[2018, Metro City.]
BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZ!
"Huh? W-What is… that?" Groaning, I rolled over in bed and cracked one eye open due to the disturbance. Consciousness returned in fragments, all thanks to my damn persistent alarm.
No, I don't use one of those outdated, clunky alarm clocks.
This was my smartphone, and apparently, I had set it to go off precisely at 8 a.m. Which could only mean one thing: I had something important to do today.
Logically, it made sense to get up. But there was just one problem, I'd been having a really good dream. A really good one at that as well.
Funny enough, I couldn't recall the exact details, and honestly, I was too lazy to try. Still, I knew it had been awesome. The kind of dream you hope you can slip back into if you just shut your eyes fast enough.
The weird thing is, I almost never use my phone's alarm. I only ever set it when I have something urgent or important to do.
So now I'm stuck in a dilemma. The alarm went off… which means something matters today. But for the life of me, I can't remember what it is.
Hmm. What to do? Should I sleep in or wake up?
'Nah, I'm going to sleep it out.'
Just like that, I turned and entered a comfortable position before finally resting my eyes. A few seconds later, before I could slip into unconsciousness, my ears picked up a distinct sound.
Tap! Tap!
The sound of footsteps? Someone was coming?
Clack!
Suddenly, my door creaked open with that familiar, unpleasant sound, and someone stepped into the room.
Luckily, I didn't need to panic about burglars or masked intruders, I lived here with just one other person.
Unluckily, that person happened to be—
"Cassius Cain, wake up right now!"
Damn it. She used my full name. That's never a good sign.
I snapped my eyes open, swallowed whatever sleep remained, and shot up from bed like a soldier on command. In my sleepy haste, I stepped on something hard and immediately lost my balance.
My body folded over like a house of cards, crashing down onto the floor with a painful thud.
"Argh...! My back. Curses!"
A sharp sigh followed.
Heavy footsteps crossed the room, and I could practically feel the judgment radiating off her.
The woman appeared to be in her mid-forties. Judging by the bags forming under her eyes, it was clear she hadn't been getting enough sleep or proper rest. As a single mother, she was the sole provider for the household, carrying the weight of responsibility on her shoulders with two mouths to feed. Even so, she was still strikingly beautiful and appeared far more youthful than her age would suggest. Rather than giving off the vibe of an exhausted parent, she radiated the energy of a cool, reliable older sister.
And the most captivating detail about her, the one that always stood out, was her midnight blue hair. A trait I had thankfully inherited. Sadly, I also inherited my supposed father's dull grey eyes instead of her radiant hazel eyes.
Even so, her eyes can be really scary. Just like right now.
She looked down at me and muttered:
"You're unbelievable. Why are you sleeping this late on such an important day?"
I groaned from the floor and replied. "Can I answer after my spine stops crying? By the way, good morning Mom."
"No. You don't get to be dramatic today. After all, you're the one that said I should wake you up if you overslept," She kicked at my blanket like she was exorcising a demon. "Have you seriously forgotten? Today is the day."
Today is the day? I blinked. My brain, still half-fried from sleep, sluggishly tried to piece together her words.
Then it hit me.
"Oh crap."
The moment the realization sank in, I sprang up from the floor and bolted toward the bathroom. Mid-sprint, I made sure to throw a complaint over my shoulder.
"Damn it, Mom! Why didn't you wake me up earlier? And why is it that you always wake me up late when I want to get up early, but wake me up too early when I'm actually trying to sleep in, huh?"
My mother scoffed then said:
"Do you know what time I got home last night? I was lucky to get any sleep at all. And now my precious son expects me to wake him up early? Maybe I'm spoiling you too much. Honestly, why did I even bother waking you if all you're going to do is complain? Hmph."
While brushing my teeth, I paused for a moment, then spat into the sink. Ugh, my mom was probably pouting back there.
Ptooey!
"No, that's not it. I'm sorry. But today's the day, y'know? It'd really suck if I missed it."
In response, Mom's voice rang out.
"Isn't that event in the evening? You've got more than enough time. I don't get what you're rushing for."
I sighed.
"I know, I know. But I've already explained that I'm going to be busy all day. Uncle Vince wants me to help out around the lab and once I'm done, I'll be given exclusive access to see the particle accelerator up close. This is a one-time opportunity I simply cannot miss!"
Mom leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, a brow furrowed like she was trying to decide whether to be annoyed or worried.
"A particle accelerator? Doesn't that sound dangerous?"
Slightly annoyed, I popped my head out of the bathroom with toothpaste still foaming in my mouth and explained:
"Mom, how many times should I tell you this? It's not dangerous. In fact, it could be said that it's completely harmless and beneficial to Metro City as we know it," with a hand gesture, I continued. "Imagine an energy source so clean it could power the entire city, and even be used to push the boundaries of science and medicine. No more fossil fuels, no more blackouts, no more stupid power surges that fry your phone charger."
I pointed the toothbrush at her like it was a wand.
"This could very well be the key to unlocking stable fusion energy, enabling faster data transmission and the mastermind behind it all is the same man who discovered a new element and found the cure for cancer. Honestly, finding the cure for cancer is not that impressive. Nevertheless, he's still an impressive guy and he seems trustworthy too. Uncle Vince says it could revolutionize everything from transportation to space travel!"
I ducked back into the bathroom, rinsed my mouth, and shouted through the running water:
"Plus, it's being handled by experts. People who've spent decades on this. And it's not like I'm going there to mess around either, so what's there to worry about, really."
After finishing a quick shower, I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist. My sweet mother was still standing there with her arms crossed.
But her expression was strange, tight and almost distant. Like something heavy was pressing down on her. Or maybe… she was just worried? It was probably the latter.
Ever since my father, that bastard, maxing-out her credit card and dripped, she'd changed. In her own words, one night, he just disappeared without a trace, without even saying a goodbye.
Since then, she's become overly protective.
No, overprotective doesn't even begin to cover it. It's more accurate to say she's developed a deep, gnawing fear of 'abandonment.'
Let's backtrack a bit here:
My mother, Selene Cain, works as a geneticist at Metro City's main hospital. Some people get confused about what a geneticist actually does, but it's not all that complicated.
Basically, they study DNA; the genetic code that makes you 'you.' Their job is to understand how traits are passed down, why certain diseases run in families, and how to detect or even fix genetic problems before they get worse. In other words, she spends her days looking at what's hidden deep inside people.
The average geneticist makes around $80,000 to $100,000 a year, give or take, depending on where they work and how fancy their degrees are.
In my mom's case, she began working as a geneticist at the age of twenty-five and had me when she was twenty-seven. Now that she's recently turned forty-five, she's been in the field for two decades. With twenty years of experience under her belt, her salary would have significantly increased over time, likely placing her within the upper earnings bracket for experienced geneticists.
I estimate it would be around $120,000 to $160,000 annually.
Naturally, I can't be too sure about the exact amount and it's not like my mother was going to tell me anyway, even if I asked nicely and put on my best behavior. In any case, money haven't been an issue for a while and sometimes, when her mood was good, Mom would give me an allowance ($100) when I complete all the chores and tasks she gives me for the week. Years back though, my mother struggled because she had to repay the debt my good-for-nothing father placed in her from maxing out her credit card.
If I remember correctly, the debt was around a few hundred dollars, give or take. Well, the world certainly didn't end, that's for sure. However, back then, for a single mother with a toddler and a new job, it might as well have been a mountain made of unpaid bills and stress.
She never talked much about that period and I have no memory of it either.
Eventually, things turned around. She climbed the ladder at the hospital, got her name published in some big research journals, and before long, Dr. Selene Cain became someone even other doctors admired.
She always says she made it for my sake. That she didn't want me growing up in someone else's shadow.
But even now, all these years later, I think part of her is still haunted; by what he did, by how he left, and by the thought that I might one day disappear too.
That's why she gets like this.
Why she checks in five times when I'm out late.
Why she worries when I forget to text.
Why her eyes darken at the mention of experiments and particle accelerators, no matter how "safe" they sound.
Seeing her like this again, I clicked my tongue bitterly.
My asshole of a father… you bastard. How could you abandon an innocent woman like her and take all her money too?
He was probably on drugs, that piece of shit. Why else would he clean out her account and vanish like a ghost? And more frustratingly, it's damn near impossible to track down someone once they've fled to another country. For all we know, that bastard could be anywhere in Europe, Asia, or some backwater island drinking with stolen cash.
Swallowing all negative thoughts, I approached her and spoke with a reassuring smile.
"Mom, nothing's going to happen."
She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Oh? And why's that? Because you said so? Or is it because of that nonsense that man keeps spouting like a broken record?"
Her voice dropped an octave, laced with sarcasm. "What was it again…? 'The future is tomorrow, and we must advance technology in the present to meet tomorrow.' Is that right?"
I blinked, momentarily surprised. Then I sighed and shook my head.
"No, not that. Besides, doesn't that quote make sense? And that man has a name and it's Sebastian Wand." Noticing my sweet mother frowning her brows, I quickly cleared my throat and continued. "That said, I know nothing is going to happen because of two quotes."
Her eyes narrowed as she asked, "Which are?"
I smiled, maybe a little too smugly. "Firstly, anything that can go wrong, would've already gone wrong. And secondly, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Her frown deepened into a scowl.
Right.
She wasn't worried anymore. Now she was just annoyed.
After all, she was the one who taught me those quotes in the first place.