SOME YEARS BACK...

Crouched down with his head pressed against the fence, Carlo watched light bounce off the metal flagpole that stood in front of the school. Somehow bathed a pious glow, he found it funny that the church he lived in never had such divine trappings. The building itself was nothing special either. It was a wide three-story cinder block, with a sun-bleached paint job that left its exterior a molded cream. The only array of color on the walls was the mural on the side overlooking the playground. It was of a raccoon in a forest, surrounded by friends all meshed with skyscrapers in the distance. Raccoons had nothing to do with New York and skyscrapers were a Manhattan feature, not the Bronx. The artist lacked any kind of conceptual sense, Carlo thought, but couldn’t feel attached to the earnest eyes of the Racoon. Kids were already filing into the front of the building. Their faces were drawn down with heavy bags under their eyes, misery, and dreams of a warm bed they mourned.

"Fools can’t see the forest for the trees," Carlo said to himself in a small huff. 

"Fool, do you?" said a voice behind him. Carlo shook with fear, dropped to his butt, and turned around with his back to the fence. 

In front of him stood a little boy the same age, but leaner and much more muscular. The sides of his head were shaved down, with only four thick locks hanging off the center of his crown that draped slighter over his face. He wore a baggy white t-shirt, blue cargo pants with sandals, and socks.  His face was his most interesting feature. It was cold, and indifferent, with piercing hazel eyes that tracked you like a predator. 

"Jesus DJ, what the hell was that about?!" Carlo screamed at his friend.  The man crossed his arms,

morphing his icy demeanor into a crooked grin exposing a loving warmth few were privy to. 

"Uh more like what the hell is that about?" Dejari said, pointing up and down at Carlo’s light green uniform which included an ugly-looking polo and khakis. 

"It’s what they make you wear. I didn't have a choice in the matter. Rudimentary color palettes and cheap-"

"-That why you ain't at your new school right now?" Dejari inquired, still grinning. 

"I could say the same to you special ed," Carlo noted, followed by an accusatory point. 

“Oh, you gonna do me like that, big head? Well, I guess we’re both committing truancy.”

“uhhh...yes.” 

“You hesitated.” 

"Well, my school starts at nine, not seven-thirty.” 

“Oh so just me. Damn Carlo, you never change huh. Goody two-shoes ass. ” Dejari said, walking over and giving his oldest friend a dap. Carlo stood up.

“I don’t know, I thought it'd be cool to see what my life could have been, you know? Since the tech to access the multiverse is still a few decades away…"

"You woke up early for that? The hell Carlo? Why do you wanna keep staying with us dummies?  Afraid you ain’t gonna be the smartest guy in the building no more?"

"You're not dumb DJ." 

"I know I'm not. But compared to your ass, I might as well actually be special ed. Now come on, let’s take you to nerd school," Dejari said, taking a step back and gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder.

"Nah DJ go inside. I’ll-"

"-If I leave, you might never make it there," he said, stepping behind Carlo and pushing him away from the building.

"Wait. What about you?" Carlo asked. Dejari sucked his teeth. 

"I don’t want to be around those dummies. Now let's go."