System Versions

Chapter 6 - Mrs. Jenkins

After school, Mohamed headed home, still thinking about Brad's words. But as he approached his house, he noticed that something was off. His belongings were scattered all over the front yard. Mohamed's heart sank as he saw his aunt standing in the doorway, her face twisted in anger.

"You think you're so special, don't you?" she spat. "You think you're better than my son, Brad? Well, let me tell you something, Mohamed. You're nothing but a burden. I'm tired of raising you, tired of feeding you, tired of giving you a roof over your head."

Mohamed felt a stinging sensation in his eyes as tears began to well up. He had never felt so hurt, so rejected.

"Please, Auntie," Mohamed begged, falling to his knees. "Don't throw me out. I have nowhere else to go. I'll do anything, just please don't make me leave."

But his aunt's expression remained cold and unforgiving.

"You should have thought of that before you tried to steal the spotlight from my son," she spat. "You're just a jealous little boy who can't stand to see Brad succeed. Well, I've had enough of your attitude. Get out, and don't come back!"

Mohamed felt a wave of desperation wash over him. He begged and pleaded with his aunt, but she refused to listen. Finally, she slammed the door shut in his face, leaving Mohamed alone and homeless on the street.

As he sat on the curb, feeling sorry for himself, Mohamed heard a faint laugh behind him. He turned to see Brad standing there, a smug look on his face.

"Looks like you're not so special after all," Brad sneered. "You're just a nobody, a reject. And now you're homeless. How does it feel to be at the bottom of the barrel?"

Mohamed felt a surge of anger, but he bit back his retort. He knew that Brad was just trying to provoke him, and he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Instead, he stood up, dusting himself off, and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Brad called after him.

Mohamed didn't look back. "I'm going to find a way for myself and pass the Awakening" he said, his voice firm and determined. "And when I do, I'll make sure to show you and everybody who looks down on me, what I'm really capable of."

As Mohamed walked away from Brad, he couldn't help but feel a sense of desperation. He had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. He felt like he was all alone in this world.

But then, suddenly, a name popped into his head - Mrs. Jenkins, his elderly neighbor who he used to run errands for. Mohamed had always been fond of Mrs. Jenkins, and he knew that she was kind and trustworthy.

As he walked, Mohamed contemplated whether to ask Mrs. Jenkins for help. He knew that she would probably be willing to take him in, but he also didn't want to impose on her.

Mohamed thought about how he used to help Mrs. Jenkins with her grocery shopping and how she would always tell him he was special. He remembered how she would always listen to him and offer words of encouragement.

As he stood outside Mrs. Jenkins' house, Mohamed took a deep breath and wondered if he should knock on the door. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew he had to try.

He thought about how Mrs. Jenkins might react to his situation. Would she be willing to take him in, or would she turn him away?

Mohamed's heart was racing with uncertainty as he hesitated outside the door.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mohamed made up his mind. He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and knocked on the door.

As Mohamed stood outside the door, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He expected to see Mrs. Jenkins' familiar face, but instead, the door swung open to reveal Angel, from School, the most beautiful girl in school.

Angel's long, curly brown hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her bright green eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her full lips were pursed in a questioning expression, and her smooth, porcelain skin glowed with a warm, golden light.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asked, her voice like music.

Mohamed's jaw dropped in shock. "You... you live here?" he stuttered.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I do. What's it to you?"

Mohamed was taken aback by Angel's beauty, but he quickly composed himself.

"I... I was looking for Mrs. Jenkins," he stammered.

"What do you want with her?" she said suspiciously.

Just then, a voice called out from inside the house. "Angel, who's at the door?"

Angel turned to call back, "It's Mohamed, Grandma."

Mrs. Jenkins appeared behind Angel, a look of surprise on her face when she saw Mohamed standing there.

"Mohamed! What brings you here?" Mrs. Jenkins asked, her voice soft and warm.

Mohamed took a deep breath, "My aunt, she... she kicked me out. I have nowhere else to go." he voiced out.

Mrs. Jenkins' expression softened, and she reached out to place a gentle hand on his arm. "Tell me What Happened?"

Mohamed explained his situation, leaving out no details.

Mrs. Jenkins listened attentively, her expression growing more and more concerned.

When Mohamed finished speaking, Mrs. Jenkins nodded sympathetically. "You're welcome to stay here with us, Mohamed. We'll do our best to help you."

But Angel didn't look happy about the arrangement. She crossed her arms over her chest, a scowl on her face.

Mrs. Jenkins seemed to notice Angel's displeasure, but she just smiled and said, "Angel is my granddaughter, Mohamed. She's a bit protective of me, that's all."

As Mohamed followed Mrs. Jenkins and Angel into the house, he couldn't help but notice the cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The living room was decorated with comfortable-looking furniture and colorful rugs, and there were all sorts of strange and fascinating gadgets scattered around the room.

Mrs. Jenkins noticed Mohamed's interest and smiled. "I used to be an inventor, dear," she explained. "I spent most of my career designing and building all sorts of gadgets and gizmos. I even won a few awards for my work."

Mohamed's eyes widened in amazement. "That's incredible!" he exclaimed.

Mrs. Jenkins chuckled. "Oh, it was just a job, dear. But I did love it. I had to retire eventually, of course. My body couldn't keep up with my mind anymore."

Mohamed nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said.

Mrs. Jenkins waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, don't be sorry, dear. I'm happy to be retired. I get to spend all my time doing what I love – tinkering with gadgets and spoiling my granddaughter rotten."

Mohamed smiled at the mention of Angel, who was watching the conversation with a mixture of curiosity.

Mrs. Jenkins continued, "My son, Angel's father, is also an inventor. He's always off traveling the world, designing and building new gadgets. I'm so proud of him."

Mohamed's eyes lit up with interest. "That sounds amazing," he said. "I wish I could meet him someday."

Mrs. Jenkins smiled. "I'm sure you will, dear. He's always coming and going. Now, let's get you settled in. You must be starving."

As Mrs. Jenkins led Mohamed into the kitchen, he couldn't help but notice the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the house.

It was clear that Mrs. Jenkins was a kind and generous person, always willing to help those in need.

And despite Angel's initial reluctance, Mohamed could tell that she was a kind and caring person too. She just had a bit of a prickly exterior, that was all.

As they sat down to eat, Mrs. Jenkins asked Mohamed all about his situation, listening attentively as he explained. She nodded sympathetically, making supportive noises as he spoke.

When Mohamed finished, Mrs. Jenkins smiled warmly. "Don't worry, dear," she said. "You're safe now. We'll take care of you."

Mohamed felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. "Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you for taking me in. I won't let you down."

Mrs. Jenkins smiled, her eyes shining with warmth.

"I know you won't, Mohamed. You're a good kid. Now, finish up"

He knew that he had found a true helper in Mrs. Jenkins, and he was determined to make the most of his time with her.

As they finished their meal, Mrs. Jenkins smiled at Mohamed and said, "Now, dear, you must be exhausted. Angel, would you please show Mohamed to the spare room? He can use it for as long as he needs."

Angel nodded, getting up from her seat. "Follow me," she said to Mohamed helping him with his luggage, her voice a little softer than before.

Mohamed got up, thanking Mrs. Jenkins again for her kindness. He followed Angel out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the spare room.

As they walked, Mohamed couldn't help but notice the way Angel's hair swung behind her, or the way her eyes sparkled in the dim light of the hallway. He felt a little flutter in his chest, and he quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed.

The spare room was cozy and comfortable, with a soft bed and a desk in the corner.

Angel showed Mohamed where everything was, and then she turned to leave.

"Thank you," Mohamed said, feeling a little awkward.

Angel nodded, her expression softening slightly. "No problem," she said. "Just make yourself at home, okay?"

And with that, she turned and left the room, leaving Mohamed to settle in and try to process everything that had happened.

Mohamed looked around the room, taking in the cozy atmosphere. The bed was soft and inviting, and the desk in the corner was equipped with a state-of-the-art computer system.

Mohamed's eyes widened as he noticed the sleek, futuristic design of the room.

He walked over to the bed and lay down, feeling the softness envelop him. He closed his eyes and said, "System, bring up my current quest."

Notification sound go ding in his head.

[QUEST]

[Current Quest: Become Popular in School]

[Objective: Increase your popularity in school by 50% within 1 week]

[Progress: 25% / 50%]

[Time Elapse: 3days]

Mohamed's eyes widened in surprise. He had only just started his journey, and he had already made 25% progress? He felt a surge of excitement and motivation. He was determined to complete the quest and receive the Reward.

As he gazed at the holographic display in his sight, Mohamed noticed that the system had also provided him with the time Remaining to complete the quest. Mohamed's eyes scanned the information, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew that he still had a long way to go, but he felt a sense of hope and determination that he had not felt in a long time.

As Mohamed lay in bed, his mind began to wander to the upcoming football game. It was his first game with the team, and he was both excited and nervous.

As he thought about the game, Mohamed's eyelids began to feel heavy. He tried to fight it, but eventually, his exhaustion won out. He drifted off to sleep.

=====

In a Place Where The sky above was a deep, bloody red, and the stars twinkled like cold, dead eyes. The landscape itself was a twisted, surreal maze of twisted rock formations, jagged spires, and deep, yawning chasms.

Everywhere, there were twisted, gnarled trees that seemed to lean in, as if they were trying to listen to every thought. Their branches were like skeletal fingers, and their leaves were a deep, poisonous green.

In the distance Mohamed could be seen lookin the distance where the range of twisted, nightmarish mountains that seemed to be made of some dark, glassy material reflected the red glow of the sky. The mountains seemed to be alive, twisting and writhing like living things.

The entire place seemed to be imbued with a malevolent, evil energy that seemed to seep into Mohamed's every bones. He could feel the weight of the dark energy bearing down on him, trying to crush him beneath its oppressive, nightmarish weight.

Mohamed looked around, trying to get his bearings. But everything seemed unfamiliar. He had no idea where he was or how he got there.

"Where...where am I?" Mohamed asked, his voice shaking with fear. he could feel the weight of malevolent eyes upon him.

A group of twisted, supernatural creatures emerged from the shadows surrounding him, their presence making Mohamed's blood run cold. The creatures was unlike anything Mohamed had ever seen before. It had the body of a giant spider, with long, spindly legs and a bulbous, pulsing abdomen. Its face was a twisted parody of a human visage, with glowing red eyes and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.

One of the creatures stepped forward, It spoke in a voice that was like a rusty gate scraping against concrete. "Where is the book?" it hissed, its eyes burning with malevolent intent.

Mohamed tried to speak, but his voice was frozen in his throat. He tried to run, but his legs were rooted to the spot.

The creature took another step closer, its eyes blazing with an unholy light. "We're coming for you," it hissed. "You cannot escape."

Mohamed felt a wave of terror wash over him. He was trapped, and there was no escape.

Suddenly, the creatures closed in, their twisted faces inches from Mohamed's. He felt a scream building in his throat, and then...

Mohamed woke up with a start, his heart racing and his sheets drenched in sweat. He was gasping for air, and his body was shaking with fear.

It took him a few moments to realize that it was just a nightmare, but the memory of the twisted creatures and the System Book still lingered in his mind, leaving him with a sense of unease and foreboding.