Day Dreaming

Sunday, May 12th, 2019

Ned is a high school student at Willage High School.

An ordinary teenager, Ned isn't the smartest or the dumbest, nor does he stand out in any significant way. He has no special talents or aspirations. At 17 years old and standing 172 cm tall, his appearance is as average as his personality. With black eyes, black hair, and a toned body, there's nothing distinct about him.

Ned isn't particularly diligent, he rarely combs his hair, but that doesn't mean he's dirty. He keeps himself clean, though it often takes a bit of effort to push past his laziness.

At school, Ned doesn't stand out much, though not because he's shy or introverted. In fact, he's a troublemaker, often trying to capture attention with his charisma and antics. Unfortunately, no one seems to notice or care.

Despite this, Ned continues to cause trouble, hoping to gain some acknowledgment.

He doesn't have big dreams. If someone were to ask him about his goals, he'd say he just wants a normal job, a wife, a simple life, and to die of natural causes. He doesn't take things too seriously most of the time, though he knows when to be serious, just not often.

Ned is sitting at his desk on the second floor of his school. Resting his head on the table, he thinks to himself, "Nothing special happened today."

He glances at the clock on the wall. It's nearly 11 a.m., just before lunch.

When the bell rings, signaling lunchtime, Ned gets up from his seat and heads to the cafeteria. On his way, he looks out the window. "What a sunny day," he thinks.

But then, something catches his attention. Outside, on the sidewalk, he notices a shocking scene, a girl being kidnapped. She's tied up, struggling as two men drag her toward a van.

"Huh?" Ned is frozen in shock. How could such a crime happen right in front of my eyes? In broad daylight?

He turns around and yells, "HEY! THERE'S SOMEONE BEING KIDNAPPED!" But the hallway is empty, everyone else is already in the cafeteria.

Realizing no one is there to help, Ned turns back to the window. He frantically reaches for his phone to capture the scene, but his pocket is empty. Frustrated, he presses his forehead against the glass.

"Why does everything seem to go wrong in moments like these?" he thinks.

From the window, Ned observes the three men involved. One is the driver, waiting inside the van, while the other two are dragging the girl. Though he can't hear their conversation, he sees them throw the girl into the van and close the door.

But before the men enter the van, they notice him. They lock eyes with Ned, standing on the second floor of the school.

Panic floods him. He stumbles backward, away from the window, and falls to his knees. Terrified, he scrambles to his feet and starts running. "They saw me. They're going to come after me!"

Ned bolts toward the principal's office to report what he's seen. "I've got to tell the principal!" he mutters to himself.

Ned bursts into the principal's office, knocking on the door frantically. The principal, a man in his mid-40s with a large build and a stern face, opens the door and lets Ned in.

Ned explains the situation, his voice filled with panic. "I'm telling you, it's real!" he exclaims.

The principal, trying to calm him down, responds, "Now, now, Ned. Calm yourself–"

Before he can finish, Ned slams his hand on the desk, yelling, "HOW CAN I BE CALM?! I SAW A KIDNAPPING HAPPEN!"

The principal, now visibly irritated, slams his hand on the desk as well, silencing Ned. "I said, CALM DOWN!"

After a moment of tense silence, the principal speaks again. "Look, it's not that I don't believe you. But a kidnapping? Right next to our school? In broad daylight? With so many people walking by? How could that happen without anyone noticing?"

Ned, still frantic, insists, "BUT–"

"Enough," the principal interrupts. "If this is one of your pranks, I've had enough of them. You've wasted enough of our time in the past, and we won't tolerate it anymore!"

In a last-ditch effort, Ned shouts, "Then check the school's security cameras! If I'm lying, I'll take any punishment— expelled me even!"

After a pause, the principal sighs and agrees. "Fine. If this is real, it will be the most outrageous crime I've ever seen."

They review the security footage from the time Ned mentioned, 11:15 a.m., during lunch. But nothing appears on the screen.

No van. No kidnapping. And no girl.

Ned is stunned. How? I saw it with my own eyes!

He looks at the principal, who is now glaring at him with anger. "GET OUT!" the principal yells, shoving Ned out of the office. "YOUR PUNISHMENT WILL BE CLEANING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL TOMORROW, AND THERE WILL BE NOT A SPECK OF DIRT LEFT!"

Devastated, Ned returns to his classroom. "How could the cameras show nothing?" he thinks.

The day drags on, and when the final bell rings, Ned packs up his things and heads home.

On his way out, he notices Brad, one of the most popular kids at Willage High School, standing near the school gate.

Brad have the same age and height as Ned, is known for his charisma, good looks, and athletic talent, particularly in baseball. With his black-and-white varsity jacket, backward hat, and confident smile, he's easily one of the most recognizable figures in school. But beneath his charming exterior, Brad has a mean streak. He's known to bully students he considers beneath him, often resorting to physical violence.

Ned walks past him, assuming Brad is waiting for a friend or a ride home. But then Brad speaks.

"Don't look back. What's your name?"

Ned, confused but willingly answer, replies, "Uh... Ned."

Brad responds, "Alright, Ned. Keep walking. Don't look back." Ned does as he's told.

That was surprising,"Why would Brad talk to me?" Though Brad rarely acknowledges someone like Ned, because they live in a completely different world, his tone was unusual, serious, almost threatening, is he looking for something?

The brief interaction leaves Ned unsettled, but he continues home, at least that interaction can distracted him from what has happened today.

Ned arrives at his small rented house. His parents, who've been out of town for years, send him money for rent and food but rarely contact him. He hasn't seen them since he was seven and barely remembers what they look like or sound like, but he doesn't care anymore, or what he thinks, he hope

He cooks himself some instant noodles, eats in silence, and tosses the trash. Feeling overwhelmed, he decides to take an early shower to clear his mind.

After cleaning up, Ned falls onto his bed, exhausted. He closes his eyes and mutters to himself, "Goodnight".