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Story Notes:

This was my first attempt at writing a GH-X2 inspired story. When I finished it, Imagin8 and I discussed what I wrote, and changes that could be made to improve the story. But I didn't feel comfortable making the changes at that time. So I totally rewrote the story that became The Beginning. And I thought I was done with the original story. But I kept thinking about what Imagin8 and I talked about, so I decided to rewrite this version, which is now my James Adams story. But now I have decided to post this version, which I started the day before the 2021 Superbowl, and finished during the game. 

Pt 1


  The boys raced their bikes down the dirt road to who could get to the lake first. The taller of the two, Greg Walker, had longer legs, but the other boy, AJ Barnett, had the faster legs. It was neck and neck, but Greg beat AJ by a nose. 

 

  Ridgemont Lake was a secluded area in the town of Ridgemont, a coal mining town in the heart the mountains. The boys got off their bikes and sat down on a bench located near the water.

 

  Greg and AJ had been lifelong best friends, a brotherly bond made stronger by the fact that their fathers were also best friends.The dads were both foremen for the company that ran the mines in the tri-county area. Thanks to the energy boom, Ridgemont was considered an upper middle class area. And their fathers both had work schedules that allowed them to be done work by 4 pm, allowing them to be home to have dinner with their family.

 

Greg really admired his parents. His mother, Debbie, seemed to be the kindest, most generous soul in the world. If she had called Greg by his full name in a voice slightly above normal tone, he knew he was in trouble. And for most of his 14 years, he looked up to her. She was the gentle rock that kept the family together, and had given up a promising basketball career to stay home and raise Greg. His mother stood around six feet tall, with a smile that could tame a rabid dog.

 

And it wasn’t just his mom that he admired. His dad, Tom, was a well respected by the men at the mine, and was actually considered a true voice of the workers when he dealt with upper management. An imposing man of six feet four inches, he never lost his temper, even when some drunk came around the mine and wanted to start trouble.

 

Greg got his height from his parents, as at 14 he already stood at six feet three inches and weighed over 210 pounds. He was a star defensive lineman in his youth football league, the most unstoppable force that the county had ever seen. And his friend AJ was the most highly followed QB in the state. Even at 13, he had a powerful arm, and speed to match, as he won many games with his legs. The pairs reputation was such the coach Alex Besson of The Ridgemont High football team had been watching their games since they were in sixth grade, and knew that as soon as they stepped foot into the high school freshman year that they were starters for the varsity team.

Greg and AJ got back on their bikes, and headed for home. Following the dirt road, they came across a giant fenced in area that had what both boys recognized as a blasting blanket draped all around. The boys gave a quick look and continued on their way.

 

Greg saw his dad’s car in the driveway when he got back around 5. Upon entering the house, he immediately sought out his mom and gave her a hug and a kiss. Greg loved his dad, but his mom is the one he felt closest to. She had been there all his life. He was sick, his mom took him to the doctor, he had wild plans about what he wanted to do when her grew up, his mom would listen patiently and encourage him to shoot for the moon in whatever he wanted to do. 

Greg then went over to his dad and shook his hand firmly, looking him in the eye. His father had stressed that since he was young. A firm believer in keeping his word to people, Greg’s dad thought the handshake was his way of letting people know that his word was his bond,

 

Greg mentioned the giant fence and blasting blanket that he and AJ saw earlier, near the lake and wanted to know if his dad knew anything. His father replied that he had been told by management that the mine was expanding its area of operations, and that it would take a couple of years to fully get that part operational. Greg nodded his head, and his mom announced that dinner was ready. Greg couldn't wait until school started in a week, as he wanted to get back to playing football with AJ.

 

PT 2

 

And just like that the week flew by. Greg got up early, had breakfast and showered, and paced outside waiting for the bus. He couldn't wait to play football. At the beginning of every season he was like a kid at Christmas opening every present he could as fast as he could. Of course, by the end of the season it was a different story, as the bumps and bruises piled up. But Greg never lost his passion for the game. 

 

The bus arrived, and as Greg boarded, he spotted AJ near back and made a beeline for his friend. Once seated, the boys excitedly discussed what practice would be like. Coach Besson had been a fixture at the school, and was a legend in the tri-county area.

While still talking to AJ, Greg casually looked around the bus. It was then he saw her. She was sitting by herself in the last row, just looking out the window. She turned her head, briefly locking eyes with Greg, and then she quickly turned towards the window again. Greg was mesmerized. She had absolutely the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen, and as AJ talked more and more, Greg heard less and less.

 

Although he was a star athlete, Greg was shy around girls. In fact, he felt most comfortable when a girl would approach him, as found it easier to have a conversation. People were always approaching him, wanting to talk about a particular game, or play, and it was just something that he was used to. 

 

He couldn't take his focus off the girls eyes, and in an extremely uncharacteristic move, told AJ he would be back and got up and headed for the last row. He was nervous as hell. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when he was this nervous, not even before big games. But he summoned the courage to introduce himself and asked for her permission to sit next to her. She looked at him, thought for a moment, and said it was ok. Greg sat down next to her, and she told him her name, Sophia Myles. As the awkwardness of the conversation faded, she told him that she had just moved to Ridgemont from out of state. Her dad was a surveyor, and had been transferred her at the beginning of the month. Greg told Sophia that his dad was a foreman with the mine, and due to the nature of the job, he had lost many friends growing up due to their parents being transferred. Sophia looked at him for a minute, and realized that he kind of understood the issues of constant relocations and the effects on families. 

 

Greg never went back to AJ as the bus pulled into the school parking lot. As an outsider, Sophia was afraid that she would be able make friends quickly, but Greg put her at ease. She was full of butterflies when she boarded the bus, but most of them were gone by the time the bus stopped. 

 

Greg walked with Sophia off the bus, and as she made her way to the registration office to fill out paperwork, he caught up with AJ, who was waiting for him by the front door. AJ couldn't resist calling Greg “Romeo” the rest of day. Greg thought it was funny, but as they made their way to their homeroom, he couldn't get Sophia out of his mind.

 

Coach Besson’s first football practice had gone as he expected. Freshmen Greg Walker and AJ Barnett were the best players on the field. In fact, coach Besson thought that they might be the two best players to ever play for Ridgemont High. Visions of the Tri-County championship filled his head.

 

Freshman year progressed nicely for both AJ and Greg. As coach Besson dreamt of a championship, the boys made it a reality. AJ delivered pinpoint passes, and Greg terrorized opposing offenses with such ease that Ridgemont won most of their games by shutout. After football, the coach of the basketball team begged AJ and Greg to play for him, and both agreed as a lark.

But it became apparent that the boys had talent as players, and Ridgemont made it the title game, only to come up short. 

 

The baseball coach tried the same approach. AJ agreed, but Greg declined. He and Sophia had gotten closer as the school year progressed, and it became apparent to each other that both felt they were destined to be together. So Greg and Sophia starting dating, going to the movies, the mall, dinner. Of course, her parents would go along, as Sophia was their only child, and they weren't sure about Greg. 

 

Sophia invited Greg over for dinner one night, and as he actually talked to her parents, they became more comfortable with him regarding their little girl. From then on, Sophia's parents never went on dates with them. They trusted Greg with her safety.

The rest of the school year flew by. Finals came and went, and Greg was an A student with some Bs mixed in. Sophia was a straight A student, with the highest GPA, and she looked forward to summer break, and the time she could spend with Greg.

 

PT 3

 

Summer flew by at the speed of light. AJ met a girl named Peggy Sue, and the two couples would go on double dates to the lake, to the movies, to the mall. The four of them became inseparable. And it was during this period that Sophia finally had an idea of what she wanted to do for a career. She wanted to be a teacher. She loved being around kids, and with her intelligence, she could teach them math, English, history, whatever. Greg of course had his dream of a professional football career, and had grown another three inches, standing six feet six inches and weighing 230 pounds. Sophia stopped growing, reaching 6 feet even. AJ grew to 6’3” and weighing 200 lbs. 

 

And once the school year started, AJ and Greg dominated the Tri-County football league yet again, leading Ridgemont to the title again. The two of them were unstoppable on the field.

And once again, they joined the basketball team, and this time they brought the title home. For not specializing in basketball, Greg was becoming a dominant center, while AJ was a smooth as silk point guard. 

 

Greg and Sophia, and AJ and Peggy Sue were growing closer and closer, the bonds of friendship becoming unbreakable. And as the school year started to wind down, there was chatter among their classmates that next year may see two firsts in school history. Two Homecoming Kings and two Homecoming Queens, as well as two Prom Kings and two Prom Queens. The four of them were not only the most popular students in the school, they were also the most well liked. For many with the looks and talents that had come before, those people always seemed to have an air of superiority about them, who looked down on the common folks and expected to be waited on hand and foot. Not this group. Their humility, and willingness to help struggling classmates by tutoring them without expecting anything in return made them shining example of school spirit. The future looked bright for all of them.

 

And as the school year ended once again, Greg's parents were going to take the four of them on vacation to a resort that his company sponsored. The four of them couldn't believe what they read. Everything was open 24 hrs, the massage center, the pool, restaurant, weight center. There was nothing that closed, and it was the fastest two weeks of their life. The four of them so thoroughly enjoyed themselves that the girls almost cried when it was  time to leave. 

 

Greg noticed something after they returned. Sophia had somehow became more beautiful than he could think possible. He blue eyes were still intoxicating as ever, but it was the fact that the beauty of her soul matched the beauty of her body. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and it gave him goosebumps just thinking about it. He was only 16, so he couldn’t even ask her to marry him, Hell, he couldn’t even ask her father’s permission. But he just wanted to be with her. Football may have been his passion, but Sophia was his life.

 

Pt 4

 

Once again, summer sped by. Greg, Sophia, AJ and Peggy Sue were the most tight knit group of friends one could imagine. There was not one thing that they wouldn’t do for each other. Sophia and Peggy Sue would go shopping, while Greg and AJ ran football drills to keep themselves sharp. Both had applied for scholarships to all the big programs at the beginning of the year. The race among colleges to land the highest rated recruits in the country was an intense competition. More and more, colleges were recruiting younger and younger players, with the promise of scholarships being offered to high school freshmen and sophomores. 

 

But as the summer came to a close, neither AJ or Greg had heard anything, which they thought odd. But they continued to practice on their own, wanting to be sharp for the season. 

 

And soon, the first day of school was upon them. Greg got up early and ate, showered, dressed and waited for the bus. At 16, entering his junior year, he couldn’t think of anything else but spending the rest of his life with Sophia and playing football professionally. He grew another 4 inches. He now stood 6’10” and weighed around 250 pounds, but he carried no fat on his frame, just a natural muscularity. 

 

And the bus came. Greg boarded and headed straight for Sophia, AJ and Peggy Sue. The girls talked about the upcoming school year, while the boys were laser focused on the upcoming football season. They were so engaged in the respective conversations that none of them noticed that the school building itself looked completely different from when they left it 3 months earlier. Even the gym looked different, almost 3 times its size. Upon exiting the bus, the group noticed the changes. The school principal, Joel Skinner, welcomed the students departing the buses and handed them ID tags with there names at the top and a bar code at the bottom. Principal Skinner informed them that they would need these to enter and exit the building, and directed them to make their way to the gym through the school. Greg and his friends were extremely confused. They had no idea that any construction was being done at the school. There were no rumors, no gossip. Nothing. It was like the old building was here, then replaced overnight by a bigger building. But then he remembered that his mom told him the road leading to the school was closed because they were replacing the sewer line, and that’s how they hid the school construction. And he wasn’t far off in his assessment. 

 

He didn’t realize that when he and AJ rode their bikes past the new construction site by the lake, it wasn’t a new entrance to the mine that was being built, it was a housing development. And not just any housing development, but one in which the dimensions of the housing were three times larger than a normal house. And a lot of them were built, nearly 700 at an accelerated pace. And the same thing happened with the school. The day after the school year ended, the buildings were quickly knocked down and rebuilt with crews working 24/7 in order to have it ready for today. There was an unfortunate truth that was about to be revealed by the end of the day. 

 

As the four of them made their way to the front doors, they stopped in the tracks, stunned by the shear size they were staring at. Each door must have been about 15-16 ft tall, and at least 10 ft wide, and looked as solid as an oak tree. They noticed a card reader next to the doors, and Greg scanned his first. The doors opened out towards them, faster than Greg anticipated, because he had to quickly jump out of the way before they hit him. 

 

Pt 5

 

The four of them entered and headed for the gym, taking notice that every door in the school was as tall and wide as the front doors, each with a card reader to to side. But then the four noticed something else. There was a second card reader above the first one, and it looked to be at a height of nine feet. Greg was dumbfounded. He was always the tallest person in school, but the height of the second card reader was even above his long arms, even when standing on his tip toes. It gave him an extremely uneasy feeling in his stomach.

 

The four entered the gym, and noticed about 200 chairs set up right in the middle. Greg looked around and noticed that the bleacher seats were much, much wider than he remembered, and that they seem to be made of solid wood, not the cheap metal that all bleachers were made with. Principal Skinner motioned the students to sit down using the chairs on the gym floor. The 200 students, did as requested. Greg kept wondering why they would need to make the school bigger. The total student body fluctuated between 200-225 per year, depending on the amount of people transferring to and from the mine. Ridgemont was considered to be a small school student wise, but with the new construction, it looked like it could accommodate around 2000 people.

 

Once seated inside, they heard rumblings behind them. All 200 turned their heads and nearly fainted with shock. In walked students, around 500 of them, and each one was at least 10 ft in height, and they were the smallest. They made their way to the bleachers and sat down. Greg was sure he felt the floor vibrate, but maybe his mind was playing a trick on him.

 

The students in the middle of the gym kept turning their heads towards the bleachers, only to be met with cold stares in return. Every one of the students in the middle of the gym knew exactly who the new students were. They were Alphas. They watched the news and read the stories about a formula called GH-X2, and when administered to children between the ages of 6 and 16, increased their height, weight, muscle and organ density. And they were heathier and stronger than normal people, who they derisively referred  to as Betas. And everyone knew that when GH-X2 was developed and available, the people in the Tri-County area unanimously voted to not participate. Since this was a very conservative area, there was a natural distrust of all things government, big pharma, and science labs promoting injections to improve their lives.

Principal Skinner stood in the middle of the floor, and a podium was wheeled out and there was a mic attached. Principal Skinner started to address the students, but the Betas on the floor were concentrating on the Alphas in the bleachers, who were ignoring both the Betas and the principal. As Skinner finished his speech quickly, Greg seemed to sense that the only words he kept hearing was acceptance and tolerance and acceptance and understanding. And then it dawned on him. Skinner wasn’t addressing the Betas, he was addressing the Alphas, who totally ignored him.

As Principal Skinner was standing there, another podium was wheeled out to the floor, but this was no ordinary podium. Not even close. Greg couldn’t believe his eyes. The podium being wheeled out was 9 ft tall. Skinner was by no means a small man, standing close to six feet tall, but he would’ve needed to stand on the very top of a four foot ladder to read any paper placed there. And Greg was absolutely frozen in amazement at what he saw next. Heading towards the podium was a women at least 12’ tall. Principal Skinner only came up to her waistline. He looked like a three year old next to her. She took the mic from the podium and introduced herself as Vice Principal Anne Wilson. Greg noticed that the Alphas in the bleachers were at full attention. Vice principal Wilson started talking about the changes that are occurring in society, and because of that, this school was constructed in such a way as that the Beta students will be taught separately from the new Alpha students. Principal Skinner would be in charge of the Beta section, while she would handle the Alpha section. She had seen the reports of aggressive behavior from Alphas towards Betas, and they decided that in the interest of safety, this was the best solution. She also mentioned that with the influx of Alphas into the schools of the tri-county area, all sports were canceled until a proper solution could be found with regards to Beta safety. 

 

Pt 6

 

The extremely large woman at the podium might as well have taken knives from the cafeteria and stick Greg and AJ through the heart. Football was canceled. The one sport that they both loved to play more than anything in the world was canceled for their safety. Greg was a very easy going person, but at this point he was upset and getting more upset by the minute. He wanted to run up to the lady at the podium and scream at her and demand to know why. Sophia could sense his dark emotions and grabbed his hand and started to caress him, hoping to calm him down. It was working. Greg, for as upset as he was, remembered that his parents always stressed that he treat people with respect. People would make decisions that would upset Greg, or that he disagreed with, it was still their choice and that he was to respect their choice. 

 

Greg calmed down on the outside, but inside he was a waterfall of emotion. He couldn’t remember a time without football, and now it was over for the year.

Vice Principal Wilson finished her talk, and waited for Principal Skinner to lead the Betas to their section of the school. Once that was finished, she led the Alphas to theirs.

 

Not much school work was accomplished on the Beta side, as no student or teacher could concentrate on the task at hand. Instead, the day consisted of what amounted to therapy sessions, with the teachers trying to best to help them deal with a new reality. 

School mercifully ended, and as the buses departed, it was done so in silence. But as much as what happened at school shocked the students, it was nothing compared to what happened earlier.

When Greg got home, he noticed his dad’s car in the driveway. As he entered the house, he saw his parents in the kitchen, and both looked to have been crying. Greg softly ask what was wrong, and his dad proceeded to tell what happened. As he described the events, it became apparent to Greg that the construction of the new mine entrance was actually a ruse for them to build a massive new development that consisted of houses built for Alphas. It came out that the mining company was bought by a company that was beyond shady, and could keep secrets better than a dead person. The plan was for the Beta mining crew to continue to work so that the facility would be kept in working order. Then today, the Betas were told that their service would no longer be required, and just like that, all the workers were laid off.

 

Pt 7

 

Greg took out his phone and called AJ, and told him everything his father had said. AJ could believe it, because his father had told him the same thing. Both boys started using choice words, and after a few minutes of venting, said goodbye to each other and hung up. Greg then dialed Sophia, and when she answered, it was clear that she was crying and terribly upset. Greg told her that he was on his way, and as he walked past his parents, said that he would be right back.

 

The bike ride took less than 10 minutes, and soon Greg was knocking on the door. Sophia’s mom answered and let him in, and she told him that she was in her room.

 

Greg went up the stairs three at a time and in no time was knocking on her door. She opened it with red, puffy eyes and a nose that wouldn’t stop running and a voice that had a quiver to it. Greg asked what happened.

 

Sophia tried her best to calmly explain that her dad’s surveying job was finished, and that he was being transferred to a state on the other side of the country. And that this would be her last day at school. She would never be able to hang around AJ and Peggy Sue, and that especially she wouldn’t be able to see Greg anymore. And as she said this to him her sobbing became uncontrollable. 

 

Greg asked to be excused, and he left her room and made his way downstairs. He saw both of Sophia’s parents, Jack and Diane, sitting in the living room in silence. Greg excused the interruption he caused and ask if he could speak to them. They looked at each other and agreed.

 

Greg searched for the right words to begin, but since nothing came to mind, decided to be as direct as possible. He explained how he first met their daughter, how he had always been so involved in sports, that he never really thought anyone existed that would make him be willing to put her first in his life, until he met Sophia the first day of school.

 

And that after three years together, he couldn’t think of anyone that he wanted to be with more, than Sophia. He loved her with all his heart, and would give up his life for hers without hesitation or thought.

 

He asked them that if he could find a way for her to stay in Ridgemont, would they consider letting her remain. Her father asked what he had in mind. Greg told him that his parents had a spare bedroom, and that if it was ok between his parents and Jack and Diane, and if Sophia would consent, then she could stay at his house. 

 

Jack and Diane looked at Greg and each other, and asked Greg for some time so that they could discuss the matter. Greg thanked them for their time, and waited outside.

 

After Greg left the house, both Jack and Diane sat in silence. Jack collected his thoughts and looked at Diane, telling her that he thought that Greg should mind his own business, and that they knew what was best for Sophia. But as he was speaking, he came to a simple realization, one that Diane reached at the same, namely that since his job was constantly transferring him and his family from place to place every 2-3 years, that this was the first time since Sophia was 4 that he had seen her truly happy. That this was the first time that she found a true group of friends, and that for the first time, she found someone who loved her with all his heart. Diane added that she really sensed that Sophia loved Greg as much. And Jack and Diane came to the conclusion that Sophia’s happiness had to take precedence. 

 

Diane got up from the sofa, went to front door and asked Greg to come inside. Once Greg did as asked, Jack informed him that before any decision is made, he wanted to talk with his parents, and then Sophia. Greg understood, and said that he would go home and come back with his parents. And with that, Greg excused himself and left.

 

Pt 8

 

Greg rode his bike faster than he ever had, his long, powerful legs churning as quickly as he make them. He saw his house get closer and closer, and he hopped off the bike before it came to a stop. Quickly he ran through the kitchen door, and saw that his parents were still at the table, but the mood within the house was considerably lighter. Greg had a confused look on his face, until his dad explained that he and his friends from work were going to start a landscaping business, and even though they would probably be serving the Alpha community, he needed to work to provide for his family.

 

Greg nodded his head and got right to the point. He told his parents about Sofia’s dad, and how with his company, is to be transferred immediately to another part of the country. Apparently, his company handles the real estate sale and then they pack the family belongings and ship them to the new house. And he explained that this would be the last night that Sofia would be in Ridgemont. And he explained to his parents how much he loved her, how much she meant to him, and that he couldn’t live without her. He told them of his talk with her parents, and about what he suggested. He also relayed to his parents that her parents wanted to talk with them. 

 

As he was excitedly telling his parents the situation, his mom, Debbie, was the first to notice tears welling up in her son’s eyes, and that his voice was cracking. His father, Tom, sat silently as he was trying to digest what he had been told. Greg was looking pleadingly between his Mom and Dad, and got indication of what they were thinking.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, and without consulting her husband, his mom said that Sophia could stay with them. He husband’s draw dropped. Debbie saw Tom’s reaction, and before anything could be said, asked Greg to leave the room, saying that they needed to talk. Greg went outside and waited.

 

Once alone, Tom was about to say something when Debbie asked him if he knew what had happened. Tom replied that Greg wanted to have his girlfriend move in. Debbie told him that technically he was correct, but missed the big picture entirely. Tom looked confused. Debbie then asked him if he remembered the conversations that they would have when Greg was little, and how he eat, breathed, and lived football, and how they would occasionally wonder if he would ever meet anyone that would cause him to put that person first, above football? Tom thought back and agreed. Debbie pointed out that Greg found that person, one so special to him that he would do anything for her. And that if they didn’t help him, she would be gone for good, leaving him with a broken heart for the rest of his life. Tom finally saw what she was saying, and gave her a big smile. Debbie went to the door and asked Greg to come in.

 

Pt 9

 

Greg dialed Sophia’s house, and when her mom answered, asked if it was possible for him and his parents to come over tonight. Diana said yes, and if they wanted to come now they could. Greg thanked her and said that they were on their way.

 

Tom’s car pulled into the driveway of the Myles house and once they were parked, they exited the vehicle and went to the door, where Greg proceeded to knock. Both Jack and Diane were at the door, and after Greg introduced his parents, all went inside.

 

The conversation started awkwardly, as no one knew how to bring up the subject at hand. Finally, Greg explained to Sophia’s parents about the conversation he had with his parents, and the grownups took it from there. Once Jack and Diane were comfortable with how everything would work, they excused themselves and went upstairs to Sophia’s room.

 

Greg couldn’t stand the tension, as he began pacing back and forth. Twenty minutes later, Jack, Diane, and Sophia came down the stairs and into the living room. There was a brief pause, and Sophia’s parents said that they reluctantly agreed to let their daughter stay with Greg and his family. Jack added that it was a tough decision, but he was comforted to know that this was the happiest that they had ever seen the daughter be, that she had a group of true friends, and that she truly loved one man, Greg, who they know will take care of her. 

 

And as her father was speaking the tears were flowing, first from Sophia, and then from Greg. And she ran to Greg and she hugged him and he hugged her, and they both whispered how much they loved each other, and when they released their embrace, they saw all four parents crying. 

 

Sophia brought enough clean clothes and supplies for a week. Jack said that when he talks to the movers tonight, he will have them send Sophia’s belongings to the Walker house, and after many tears and hugs, it was time to say goodbye.

 

Once back at Walker house, they helped Sophia get situated, and then Greg’s parents called him to the living room. Greg may have been 6’10” and 250 pounds, but he was still only 16, so there would be ground rules.

 

Pt 10

 

The next day Greg, Sophia, AJ, and Peggy Sue sat together on the school bus. Greg and Sophia looked and felt tired, but that was do to how emotional last night had been. Lots of tears, lots of hugs, lots of talking. Greg wouldn’t go to bed until he made sure Sophia was ok emotionally. 

 

They tried small talk, but that was clouded by the undeniable fact that their world, and the world around them had changed, they just didn’t know if it was going to be better or worse.

 

Once the bus dropped them off at school, they made their way to home room, and tried to make the best of the situation. 

 

The school year was advancing. Clubs like Glee and Chess and Math were still around, although the last 45 minutes of the school day was set aside for club activity, so the Betas could be out of the school before the Alphas departed. 

 

Around Halloween, Greg noticed something not quite right. It seemed to him that of  the 200 students that started in the Beta section, some were no longer there. He brought it to the other three, but they didn’t notice, so he dropped it. 

 

Originally it seemed to Greg that having a Beta section that was separate from Alphas sucked. This was their school, their home. But he quickly realized that he was actually glad that it was set up that way. For as big and strong as he was, if an Alpha started trouble, he would be unable to do anything about it. He may have been a big man in Beta land, but he looked like a little kid compared to the Alphas.

 

As the Thanksgiving holiday arrived, Greg was thankful that he had Sophia in his life. Not only was she the most beautiful woman in the world to him, but she could always calm him down if he started to get frustrated about their situation. And he was really happy that Sophia and his mom got along so well. His mom told her that Sophia could call her mom, but if she wasn’t comfortable with that, then she could call her Debbie.

 

School was uneventful leading up to the Holiday break, as midterms took up the last week. But Greg did notice that the number of students definitely had dwindled. He saw Principal Skinner in the hallway and asked him about it, and Skinner admitted that the number of Beta students was down to 150. 

 

The Christmas break came, and Greg wanted to do something special for Sophia. She regularly talked to her parents since she stayed behind in Ridgemont. But it always seemed that her dad was away on a special project. She missed her parents a lot, but she knew she made the right decision to stay with Greg’s family.

 

So, for Christmas, he bought her a new laptop, equipped with a webcam, so she could video chat with her parents, and that’s how she spent her break. It was video chats every day, and it really put her at peace knowing that her parents were doing well.

 

Pt 11

 

The first day back from break was going along as uneventfully as the other days, until every student got the packet from the Department of Education. It basically said that due to the dramatic increase in the Alpha population, all sports will now be Alpha only. And the sports playing surface will adjust accordingly. This meant that football fields would increase from 100 yds long/ 60 yds wide to 200 yds long/ 120 yds wide. Baseball fields would go from 90 ft base to base to 180 ft base to base. The pitchers mound would be 121 ft from home, dimensions to the left and right field walls will be no shorter than 575 ft, center field will be no shorter than 750 ft and the fences will be no shorter than 20 ft.  And that all equipment will be 2 ½ times their original size.

 

The list was endless, but after Greg and AJ read their paper, it confirmed what they already knew in their hearts. The days of them playing competitive sports were over. They could play in a Beta league, but why bother. Greg felt a twinge of bitter disappointment, as his dreams of gridiron glory had the door slammed into its face by the Alphas. He would just have to make the best of it 

 

And after a couple of days, the bitterness in Greg slowly faded away, until the National Department of Health put a halt to all college and professional sports, and issued a regulation that only Alphas will be allowed to play sports, and the all playing surfaces and equipment will be scaled up to accommodate their increased size, and that at no time may a Beta be permitted on the field with any Alpha. 

 

And just like that, the feeling returned to Greg. When he got on the bus on the first day of school, he was on top of the world. Now, less than 4 months later, Betas have quickly become second class citizens. He almost started to cry, but fought back any tears. He would just have to soldier on.

 

The final three months of the school year went by so fast Greg couldn’t believe it. Finals were done, and the only thing left was to sign yearbooks. But it also worried him the student population dwindled to around 100, all junior and seniors. All the freshmen and sophomores had left, and once the seniors graduate, there would only be about 60 left. But he had to put those thoughts to the side. He had invited AJ and Peggy Sue over for a small cookout, and to show off a car he bought with money he made working for his Dad on the weekends. Tom Walker’s landscaping business took off like a rocket, mostly doing the lawns of the Alphas. But since their community was part of the mining company, the parent corporation handled the payments. If Greg can just make it through next year, he would be happy.

 

Pt 12

 

Summer was going fast. Greg was working for his dad, and making decent money. Sophia helped his mom around the house and revealed a hidden talent that even Greg never knew about. Sophia was a master seamstress. She developed the skills on her own with all the moving her family did. Sometimes they wouldn’t be able to buy her new clothes, so she made her own. And she quickly developed a talent. She was so good that nobody at Ridgemont High ever suspected that her clothes were homemade. And her talent came in handy when she moved into the Walker’s house. She would make uniforms for the grounds crew, and just say that she bought them online. And Debbie appreciated being able to save money on clothes, as Sophia could make what was needed at 1/20 the price.

 

As summer vacation was nearing an end, Greg popped the question to Sophia, on the condition that both were at least 18 yrs old. Sophia said yes as Greg put a ring on her finger. Tears of joy were streaming down her face and she tightly embraced Greg and gave him a passionate kiss that seemed to last an eternity. 

 

And with their near future set, loving talks became serious discussions with regards to children. And the topic always revolves around whether or not to have their kids receive the GH-X2 formula. 

 

Sophia was adamant that any children they have would not take the formula. She had seen the attitudes of the teenagers in school, and how they treated Betas like they weren’t even worth their trouble. Sophia believed in her heart that their aggressive behavior was the result of taking the formula, and she wanted her children to treat people with kindness and respect.

 

Greg could see her point, but also still stung from his once promising football career cut short for no other reason than he couldn’t physically compete against the Alphas. He didn’t want his children at a disadvantage. He wanted them to compete on an equal footing. But he also had thoughts that if his children were to take the formula, at what age would they stop being innocent and start being trouble. Greg had size and strength for a Beta, but he would never be strong enough to stop an 8 yr old with a bad attitude. It left him feeling down about what the future held for him and Sophia.

 

Pt 13

 

Greg and Sophia waited for the bus. It was the first day of their senior year, but instead of feeling joy, they felt unease. They couldn’t explain why, but the just did. Greg had a car and could drive, but in truth, he and Sophia didn’t mind taking the bus, as it gave them time with AJ and Peggy Sue. 

 

As the bus stopped and Greg and Sophia got on, they did a double take. Whereas the bus was almost full freshman year, now the only people on the bus were AJ and Peggy Sue. They quietly made their way to a seat right in front of their friends. But barely a word was spoken among the four. 

 

The bus pulled into the school lot and the four of exited and headed for the doors. If the bus had been strange, school was depressing. AJ, Peggy Sue, Sophia and Greg were joined by six other students. That was it. A senior Beta class size of 10, no more. And as a result, all but one teacher was let go, as there wasn’t enough people to justify extra teachers. They made their way to home room, and as they entered the room, the saw Vice Principal Anne Wilson waiting for them. Standing next to her was an equally giant woman, and standing next to her was Principal Skinner. The whole scene looked like something out of an absurdist comedy film. It looked like two moms and their little toddler standing next to them for protection.

 

Anne Wilson addressed the group, saying welcome to their senior year, and that she looked forward to seeing them graduate. She also mentioned that she was now the principal, and the lady next to her was Nancy Davis, Vice Principal. She said that Mr Skinner had been given a new position. But as Mr Skinner kept looking down towards the floor, one could get the impression that he was basically a glorified office boy, there only to do the bidding of the secretaries and the Principal and Vice Principal. Greg felt sorry for him. 

 

The ladies and Skinner left the room, and so their senior year began with the sobering scene they just witnessed. There was even a flyer on the wall of the classroom which offered cheerleader tryouts to support the girls basketball team, but it was only open to Beta males. 

 

Greg ripped the flyer off the wall. Although the Alpha and Beta students were still separated, this was the first incident of Alphas taunting Betas that made its way into the Beta section of the school. 

 

Eventually, the 10 students made their way through the year without incident. Their graduation ceremony would take place a couple of days before the Alphas. But as there was only the ten of them, the ceremony took place in the cafeteria. Greg thought it was a shitty end to a high school career that started with great promise. 

 

But, high school was finally behind them. Greg and Sophia still couldn’t wrap their heads around how rapidly their world changed since the beginning of their junior year. Maybe the future wasn’t so bright after all.

 

Pt 14

 

Due to most of the Beta families moving away, which not only resulted in the ridiculously low number of Beta  students in Ridgemont High’s senior class, but it also meant that Greg’s father lost a good deal of the guys who were part of his business, resulting in him having to work long hours all seven days of the week. His father would never be home for dinner. 

 

Greg helped out his father as much as he could, but once Tom Walker’s son decided to enroll in early classes at Morris County Community College, Greg knew his father would be on his own. 

 

He had that talk early one morning just after graduation. Greg looked at his parents and pleaded with them to move away from Ridgemont. With the Beta population moving away in droves, it wouldn’t be long until the town was 99% Alpha. Greg told them that he was afraid for their safety. He knew Alphas treated Betas as nothing more than insects, to be swatted away when the became annoying. 

 

Greg’s parents just sat silently as Greg talked. Deep down they knew he was right, but Ridgemont had been their home for all of their lives. Moving away had never been a topic of discussion. And both noticed as the last school progressed that almost all Tri-County officials became Alphas. And the regulations that were issued after tended to heavily favor Alphas. The Sheriffs Department only had two Beta officers, both with over 20 years as deputies, basically had been reduced to clerks, working under secretaries that had just graduated from business school. Why the men stayed was a mystery, but the events were humiliating. 

 

Greg had said his peace to his parents, and went out to work on the car he bought after his junior year, a Ford Towncar. Greg had bought it and was proud of his new ride. It was long, and gave him plenty of room to stretch his longer legs. It was in great shape, except for the constant rattling by the muffler, which it seemed that a bracket holding the tailpipe was always loose. 

 

He would drive Sophia to the store, salon, wherever she wanted to go. And he was always left stunned. For as big and long as his car was, it looked like an toy vehicle that toddlers drove in their backyard compared to the cars the Alphas drove. They were as tall and wide as school busses, and three quarters as long. Greg didn’t think it was humanly possible for an automobile to be that size, but there they were. Greg knew that he ever hit an Alphas car head on, there tires would just ride over his car hood and crush down on top of him. It made him shudder. He was always be alert to every vehicle he could see, he just wasn’t sure if any Alpha driving would do the same.

 

But as summer went on, it finally happened. With his parents as witnesses, AJ as his best man and Peggy Sue as Sophia’s maid of honor, and a minister to officiate, Greg married the girl of his dreams. Sophia had such a special glow that day, it was like she was painted by DaVinci himself. The vows were said, the bride was kissed, and just like that, Mr and Mrs Greg Walker were officially introduced to the world.

 

Unfortunately, the honeymoon would have to wait. Greg enrolled in the college’s early class program, majoring in finance. He had visited the campus just after graduation. And the director of admissions, Dr Henry, took him on a tour of all the classrooms and labs and library. Greg learned that 100% of the student population was Beta. According to Dr Henry, Alphas considered going to Morris County Community College to be the same as taking an Intro to Homemaking class that was offered their freshman year. Alphas dominated the enrollment at trade schools, colleges with any sort of athletic program, and traditional business schools. Since this college didn’t offer any sports, Alphas had absolutely no interest what so ever going here.

 

Greg also learned that due to a massive increase of the Alpha population with Tri-County are, the two other community colleges were closed and everything was consolidated here. Once the other colleges were closed, their properties were sold, and the buildings knocked down, Alpha housing communities were built in their place. To Greg, this was another troubling omen for the future.

 

Pt 15

 

Greg got his degree in finance by the time he was twenty. And then started the job search, filling out what seemed like hundreds of applications. Within two weeks, The Hetford National Bank called him and scheduled an interview. The only issue was that it was 90 minutes away, and if Greg were to get hired, that would be a three hour round trip, plus 9 hours on the job. But he wanted to work, and the interview was scheduled for the following Monday.

 

Sophia had surprised Greg for his graduation by making 3 business suits for him. They fit perfectly, which wasn’t surprising. Sophia just had that talent. And Greg was happy. Since Betas were becoming fewer and fewer, all the department stores and traditional clothing stores stopped carrying Beta clothes and went exclusively with Alpha clothes. That meant if Greg didn’t have Sophia around, he would have been forced to buy an outfit designed for a 7 year old Alpha boy, and hope that it wasn’t too big on him. Greg was still 6’10” and 250 pounds, but with the sheer size of the Alphas, there was a very good chance that even clothes made for boys at that age would have been too baggy on him.

 

Ever since Greg had gone to college, he couldn’t help his father as much with his business. His decision to enroll in the accelerated degree program meant that he got a 4 year degree in less than 2. Greg could see his father was looking more tired than he had ever seen him look, and once again talked with his parents about whether or not they wanted to remain in Ridgemont, or sell the landscaping business and move out. More and more Alpha housing developments were springing up, and the landscape workforce was getting smaller. What started out with 125 laid off miners was down to 30, as they just decided to move. Some of workers were having issues with the Alpha homeowners, and rather than risk any potential misunderstanding which might result in a serious injur to their person, decided it was best to move away.

 

They had moved to the biggest, most least populated state, where they could raise their families without fear of Alphas moving in and being in the same situation. Greg really wanted his parents to move, because there would be no way that they could defend themselves if a situation involving an Alpha would arise. 

 

Greg could actually sense that his mother was feeling the same way. Until he met Sophia, his mom was the kindest, most gentle soul he had known. She never had a bad word to say about anyone. But she also knew that incidents involving Alphas and Betas were increasingly resulting in serious injuries for the Betas. And the Sheriff would always pay lip service about how he was going to investigate and make sure nothing like that would happen again, but they were just empty words spoken to placate the dwindling Beta community. And Greg’s father could see it also, although he never told his son that what he spoke was the truth. What had been unknown to both his wife and son, Tom Walker was in the process of selling the business for a handsome profit, and had talked to a realtor about selling the house. The mortgage was paid off years ago, so whatever was made from the sale, minus the brokerage fees, was profit also.

 

Greg left very early Monday morning for his interview in Hetford, which was the second largest city in the state. The Hetford National Bank was located in the western part of the city, near where the suburbs began. As Greg continued to drive to the bank, he noticed that everything was Alpha sized, from businesses to hospitals to schools and houses. They were as big as what he saw back in Ridgemont. But he also noticed that as he crossed Main Street, every building was Beta sized. Everyone of them. It was like watching a cartoon. The Alpha buildings went up to the light, and the Beta buildings picked up right after. There was no mixing of the two.

 

Greg reached his destination. The Hetford National Bank building had a grand look about it. Greg had done research on the business and found out that at one time it was the most profitable bank in the state, a shining example of how a business should be run.

 

But that began to change when the Alphas moved in. Suddenly, they had their own banks that catered to them, and as the Beta population began to shrink, the bank began to suffer. It still turned a profit, but just barely. Greg parked and went inside.

 

Pt 16

 

Greg made his way to the receptionist, and introduced herself. The lady behind the desk was taken aback. At 6’10” and 250 pounds, Greg was the tallest Beta person she had ever seen. At first glance she thought he was some 7 year old Alpha child that was lost, but once he said his name and offered a warm smile, the receptionist relaxed. Her name was Susan, and she buzzed the bank manager’s office to let him know his 9 am appointment was here. She offered Greg a seat off to the right, and Greg respectfully accepted her offer and sat down. He was nervous. When he played football, he didn’t have to talk, his play spoke volumes. Now here he was. He was going to have to rely on his words to impress his potential boss. One small flub to a question and it may be a thank you for your time, but we will get back to you.

 

After about 5 minutes, Greg saw a door open and a gentleman emerged. To Greg, this man looked around 60, but he was spry and full of energy. As he approached, Greg stood up. The man stopped, eyeing him up, and then with a smile, offered his hand to Greg. Greg shook it like his father taught him all those years ago. The man introduced himself as Michael Palin. Greg did the same. Mr Palin asked the receptionist to hold all his calls, and the two men disappeared into his office.

 

Greg felt oddly relaxed during the interview. Michael Palin first explained the history of the bank, how it was ultra successful, and how it is just above water presently. He had a twinge of sorrow in his voice when going over the history. But the upbeat vibe returned when he and Greg talked. To Michael Palin, after about 10 minutes of conversation with Greg, he knew the younger man was perfect for the job. 

 

Greg didn’t know what to say after the job offer, except yes. However, when Greg brought up the fact that he lived 90 minutes away, the man behind the desk told him not to worry. The bank owned a number of foreclosed properties. Michael Palin explained that as the Alpha population increased tenfold, Betas were packing up and leaving in droves, defaulting on their mortgages. Hetford National Bank had never foreclosed on a property in which people lived, striving to do everything in their power to help them through any difficult periods. 

 

Michael Palin offered Greg one such property, in a quiet, Beta section of town. All Greg had to do was make a minimal monthly payment for the mortgage, and handle the property taxes. He then pulled out a folder that had an address written on the outside, and pulled out the contents. They were pictures of the property, a lot of pictures. Greg was told that they were taken last week, and as looked through the photos, he could see that the house was in great shape. And it had a back porch and a nice sized yard. There were 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and a basement. 

 

Greg was excited. He agreed on the spot. He couldn’t wait to call Sophia and tell her the great news. The two gentlemen shook hands, and Greg left for his journey home. 

 

Once in the car, he dialed Sophia’s number, and when she answered, Greg started talking excitedly about the interview He went into detail about the house that they were offered, how it looked perfect for them for their family when the time came, and when he was finished, she said it sounded perfect. Greg could hear the joy in her voice. The only thing is that he would have to start Wednesday. And he told her that they would pack some things up for now, and that they could get the rest on the weekend. The house was fully furnished, so they wouldn’t have to start over. 

 

Greg got back to his parents house around 12:30. Sophia and Debbie had just made lunch, and as he stepped through the side door, he made a beeline for his wife and gave her a hug that seemed to go on forever. The embrace was interrupted by his mother wanting a hug from her son, and Greg dutifully complied with a wide smile.

 

As the three of them sat down to eat, Greg’s mom said she had something to tell them. Greg’s parents, Tom and Debbie Walker were going to sell the business and the house, and move away. Greg almost spit out his food, while Sophia stared like she was in a trance. She explained that this decision was reached months ago, but they wanted to wait to sell until Greg and Sophia could get settled on their own. And now that was happening, she had called his father after he had called Sophia, and that he was signing the papers to complete the sale of both the business and the house. They would have two weeks to get their effects in order, but they had already bought a new home a couple of states away, and that the young couple needed to start the own journey through life. 

 

When his father came home a short time later, hugs and tears flowed among the four. Greg’s father said he had been thinking about moving for some time, but never felt the moment was right. Greg thought that his dad was saying this to convince himself more than anything else. In truth, the first time Greg talked with his parents about moving because of the potential injuries that would incur if he or his mother had any sort of conflict with an Alpha weighed on him more than he would admit. He was losing workers, and the Alphas were demanding more, and he just couldn’t do anything to satisfy them anymore. The derogatory comments were becoming more commonplace, even from the children, and there were several times that he actually feared for the safety of his workers when dealing with the Alphas. He couldn’t live with himself if any of his employees were harmed. So he decided to sell both the business and the house, and move to that big state with the least amount of people, and was waiting for Greg and Sophia to go their own way before pulling the trigger.

 

But before they were to leave, they needed to see AJ and Peggy Sue, to let them know that they were leaving Ridgemont. They drove to AJ’s house and told both of them what had transpired. AJ and Peggy Sue hugged the two of them, but then informed Greg and Sophia that they were moving . AJ recounted a minor fender bender he had the other day. He was making a turn when an Alpha car drove passed him speeding, and it forced him to swerve hitting the car, and he hit a telephone pole instead. The damage was minor, but the Alpha car backed up. Then the driver got out. It was a woman, and AJ, even at 6’3” didn’t even reach her waistline. She looked at him and berated him like he was a little kid, telling him it was his fault for not paying attention, and stepped towards him. For the first time in his life he was terrified. Eventually the cops arrived. Two Alpha females, and after taking statements issued AJ a ticket for not paying attention. AJ couldn’t believe it. He started to argue his case, but one of the officers said that if he continued, she would cite him for disrespecting an officer of the law, which meant that they could arrest him. He wasn’t sure if she was serious, but he shut his mouth and returned to his car.

 

It was at that point that they decided to move. They just were out of place in the very town they grew up in. They were in the process of selling the house, and were moving away. 

 

Greg and Sophia remained silent. They understood what AJ was saying, and they would miss him and Peggy Sue, but they must do what’s best for them. So they said goodbye to each other, hoping it wouldn’t be for the lad time.



Pt 17

 

Thanks to an arrangement he made with Mr Palin, his new boss, Greg and Sophia were allowed to move in the next day, then once they were settled, would come to the bank in the afternoon to sign the mortgage papers and Greg’s employment papers. Sophia couldn’t believe how low the mortgage payment was for a house that size. $200 a month. The bank didn’t want a lot, they just wanted for someone to take it off their hands. 

 

Once all paperwork was completed, Greg and Sophia said goodbye to Mr Palin and made their way back to their new home. Greg and Sophia decided to order in, and after their meal, made their way to the bedroom to celebrate 

 

Greg and Sophia had been intimate before, but it was always with a strange feeling due to living in the same house as his parents. This felt different, much freer, and more relaxed. It would be a night they would never forget. They were about to turn 21, and the world was their oyster.

 

Greg started his job in the loans department. After being introduced to Its head, Gary Moore, he committed himself to the task of learning the ins and outs of the job. One thing his time in college showed him was that he was pretty damn good with numbers, something that surprised him. Growing up, it was always football, no matter what. But he was also able to do very well in school, and he never gave it a second thought. It wasn’t until college, that as the math got more complex, it became easier. And he didn’t know why. 

 

But Greg learned, and fairly quickly. An application would come in, and numbers would have to crunched, encompassing every aspect, from the client’s salary, the debt to asset ratio, all potential trends in the interest rate market, and whether or not the applicants could handle higher payments, and how much money that they would need to put down to get the payment they needed to be at to make it work. 

 

Greg quickly became very good at his job, and knew he had made the right choice to work here. His joy went through the roof when two months after moving in, Sophia gave him the news that she was pregnant. Greg cried tears of joy, so much so that his nose ran like a faucet. He was going to be a father, and with Sophia in his life, he felt he could fly to the moon that night.

 

A visit to the doctor confirmed the news, and it was determined that the pregnancy began the night they moved into their new house. A month later, an ultrasound was scheduled and revealed even more startling results, Sophia was pregnant with twins, one boy, one girl. Greg nearly fell over at the news, but quickly sobered up when on the way home the conversation turned to the subject of the GH-X2 formula. Sophia grew strangely silent, then stated with emphasis that her children would never be given the formula. Greg thought for a moment before gently playing devil’s advocate. He didn’t want to antagonize her, but he only wanted to show her all aspects of the situation. And he gently reminded her that he could have had a hall of fame career, but it was stopped dead in its tracks by the arrival of the Alphas. And that it tore at him on some deep level that his children would never be able to compete in the world if they remained Betas. Sophia looked at Greg and reminded him that his parents were basically chased out of the lifelong home by the aggressive behavior of the Alphas. She believed with the entirety of her being that their behavior was the result of taking the formula. She believed that the formula affected development of the brain more than the public was being told. To her, it was the only sensible explanation. Greg ended the conversation. They had agreed that whatever decisions regarding their children, it had to be in 100% agreement, or nothing. There was no in between.

 

Pt 18

 

Despite the sobering tone of the discussion he and Sophia had on the way back from the ultrasound, Greg was in a fairly upbeat mood. He had taken the day off from work, and it was just about 11 in the morning. Sophia joined him on the sofa. She had started to experience symptoms of nausea on a regular basis, first mildly, now intensely. It was morning sickness. She sat with her back to the arm rest and put her feet on Greg’s lap. Greg rubbed her feet, making her feel better. 

 

Greg put the TV on. He never watched TV before 6 pm, because it was either school, football, and now work. He never had time. But he put on a talk show with an all female panel, and although he had nothing to scale the set to, thought that the women were all Alphas. 

 

His suspicions were confirmed at the exact same time the biggest knot he ever had formed in the pit of his stomach. The ladies were bringing out a guest to get their perspective on being a Beta in an ever increasing Alpha world. He saw a female staffer holding some type of seat with her left hand, and holding the hand of a man with her right. He only came up to the top of her thigh, and her hand was so large that she only held his hand with 3 fingers. Greg and Sophia watched as she set the chair down. They both knew it was an Alpha high chair without the tray. Then sheeffortlessly lifted the man up into the seat, and buckled him in. 

 

Greg was flabbergasted. He had never seen anything like it before, and now it was seen on national television. He wanted to throw up. He turned and looked over at Sophia. But before he could say anything, she held her hand up and told him no. She knew what he was going to say, but she wasn’t going to budge. Greg could feel his anger, but remained calm, pointing out to her that on national television was the future their children faced. He went on to say that there was no way that they would survive in that kind of world, and as he was speaking, his voice was getting louder. This took Sophia by surprise, as Greg had never raised his voice to her, ever. But the thoughts of the Alphas behavior flooded her mind, surrounded by her belief that it was all caused by that damn formula. And there was no way that her children were going to become monsters, no matter what. 

 

Greg stood up from the sofa and went outback. He needed to calm down. He walked out to the shed he bought when they first moved in, and pulled out a box that contained a brand new lawnmower that he bought the day before. He took the mower from the box and assembled parts that needed to be attached, put oil and gas in the their respective places, and fired it up. The roar of the motor gave him some peace, and soon he calmed down enough to go back into the house and apologize to Sophia for raising his voice to her. She was the one person that he loved above everything else, and hated the idea of doing anything that might upset her or disappoint her.  He would have this conversation again, but not until much later. For now, the woman he loved were carrying his children, and he thanked God that she was with him

 

Pt 19

 

Sophia’s pregnancy flew by without any complications, and it was determined that her due date would fall a month after Greg’s 22 birthday. 

 

Greg firmly established himself at work, and the bank became more profitable as he worked tirelessly in an effort to match clients with loans that they could repay. Mr Palin was very impressed, and realized that he made the right decision in hiring Greg right out of college. In fact, Michael Palin was 57, and was going to retire at 65, and it suddenly became clear that his successor was right in front of him.

 

Greg got home from work with a bag of takeout in one hand, and non alcoholic wine in the other. His birthday was the following day, and he wanted to celebrate with Sophia. But he saw that she was tired. Due to carrying twins, she had put on more weight than he thought possible, and it caused her back pain, which contributed to her not sleeping as much as she wanted. 

 

Greg set the items in his hands on the table and took Sophia by the hand and led her to the sofa. He sat down first, then positioned her before guiding her down also. Once seated, he proceeded to massage her shoulder area and could feel the tightness. As he continued to massage, she started to relax and asked how is day went. He replied that it went well. The bank was in better financial shape than when he started, and that Mr, Palin seemed more relaxed. 

 

Greg asked Sophia if she was hungry, and she replied that she was. He got up and brought the food over to table in front of the sofa, and brought out a small container of chicken parm for her to eat. He went to the kitchen and returned with the bottle of non alcoholic wine and two glasses and poured one for her and one for him. She saw the bottle and protested that there was no alcohol. But Greg just told her that in her condition, it’s best that the wine was unleaded. Then they both laughed. 

 

Greg put the TV on and they watched a movie. After it was over, he was going to suggest another one, but he saw Sophia sitting there unable to keep her eyes open. So he led her to the bedroom, helped her get undressed, and laid her down, pulling the covers over her and gave her a kiss. She barely moved, but a smile was on her face. He then went out the kitchen and made sure the food was put away, and the back door was locked. And he did the same with the front door, then turned out all the lights, and joined her in bed. Tomorrow was his birthday and he looked forward to sleeping in.

 

Pt  20

 

Greg was in the middle of a dream when he felt the constant jabbing of Sophia’s elbow into his ribs. He opened his eyes and mumbled, wondering what was going on. Sophia informed him that her water broke, and that she needed to go the hospital. Greg turned to get out of bed, but his top half made it out before his bottom half. Sophia laughed when she heard Greg fall to the floor. But he popped his head up and said he was fine and joined her in laughter. 

 

He got dressed, and made sure she had her robe on and led her to the car, and off they went to the hospital to check in. Sophia had called her doctor who said that he would meet her in the ER. And sure enough, Dr Len McCoy was there with a wheelchair, and as soon as Sophia was on her way, Greg filled out the paperwork. He finally noticed the time, 4:15 am.

 

Once that was done, he made his way to Sophia, and was holding her hand when Jacob Thomas Walker was born at 11:00 am followed by Tiffany Sophia Walker at 11:04. The babies crying was piercing the room, while Sophia’s tears were flowing with such force that the front of her hospital gown was soaked. 

 

Neither Greg nor Sophia slept well for the next year. They worked in unison to care for them, even if it meant Greg had to work with nothing more than 2 hours sleep. But eventually a routine developed, and the twins were sleeping through the night. Greg celebrated his 24th birthday, which took a back seat to the twins first birthday. 

 

After they moved into their house, Greg and Sophia became friends with the family across the street. Jerry and Elaine Kramer were in the 30’s when Greg started at Hertford. Jerry and Greg loved to discuss lawnmowers and weed whacking, while Elaine and Sophia discussed fabrics and sewing. But Jerry and Elaine didn’t have any children, so whatever questions Sophia had, she had to find the answers herself.  But the couple were invited, more to help celebrate Greg’s birthday rather than the twins.

 

And two things were very clear. Time flew by at the speed of light, and changes were happening in the neighborhood, and not for the better.

 

Pt 21 

 

The two houses that sat to the left of Greg and Sophia’s had only been up for sale for two days when both were sold. Greg thought it was strange that both sold at the same time. He had no idea who bought them, as his bank didn’t handle the mortgage. The twins had just turned five and were starting kindergarten, and Sophia was making money making clothes for their neighbors. It wasn’t much, but it gave her something to do.

 

But then both houses were demolished, and Greg got a bad feeling, and sure enough, one house was built. But it was no ordinary house. With 16 ft doors and and windows, Greg recognized an Alpha house when it was built. The one thing that he dreaded more than anything, Alphas moving into his neighborhood meant trouble. 

 

The house was completed quickly, and two weeks later the tractor trailers had pulled up to the curb. Out came the Alpha movers and everything was in the house in less than an hour. And just like that, the trucks were gone. A few days later, an Alpha car pulled into the driveway, and out stepped a family of Alphas. A man and woman and one female  child, who looked to be around 9 yrs old. 

 

A few days later, when the husband was at work, and the daughter was off at school, Greg and Sophia decided to bite the bullet and go next door and introduce themselves and welcome them to the neighborhood. Both had been taught to show respect to others from an early age, and they were going to show that respect.

 

Greg and Sophia walked up to the extremely large door and Greg could barely reach the door bell, but he did and pushed the button. After a few seconds, the door opened, and Greg was staring straight into the area between the waistline and navel of the woman of the house, who eyed her visitors with a mix of curiosity and annoyance. 

 

Greg and Sophia introduced themselves and wanted to welcome her and her family to the neighborhood. The lady said her name was Linda, but that she was busy and needed to go. She gave a half-hearted thank you to the small couple, and closed the door. By the time they got back to their house, Greg was fuming. Against his better judgment, he tried to be friendly towards an Alpha family, only to be treated like a pest to be swatted away when he became annoying. Sophia could feel his anger, and when Greg brought up the GH-X2 formula, she said no and went to the bedroom to calm down. 

 

Greg just sat on the sofa and stewed with an intensity that he hadn’t had in a while. The twins would be turning 6 in three weeks, and a decision had to be made. He was going to have to force the issue. He totally understood Sophia’s point of view, but unless his children were able to compete with the Alphas on their level, they were doomed to a life of misery and derision. 

 

Saturday came and went, and Sophia and Greg hardly said a word to each other. Both were locked into a position that had no retreat, and there was a growing tension building. They tried to convince themselves that maybe time will cool the passions, but they really didn’t believe it.

 

Pt 22

 

Sunday arrived, and Greg saw that the lawn needed to be mowed. So he went out to the shed to get the mower, and he could hear music coming from next door. It was louder than he would have liked, but it wasn’t obnoxiously loud. Greg got the mower, started it, waited 15 seconds, then shut it off. He checked the oil level and saw it was good, and that it had plenty of gas. He fired it up and got to work on the grass.

 

Greg steered the mower towards the row of hedges that separated his property from next door. And once he got there, he turned the mower towards his house. And that’s when he felt a heavy tap on his shoulder.

 

Five feet from him stood the daughter from next door, and Greg was shocked. Even at 6’10”, he only came up to just below where she was developing breasts. He turned the mower off and asked her politely if the was anything she wanted. She replied that she was trying to relax and listen to music, but that his mower was too loud, and that she wanted him to mow the grass another day.

 

Greg just stood there, dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe his ears. He was a child, and a very large child, that he had never met, that was basically telling him to mow the grass another day. Greg respectfully replied that he worked during the day and this was the best time to mow the grass. The girl looked at him and told him her name was Izzy, and that she wasn’t asking him. 

 

By now, Greg’s blood was boiling, but he remained calm. He said he was sorry to disappoint her, but this was his property, and he was going to mow his lawn. Greg bent down to start the mower when he was suddenly jerked back with such force that he twisted awkwardly and fell face first into Izzy’s knee. Stars were dancing in front of Greg’s eyes, and the pain that engulfed his face was searing. 

 

The stars stopped their dancing long enough for him to realize that his nose was broken, and that he was missing his two front teeth. It was then he saw that Izzy had the lawnmower held about 4 ft off the ground in her right hand. 

 

For some strange reason, Greg wasn’t afraid. He was so mad that fear couldn’t penetrate his body if it tried. Greg looked at Izzy with a cold stare and said that he wanted his lawnmower back. She just looked at him and laughed, and then smashed the mower into the ground. Greg saw it crumple with the impact, even though it landed on grass, and that was it. He erupted. All his anger at Alphas for denying him his dream of playing pro football and having to tiptoe around to avoid confrontations boiled over. He was standing his ground.

 

Sophia heard the crash of the mower and rushed out the back door at the exact moment Greg launched into a diatribe directed at the Alpha girl in front of him. He said that she was a fucking witch that deserved to be punished and…

 

Greg never finished his words, as Izzy grabbed his right wrist and hand with her left and squeezed with force. Greg stopped yelling, in fact Greg wasn’t doing anything except trying to comprehend what just happened. Izzy released her grip, and all Greg saw was what looked like his hand, except that it was a lot smaller, and that blood was coming from the end of his fingers. 

 

Then Greg’s world went dark. Sophia reach him and saw both his face and his wrist and hand and demanded to know what happened. Izzy just looked at her and told her that next time she should make sure that he treated her with respect, because he was only a Beta. Then Izzy turned and went back to relaxing in the back yard while Sophia frantically called 911.

 

Greg woke up in the hospital and saw Sophia there with the twins, as well as the doctor. He introduced himself as Dr Graham Chapman. He then explained that he had been unconscious for two days, because when he was brought in, he needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding in his hand. Greg look down and saw it was heavily bandaged and supported by a metal bracket the covered the entire area. 

 

Dr Chapman asked Greg if he remembered anything about what happened. Greg recalled mowing the grass and the girl next door and the mower being smashed and his nose being broken. He also recalled that he started to yell at the girl, and then everything went dark. 

 

Dr Chapman was silent for a minute. He then informed Greg, with the heaviest of hearts, that his wrist and hand suffered catastrophic damage, and that with the surgery that they performed, they were able to save the hand, but he wouldn’t be able to use it again. The bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels were completely crushed that it took a four hour surgery just to save the blood vessels. 

 

Greg looked at Sophia to see if the doctor was serious, and saw tears streaming down her face. He asked what had happened, and Sophia told him that one minute he was yelling at Izzy, the girl next door, and the next she had grabbed his wrist and hand and squeezed, causing him to pass out.

 

Greg was trying to process what Sophia had told him, and as the last effects of the anesthesia wore off, memories started flooding his mind. Every painful detail tattooed itself into his brain, and Greg started crying uncontrollably. The doctor left the room. Sophia came over to Greg and hugged him tenderly. She told him that she tried to file a police report, but that the officers didn’t think anything would happen. They explained that since the new district attorney, an Alpha women, took over, less emphasis was being placed on crimes against Betas. They took her statement, apologized, and left. Greg just continued to cry uncontrollably and Sophia started also, followed by the twins.

 

Pt 23

 

A week before Greg and the twins birthday, he was discharged from the hospital. Sophia took the twins with her and went and signed the forms releasing him, made sure he was buckled up, and headed for home. It was a quiet drive, except when Jacob and Tiffany took turns asking their mom about dad. Sophia patiently replied that he was sick, but he will get better, but Sophia had doubts. Not doubts about his physical well-being, but his mental health. 

 

Sophia pulled up the driveway and parked. She got the twins out and into the house. Then she went back outside to get Greg. But when she went out she saw Izzy next to passenger door saying something to her husband. Sophia demanded to know what she doing, and to get off her property. Izzy replied she was just welcoming her husband home, winked at Sophia, and went into her house. Sophia opened the door and noticed a foul smell. She helped Greg out of the car and noticed the front of pants were soaked, and that there was lump in the back of his pants. 

 

She took him straight to the bathroom and undressed him and turned the shower on. She noticed that not only had he wet himself, he relieved himself in the back. She cleaned him up, got him dressed, and took him to the bedroom. As she was preparing the bed for him, he started sobbing uncontrollably, and it lasted almost an hour before he felt so exhausted that he passed out on the pillow. 

 

Sophia left the bedroom and went back out to her children. She stopped and hugged them both, and she herself started to cry, not like Greg, but enough that the kids started crying. So many thoughts swirled in her mind. 

 

She remembered the day she met Greg, and all the happiness that he brought her, and how he was the one that did the most to keep her where she was happiest, Ridgemont. And she thought about how he adapted after his football career ended. He wasn’t happy, but he made the best of his situation. She thought about moving into this house, and the birth of Jacob and Tiffany, and how Greg was ecstatic about being a father. 

 

And now, her husband, her big, strong husband, standing almost 7 ft, the physically strongest man she knew, was now reduced to tears and soiling himself at the sight of a 9 yr old Alpha girl. She looked long and hard at her kids, pulled out her phone, looked up a number, dialed, talked to a person, and hung up. And then Sophia cried again, this time uncontrollably. After some time, she went to check on Greg. He was still sleeping. She went back to the living room and sat down in silence, until she drifted off.

 

Greg and the twins birthday arrived, and Sophia had them all pile into the car. Once everyone was buckled, she drove through town and came to a drab gray building. She parked the car, and had the kids get out. She told Greg that she would be right back. She took the kids inside, and after filling out paperwork and permission slips, she paid a fee, and the kids were taken to a room. 

 

They were out before she had a chance to sit down, and at that moment, Sophia had committed to something that she had opposed all her life. She had the kids receive their first injection of the GH-X2 formula. She had watched the physical specimen that was her husband reduced to nothing by an Alpha girl. Her kids would not suffer the same fate. 














Chapter End Notes:

I sincerely apologize. I tend to write so often, that I never realized that I combined parts of my original story with parts from a reworked version.

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