Chapter 2 - 1 : Joel and Sarah
Suburban Austin, Texas, USA.
The early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow into the dimly lit room. On the spacious bed, a 13-year-old boy slept soundly, the sunlight outside the window causing him to stir uncomfortably. His eyes fluttered, and instinctively, he turned away from the brightness.
"Ding--!"
The boy's movement coincided with the harsh ringing of the cat-faced alarm clock on the bedside table, jolting him awake.
Furrowing his brow, the young lad reached out from beneath the covers, silencing the alarm with ease, before slowly opening his bleary eyes.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he sat up in bed, stretching his limbs with a groan that sounded almost like constipation.
Glancing at the alarm clock, which read 7:00, the boy sighed, reluctantly throwing off the covers. He slipped on his slippers, shuffled into the bathroom, and began his morning routine.
Grabbing the cup and toothbrush from the sink, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. A small smile tugged at his lips as he remarked to himself with a hint of pride, "Who knew time travel had its perks?"
Indeed, the boy, named Brian, had accidentally traveled through time, landing in this world almost a month ago. Despite the initial confusion and unease, he had gradually adapted to his new reality, finding it similar yet different from his original world.
Here, he was Brian, raised by overseas parents who were often away due to work. With only a nanny for company, Brian found solace in the absence of familial pressures that had plagued him in his previous life.
After freshening up, Brian exchanged his pajamas for a school uniform, tidied up briefly, and left his room.