringing me into this conversation. If I remember her name is Sydney right? The only time I remember talking to her was back when I used to sell sweets and she was buying from me.

Pinching his nose before he replied Christopher let out a sigh.

"Yeah totally she's crazy and made me suffer through traumatizing things." Christopher said robotically.

Both girls looked at him before they let out a laugh.

"Hi neighbor you know I missed you."

Well that's a lie.

"Yeah I missed you too I guess. My mom says hi by the way."

"Oh really?" Faiths eyes lit up for a second.

"No."

Sydney burst out laughing while Faith stood annoyed.

"Your mean, you know that neighbor?"

''Come on faith you have to admit that was pretty funny," replied Sydney grinning, "Your funny Chris."

"Thanks I guess."