The Kids

Loop Characters

Joshua, 14yo Bookworm (Julian)	Joshua Hutsenpilar is a smallish boy, knee-knocked with braces. His mom is the head librarian at the local public library and his dad is the high school principal. A book lover from an early age, Joshua mostly appreciates mysteries. He's also been playing violin since the age of 7. Overall, a scholastic achiever. Secretly wants to be rebellious but just can't bring himself to do it. But he listens forlornly as the others chat of their misdeeds.
Jimmy, 14yo Hick (Bill) Problem: questions authority, how they try to coverup. Pride: I can fix (jerry-rig) anything.	Jimmy Bunyard loves to ride and fix (tinker) dirt bikes. Dad used to run moonshine thru the Ozarks till ATF agents ‘suggested’ they move to Nevada. Can't miss their trailer house, on the outskirts of town, with its southern lawn ornaments: old rusty washer, numerous discarded bikes and rusting car frames. Neither of Jimmy's parents work at the Loop. Dad works in Vegas (organized crime?) while mom sells her craftwork locally. Both gone most of the day allows Jimmy free reign AFTER he does his chores (feeding the chicken and slopping the pigs). As dad would say, "Nothing stupid. Don't need a visit from the cops." Does a visit from the school principal count? It was obvious who to blame for the 'donuts' in the school lawn. Thus, library detention where he met Jack and Rod. His smelly old hound-dog Bo is his best buddy (Anchor).  Anti-authority: no surprise his favorite song is "We're Not Gonna Take It" (by Twisted Sisters 1984).
Rod, 15yo Troublemaker (Kent)	Rodney "Rod" Cacy has always been short and young looking for his age. Tends to make questionable hair choices, such as his current mullet. Rod is a troublemaker, but not a bully. He's lashing out in unhealthy ways. He is very loyal to his friends, but his impulsiveness can sometimes get them wrapped up in his troublemaking. He mainly only causes trouble when really bored or his friends have been messed with. Rod's mom works at the Loop. Which is very time consuming, and the root of the problems Rod's parents have.
Frank, 12yo Computer Geek (Thomas)	Frank Stone ... never call him Francis.  He keeps trying to get his parents to stop shopping in the little kids’ department at Sears for clothes. Frank was the surprise child. His older brother Timothy is away at college on the East Coast. Both parents work at the Loop so he's a latch-key kid. The family is well-off. His friends are his surrogate family, but he probably wouldn't admit that. Quiet and reserved, but he wants to be with people. Doesn't seek out action but will go along if that's what others want to do.
Jack, 14 yo Weirdo (Bryn) “I'm Jack Loveday. Don't say my second name - I'm done with getting beaten up for it!”	Not dumb, just behind and immature for his age. A bit socially maladjusted, Jack comes from a broken home. Which explains his attachment issues, till befriended by this eclectic group who seem more open minded than most. Jack hopes they can show him what's what in the area. In return, his loyalty. Dad works late as nightclub security at a Vegas rock venue. Most days dad is not up until 2pm which makes it super easy for Jack to play truant and go unnoticed with next to no boundaries at home. Thus, he likes sneaking around with his new friends, trespassing, exploring and generally getting up to no good. You see, Jack has a bit of an authority problem. Not usually violent, nor a delinquent, just a misunderstood kid. Such as his minor suspension - some kid in class made fun of his last name; so, Jack threw a black board cleaner at his head (one of those wooden ones). He missed the kid but not the window behind him. Which shattered and thus his library detention. Jack was recently started playing the guitar.
Alvin, 13yo Computer Geek (Alex) Problem: Wreckless. Pride: here's nothing I can't do if I put my mind to it.	Alvin Yi is the new kid on the block with thick lensed glasses and button-down shirt under a sweater. Always smiling. Daydreams a lot and is easily distracted except when he is concentrating on his technology.
Louis Mitcraft, 13yo Popular Kid (Pascal)	Louis lives with his parents in a nice house in a wealthy part of boulder. His older brother Mathew (Matt), who used to be the star Quarterback of the High Schools Football Team just left for college and to play for Kansas State. His father is a Lawyer, and his mother works for the Loop on some Science project. Both work a lot, so it has always been Grandma Theresa (mom's mother) taking care of him and Matt when he was younger. Louis is on the Middle school’s Baseball Team and is riding the tails of his brother’s fame. So, he is one of the cool kids. He usually wears his Letter-jacket and is always playing around with the hacky sack Matt gave him for his last birthday. The problem is that he really doesn't care all that much for sports and all that stuff. Well, it is fun, but it is not what he really wants to do. But Matt was the popular kid all of Louis's live and he just can't imagine not to be popular. That said he often dreams of other worlds and that is why he is hanging out with the other kids and loves playing D&D with them.
Charlene, ?yo Troublemaker (Jen)	Charlene Logan. Does whatever she can to not be home with her abusive alcoholic dad and useless mom. Her friends are what’s getting her though.
Johnny, 13yo Rocker (Mike K) Problem: When we graduate, my friends will go to different schools. Pride: Nobody calls me chicken!	Johnny Fire is proud to be a full-blooded Cherokee. He's a rocker and always seeking a thrill. He has no pets and is an only child.  His family moved from Oklahoma to Boulder when he was a baby, but he visits his grandparents on the Cherokee reservation during summer and on holidays. His parents own a bookstore called Talking Leaves downtown. They own the whole building. The space above the bookstore is where they live. Above that is a hangout spot for the kids where they play board games and RPGs.  Johnny helps out at the store to earn money. He also does odd jobs around town; such as, sometimes reading to the elderly.  Right now, he has no particular song to claim his favorite as he likes them all.
Lisa, 13yo Bookworm (Leslie) Problem: Tension at home because of job change. Pride: Will read ANYTHING - books, cereal boxes etc.	Lisa Kelly is an only child used to fending for herself (latchkey kid) since both parents’ work. Her dad opened his own repair shop, while mom works at the Loop in the accounting department (and keeps the family books).      She has auburn hair & Hazel eyes with a serious look about her yet commonly wears jeans. A bit of a Tomboy (building the most complex of plastic models).      But she is first & foremost a bookworm, prideful she'll read ANYTHING & everything (book, magazine, newspaper, package ingredient list, instruction manuals or travel maps, whatever's in front of her).      Lisa is also very much into science in general & her Science Teacher is her anchor. Lately she has started to take a special interest in computers because that's needed for Robotics (tba in Our Friends the Machines).      Fickle - whenever a new song comes out that she likes, it immediately becomes her new favorite song! So far this year her favorite song has been ‘We Don't Need Another Hero’ from the Soundtrack of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, then anything by Tears for Fears, & now it's ‘Silent Running’ by Mike & the Mechanics.      Her favorite place for her & her pals to hang out used to be a "fort" they built at Pierson's Salvage. But that group fell apart after several of the kids’ families moved away. Now she hangs out at a bookstore with a group of kids who play D&D (one of whom is the son of the owner of the bookstore).
Finn, 13yo Jock (Nathan)	Finn Cooper: tall and broad with short cut brown hair. An uncomplicated kid in a complicated world, Finn recently moved to town to live with his aunt Nicole after his mother abandoned him. His aunt tries her best, but her scientific work at the Loop leaves her little time to get to know Finn, and they don't share a lot of interests. So, when he got the chance to try out for the football team, he ran in full speed. Finn is not particularly smart, but he's always there for his friends and anyone that needs help. He's always got a football handy for playing catch, since that always makes him feel better. He's consistently wearing a football jersey or other sports shirts, and a friendly grin. His anchor is his elderly next-door neighbor Ms Kaufman, who he helps out around the house.
Travis, 12yo Rocker (Zin)	Travis Copeland usually wears a blazer (a size too big or too small per Goodwill offerings) and a paisley shirt + tie of various colours. Don’t forget his top-hat (storage for his drumsticks) that’s key to his clothing ensemble as a future drummer of a world-famous band. His current band, The Feonix Rises, are a very experimental prog outfit (none with formal music lessons).      When not drumming on any surface he can find, Travis can be found listening to music at local record stores or discussing the finer points of high-hat positioning with the school music teacher. His is currently playing King Crimson’s Three of a Perfect Pair on a broken Walkman found in his dad’s storeroom lost-and-found.      Travis comes from a poor family, with any money being focused on his 4yo brother Mason. His mother is a cleaner by night and his father a handyman for the apartments the family lives in.
Thomas, 11yo Weirdo (Jan) Problem:  Parents are getting divorced. My big Sister bullies me. Pride: "Science needs answers!"	Brian Williams (Thomas to his friends) is a fairly independent child. During the day, while his parents work, he lives at his grandma Ruth's place. She lets him do whatever he wants, and he really likes her for it. She also calls him Thomas, which is a double plus. He collects insects and is very interested in the biology and inner workings of animals and all living things. He currently saves money for a terrarium, and he works for the scrap yard in collecting recyclable materials. He is tall for his age at roughly 1.5 meters and quite thin. At this rate, he will be over 7 feet when he grows up! He measures his height every morning before breakfast.      His elder sister Elly (15) cuts his hair, and she might, or might not, like him a whole lot. Since his family is poor, he often has to wear her old clothes, and although they have been bleached, they often have some "girly" motifs, which he hates and tears off - but he still gets bullied for it non-the-less. The only "girly" thing he likes is his bleached, yet still pinkish backpack - his "Field Kit". It includes a small magnifying glass, a sharp pocketknife and a spoon, as well as a small plastic water bottle and some sturdy glasses (some with holes in their lids, some without) for storage.      Before he knew Dr. Boyd, he pinned the insects he found to the north wall of the attic in grandma's house. this is still his secret "lair" or "laboratory" to which he retreats when he wants to think, or just take care of his "pets". He has quite a collection of animals at his point, and again, with the help of Dr. Boyd, he actually learns how to take care of them properly.      He owns a scrap metal bike, which he cobbled together, and which makes an extremely screechy noise while driving, and has been a terror of his lower-income neighborhood for two years now. He found it at the scrap yard and repaired it from scavenged parts.
Stacy, 13yo Popular Kid (Holly) Problem: Worries about her brother’s leukemia flares. Pride:	Stacy is a newer kid in town, showing off her very fashionable neon pink and yellow windbreaker that she got for her birthday last month. She moved here with her family last year from California. She's a surfer-girl at heart and is saddened that there's no surfing in Boulder City. She loves the outdoors, camping, hiking, and swimming. Stacy's pride is important to her. She wasn't always so nice and had a history of being a bully. After (8yo brother) Eric's diagnosis last year (Leukemia), her outlook on life really changed. She realized how horrible she'd been and how short life can be. She's pledged to show kindness every day to as many people as she can. This has led to her growing popularity. She just made the cheerleading team at school and hopes to be a positive influence.  Her dad is a lawyer, allowing a wealthy life for the Brewer family. Mom was an interior designer, and still does some work here and there but mostly spends her time caring for Eric. All of her parents' time and attention now goes to him. This stresses Stacy out, as she too worries over Eric constantly and feels very lonely in her own home often. The family dog, Sally, (named after the astronaut Sally Ride. Plus, Eric is obsessed with space) is a golden retriever puppy. Stacy's chore is the dishes (something she hates deeply). She earns pocket money by babysitting in her neighborhood (she recently took the Red Cross CPR class). Stacy loves pop music. Take on Me and Material Girl can be heard often on her Walkman.

Janine De La Cruz, 13yo Hick (Nell) Problem: I worry about my grandfather. Pride: I help those who need it most!	Dark brown eyes, black hair, often wearing boyish clothes, usually hand-me-downs. I only have my father and my grandfather. I am the baby of my family. I have 2 older brothers, who can be annoying sometimes. I tend to the farm along with my family. I also do the housework like washing the dishes. Her favorite song: Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd). I have a pet black cat named Siopao.
Elias Matthews, 13yo Hick (Robert) Problem: A strange man is following me. Pride: I help other people.	A tall, whip-thin, boy with short black hair. Has two brothers, one older and one younger. Mother and father both work. Has an old tom cat named Buster. His favorite song: Sweet Child O' Mine (by Guns N' Roses).
Magpie, 13yo Rocker (Ravn) Problem: Steals money. Pride: Stood up to bullies for another kid.	Margaret "Magpie" Piekoszewski; hates being called Margaret. Margaret's favourite class in school is biology, because she thinks it's fascinating and a little gross. Parents names: Aleksy and Monica Piekoszewski. Aleksy works as a Senior Engineer at The Loop, and Monica is a part-time real estate agent and stay at home mom. Margaret has an older brother, Brad (16) that is her complete opposite; takes his studies quite seriously and is on the football team. They have a German Shepherd dog named Bailey (4yrs old). Margaret's chores at home, are helping her mom with dishes and cleaning her room, and sometimes mowing the lawn, but she's not allowed near the roses (Monica's biggest pride and hobby). Her favorite song: I Wanna Be Somebody (by W.A.S.P.).

Gylin Pyfferone,13yo Weirdo (Rezin) Problem: My parents are never home. Pride: I like the weird, it fascinates me.

5'4", thin 110lb, dark brown hair, gray blue eyes. Gylin wears a grey hoodie from the University of Nevada. He tends to wear neon-colored t-shirts underneath his hoodie. He also wears red and white Vans and wrangler blue jeans. The friendly kids call me G, or the Brainiac when I’m not looking. Always first to finish and leave. Mostly a bored straight A student. In my spare time I observe/research the unexplained, practice my yoyo moves, pet my cat, and work at the Dream Shop Video store. Where’s my parents, you ask? Jim(dad) and Courtny(mom) are always gone or sleeping. See they work at the Loop doing something important. Ones always working, While the other ones a sleep. So I keep “quiet”, clean the house, make myself food, check out weird and unusual books from the library, wander the streets, and go to work. I bet they don’t even notice when I leave late at night. Usually, to practice my sick yoyo trick shots, looking for Aliens, and star gazing with my telescope out back. My boy Sedrik is a black Norwegian forest cat. He is my only companion and reason to come home after school. My favorite song: Me, Myself, I (by Joan Armatrading).

 

NPC-OTHER KIDS
The Sanders Twins, 14yo	Erica and Ben Sanders are 14-year-olds at Boulder City Junior/Senior High. They moved here from California, with the newest style and newest electronics. Their mom is a researcher at the Loop and dad is a doctor. Erica is insufferably smart and loves to lord that over the rest of the geeks at school, showing off her brand-new Compaq Deskpro 386 whenever possible. A total teacher's pet that claims Boulder City lacks the intellectual stimulation that San Francisco offered. Ben is more on the jock side, star athlete in basketball and baseball, sporting the latest fashions in school (Ray Bans and a Members Only Jacket whenever possible). He has charmed most of the teachers at school. Both he and Erica are very deceptive bullies, able to cut down a kid with a nasty remark and play completely innocent to any adult that is brought into the fight.
Lucy Ackers, 15yo	Lucy is a 15-year-old at Boulder City Junior/Senior High. She recently moved in a few weeks after school started. She's awkward, pushy, more than a little weird, and pretty annoying. She's yet to find her place in school, and hovers at the edge of every group, looking for a chance to jump into the conversation, only to often say something completely strange or inappropriate to the conversation. No one knows much about her home life, but the rumor is that she moved in with her Grandmother after issues at home.
Charlie Bradford, 12yo	Charlie’s family moved to town this summer from Denver. It was blonde hair before he colored it “to be cool.” Matches the plaid clothing he likes to wear. Kind of small for his age, with a sweet face. He is really smart and likable, and good at both sports and school. You probably met him at the summer Loop picnic where the workers gathered to say goodbye to departing co-workers while welcoming the new arrivals.  Charlie has allergies and auto-immune issues that keep him from attending sleepovers. Maybe once he settles in, his parents will offer sleepovers at his house where they can monitor his health. Meanwhile, he talks about his pet parakeet Country Boy. He’s trying to get him to whistle to the tune of his favorite song Sunshine On my Shoulders (by John Denver).
Bullies (Randy, Joey, Darrel)	Notable school bullies are Randy (classic jock butthead) and his two lackies: Joey (skinny, gangly, with a ratface; a total yes man to Randy) and Darrel (held back twice in school, massive kid, football player).