Back when Abby was in high school, some of her classmates - inevitably the popular people who would spend their weekends drunk with their friends - told her that she ought to lighten up. Life was full of surprises, they said, and that was what made it worth living.

Those people were idiots. 

As Abby squinted up at the too-perfect, metallic looking buildings, she knew she was screwed. The hover cars, the holograms floating in midair - they were right out of a sci-fi movie. Some of the kids she used to talk to would probably view waking up here as a dream come true. But not Abby. No; she had fallen asleep in her room, and when a girl woke up in a different place than she expected to, it was very rarely a good sign. 

Naturally, the first thought that came to mind was that she was dreaming. The second was that the first was bull. The cool ground beneath her, the vivid swooshing of vehicles as they flew by - they were too precise, too distinct, to be a part of the hazy world of a dream. No, this was real.

She sat up, found herself on a large, metallic surface resembling a street, but without cars. There were a few strangers walking in the distance, but if they were surprised to find a girl lying on the ground, they didn't show it. Abby rose, brushing at the ugly gray sweatsuit she was wearing. Someone had changed her clothing while she was asleep. 

"Great," she muttered, "These surprises are getting creepier by the minute."

None of the passersby seemed in the least bit interested in her. Her abductor - someone had to had moved her - was either absent or hiding. Maybe he'd left her behind, expecting her to still be asleep when he returned. All the more reason to explore.

The first thing she'd want to do was get something else to wear. Her current gray was distinctive, too much so. An outfit someone might actually choose to wear would go a long ways toward helping her blend in. Once she'd traveled a few blocks from the place she'd awoken, Abby ducked into a shop displaying a mannequin in a chic dress in its windows. 

"Hi! I see you're new here!"

Abby's eyes narrowed as she spotted the woman who had cheerfully greeted her. Probably an employee; she certainly looked the part.

"Do you memorize [i]all[/i] of your customers' faces?" asked Abby, "You're right, I haven't been here before - but I'll be alright on my own." She approached a rack of clothing when that insufferable voice interrupted her again.

"No offense, hun, but I doubt that. You just arrived here - I can tell by how you're dressed - and the stores where you're from probably don't work like this one."

Abby turned, scowling. Figured that the first person she'd encountered would be a nag! "Fine, give me your spiel and get it over with," she said harshly.

The woman smiled as if oblivious to Abby's rudeness. "Well, first of all, this isn't the world you come from. I can tell you just woke up - you have that groggy look in your eyes - but you aren't hungry at all, right? Well, that's because people [i]don't[/i] get hungry here!"

Abby chewed at her lip. As much as she hated to admit it, the annoying lady was right - her stomach didn't seem even the slightest bit grumpy with her, even though she'd retired early the previous night, and now, it was clearly day. 

"So you're telling me this is [i]actually[/i] a sci-fi world?" said Abby, "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Oh, dear!" said the woman, "It really is hard for you newcomers to adjust, isn't it? Well, tell you what. I can convince you that at least one thing is different. That dreadful outfit? We'll help you get rid of it, find something better to wear. And you won't have to pay a cent for it - um, people do pay in cents where you're from, right?"

Abby blinked, plans to steal her clothing unraveling in her head. What was this place? Her eyes swept over the store, at the colorful variety of garments on display, and, begrudgingly she was forced to admit it to herself - maybe some surprises weren't so crappy, after all.