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Writer
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Happy Valley U.S.A.
Posts: 40
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Street Smarts
At age two, Nick Woods had already begun to read. By age five, he was nearly bilingual and by age thirteen, he was smarter than the average high school student and was studying for college courses. He'd been deemed a genius by every scientist and doctor in the entire state of New York and a certain scientist in particular, doctor Norman Ozwell had taken a keen interest in the young man and had begun running tests on the boy which continued over the years.
Despite his increasing IQ, he wasn't absorbed in his studies, and had a large group of friends. Granted, he wasn't the most popular boy in school, but those of his friends he loved dearly and they loved him. They considered each other brothers and promised to do anything for each other no matter what the cost.
Alex Nielson was one of his closest friends, whom he'd met when he moved into the neighborhood when he was almost four, and all the others, Levi Ashcraft, Josh Reidhead, Devin Bodily, Austen Green and Mark Kriser had met them throughout the course of school, and ever since then, they were always there by each other's sides, ready to go through anything that one of their brothers had. Levi had basketball and was taking a driver education course during his sophomore year in high school and was pulling twelve hour days at school with an additional four hours of homework every night. And dang if every single one of his friends wasn't by his side through every minute of it.
Nick felt a very strong bond with them, for rather than ostricizing him for being so different from everyone else for his genius IQ, they were sure to be by his side throughout all of Ozwell's endless tests being run on him to test his intelligence. Together, they'd root him on on the other side of the glass as he performed seemingly impossible tasks. Every single week, every single month of every single year they were there in the building, cheering on their friend as he was being tested by more and more vigorous and bizarre tests.
Until one evening...
"Nicholas, would you please come with me?" Ozwell asked, his eyes piercing Nick. Nick stared outside at his friends and in sign language asked if was okay with them if he left. (He taught them all sign language, and that was the way they communicated in loud rooms, streets or in any situation in which they couldn't hear) they said it was okay and so he followed Ozwell into his office.
Ozwell sat down behind his enormous mahogany desk; shadows were cast all around the room, since the only illumination in the room was a bare bulb up in a corner to the right of the door they'd entered in.
"Nicholas, I've noticed your test scores have been decreasing," Ozwell stared at Nick and interlocked his fingers on top of his desk.
"...All right," Nick answered, not really caring where this was going.
"I think I've diagnosed the cause for this, also," Ozwell leaned back in his chair, looking as svelte and pompous as possible.
"Whoopdee shi-"
"NICHOLAS!" Ozwell grunted. "You obviously have no desire to score high on these tests, and it's making it difficult to know for sure if your mind is slipping. It's either one of two things: either it's your friends that you always seem to be hanging around or else it's the fact that you have no drive, no motivation to score high."
"Okay then give me a reason to WANT to do it. After the first several years of being unnecessarily experimented on, I'm beginning to think this entire operation as a hyperbole, there's no plausible reason to continue, I've already proved to you and several others that I am, indeed smarter than the average person."
Ozwell sighed and sunk back further in his chair, if that were possible.
"Nicholas, I've never thought much of your friends. They have low expectations, and honestly I think they're bringing you down with them."
"Well, Mr. Ozwell, I can assure you that they're not. I just have no enthusiasm for the experiments anymore; I've mastered all the concepts and there's nothing else for me to progress on. If you can find an experiment that I'd want to continue with, then I'll be happy to keep working with you."
Ozwell sat in silence for a moment, then nodded.
"I think I have just the thing in mind. You can go home now."
As Nick stepped out into the hallway, his friends were there to greet him.
"What was all that about?" Levi asked.
"Yeah, what was the pervert doing in there was he-" Austen started
"Shut up!" Alex jabbed Austen in the ribs. "Just because YOU would've doesn't mean everyone's as sick as you." Austen fell silent after that and everyone else joked around as they walked home.
At three in the morning, Nick received a call. He swung his arm over onto his bedstand and pulled the phone off the receiver.
'Stupid pecker...' Nick thought, 'I'm not going to be able to get back to sleep tonight.'
"Hello?" Nick grumbled in a sleep deprived grunt.
"Ah, Nicholas, this is Dr. Ozwell. I have a new experiment that I'm eager for you to try out."
"What the crap's the matter with you? It's three a.m.! I have school!" Nick woke up a little more at that outrageous demand.
"Well personally, I have the patience that, despite all my eagerness, I'd be able to wait until you're free, but this is urgent, I need you to come immediately."
"Fine, just me dress and I'll be to your building in a half hour," Nick was about to hang up the phone as he sat up, but he heard Ozwell's voice buzz through the reciever. "What was that?" Nick asked and brought the phone back up to his ear.
"I'll not be in my office, I need you to meet me on Main Street." And with that, the phone went . Nick threw his clothes on and darted out the door without even grabbing his shoes. It was November and the cold air was sharpened with the wind blowing against his bare arms. He made his way to Main Street by the dim, limiting street lights guiding him.
Nick ran out into the crosswalk in Main Street and saw no one standing there. Nick stood there, shivering in the cold air, his fury rising, thinking this was all just a big prank.
"So this is the experiment; to see if I'm gullible and stupid enough to freeze my butt off at three in the morning. Well I failed, you stupid son of a-" Nick cut himself off as in the dim light he saw a walkie-talkie in the middle of the circle of light.
He picked it up and pushed the button in to speak. After a minute or so, he let go and heard a voice cut in.
"Ah, so you ended up coming after all, Nicholas. Good thing too, because the clock's ticking," Ozwell's voice chuckled on the other line.
"What are you talking about??" Nick yelled. "What's that matter with you?!"
"Ah ah ahhh, Nicholas, losing your temper won't do anything. If you be a good boy, I'll give you a hint."
Nick fought back his anger with a fierce gulp and growled into the walkie-talkie. "Okay, so what's your game?"
"Oh, no game, the new experiment. Your friends were so gracious as to "volunteer" for this good cause. You have three hours to find them all and, if you're lucky, release them."
"WHAT THE H-" Nick screamed.
"Ah ah ahhh. I promised you that you'd have good motivation in this new experiment, no? Nevertheless, I'll give you a hint. Alex is the nearest by and given the conditions, you should be able to hear a distinct noise which will lead you to him. From there, I've left another hint for you. Good luck."
Nick looked down at his watch. It read 3:17. He had less than three hours...
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If anyone feels like hearing the rest, then just say so, and I'll be glad to ^_^. But as of right now, I'm too tired.
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"0h n0Es!! mY hAtx0RxZ!" - Revolver Ocelot
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