First Reboot
-June 12. The year 2046. The clock strikes 9:00... Dear citizens... Good morning!
There was a loud female voice that went around the room like thunder.
-Damn!
Cursing a little, I raised my head and slowly opened my eyes, while looking at the TV with the program "Good Morning Country"...
-I left the TV on at night again... Although... It's not such a bad way to get up for work. Though not such a pleasant one.
*Sigh*
Getting out of bed reluctantly I started to get ready. I got another clean suit that hadn't gotten dirty yet and needed to be ironed... But whether from laziness, or from I don't know what, I just started to put it on.
After a couple of minutes I was fully dressed. After taking what I found in the fridge and making myself breakfast I did not even notice how time flew by. It was exactly 9:30 on the clock, which meant...
-Going to work...
As usual I left the apartment and took my suitcase. I got on the nearest train and went to the office of the company I worked for.
-It's a little slow today. Maybe there's a problem. Looks like I'm going to be late. Bad luck...
Just as I thought I'd be late.
-You're late again! That's the fourth time this month!
My boss almost shouted at me.
-I'm sorry...
-I don't care! You think I can't just fire you? I've got plenty of people like you!
-I'm sorry. I'll try not to be late from now on.
-I hope so. Now get back to work.
-Yeah!
A little shaky, I walked briskly towards my desk.
-Yeah, your boss really yelled at you today. Looks like he's in a bad mood. Bad luck.
-Oh, shut up, John!
I raised my voice a little bit and sarcastically turned to my colleague. He's been here about as long as I have. But for some reason, even though he's late more often than I am, he gets less than I do.
-Better than laughing, tell me what we have planned for today.
-Well, listen, Max, from what I hear we might have a lot of work today. We might even have some important documents to go over this time.
-Are you serious?
*Tsk*
-And I wanted to relax for once today...
-Dream on.
Lately in our office it seems that a lot of papers are given to check. Maybe it's related to the recent increase in murders in the central district, or maybe not.
-And so! We have some very important documents that need to be rewritten and checked! Group 1: will rewrite the papers and Group 2: will check and verify. Does everybody understand?!
-Yes!
After saying that loudly, my colleagues started working. Since I work in Group 2, I got to reconcile and check. After a little bit of digging in the papers, I began to find mistakes, which I corrected little by little.
-Look at this!
In a little whisper, John said to me. He took some papers and gave them to me.
-What's this?
-Look, it turns out that the UF Logic superpower lab was actually studying the illegal archives. It looks like they're about to be shut down and stripped of everything.
-I'm honestly not surprised. I didn't like them anyway. Their methods of research are too sophisticated. Although I can give credit to them for sometimes doing something good.
I can't agree with the fact that this laboratory is really strange, but how serious should be a violation of such a giant in the field of superpower research that they decide to close it and even deprive it of all property. Very strange...
And on that note, I just kept on working and half a day went by without even noticing.
*Sigh*
-I'm tired. It's only half a day's work.
-Don't be a sourpuss.
It seemed like he was trying to cheer me up, but he actually had a bit of a laugh in his voice.
-Listen, Max.
-What do you want?
-Can you go get a soda?
-What else? -No, seriously.
-No, seriously. I'm even willing to give you money so you can get yourself a drink. I'm just thirsty.
-Ah! All right.
-Thank you.
John, you may have talked me into getting a drink, but next time it won't work. You'll see.
I went outside and walked down the street and found a vending machine.
-So what kind does he want? Random...
I accidentally clicked on a drink and got two drinks. One for John and one for myself.
Even though it was the beginning of summer, it was still so hot that the asphalt was probably hot.
-It's hot as hell...
Near the vending machine I saw a bench in the shade. I thought for a while, headed in its direction and lay down on it, thinking for a while.
Day by day I sit at this job and earn some 25 thousand that barely enough to live on. I'm 30 years old and I... And I've never even been out on a date. My mother's sick and I can't even get my mail.
I took the anti-stress pills out of my pocket and swallowed them without even drinking.
-Looks like there's about a week left. I hope I can get some more.
I almost cried and covered my eyes with my hand.
-Where did I go wrong? Maybe I didn't study well, or maybe I didn't work well in my field? Or just because...
-I don't have superpowers?
-I don't have superpowers?
-What?!
Suddenly I leaned back a little to the edge and turned my head to the side. It was like a ghost of a girl in white with blue hair was next to me on this bench and it sounded like the voice I had just heard her say. The strange thing is not that she repeated after me, but that she hadn't been here a minute ago.
-Who are you?
-Я?
-You are!
-I don't even know... Call me "Z"!
-Chee-....
No seriously, who is she? Z? What does that mean? Like a nickname or something?
-You say "Z." Let's say... What do you want?
-What do I want? No... What do you want? Are you saying that if you had the ability, you'd live a better life?
What is she getting at? Suddenly she comes out and starts talking about something... What's going on?
-What are you getting at?
Gradually a smile appeared on her face... A beautiful smile and a frightening one at the same time, so much so that I was speechless.
-I see that you don't like your life and you think that you'll live a better one by ability?
-Probably...
A little confused and unsure I answered without realizing.
-Ow....
Her smile changed again, but now there was a distinct feeling that frightened me and beckoned me at the same time.
-What would you do if I said I could help you?
-Help you?
-Give you an ability in exchange for a small favor.
-А?!
Those words of hers startled me.
Give you an ability? How's that possible? Is that even possible?
-You say that with such ease as if you were... A god who can just give you powers.
I said it in jest, not hoping for anything, but...
-Possibly...
-?
A God? Yes... of course...
All my sense of wariness seems to have been replaced by laughter. And with a bit of a sneer I say:
-Really?
-Why not? So what do you want to do?
Yeah, I thought she was kidding or something, but she's... Crazy! Okay, I'll just play along...
-Yes!
I gave her the answer with all the seriousness I had, though I almost laughed.
-Good. Then...
-А?
She took a peach from somewhere and poked me.
-Um... What? A peach?
A peach... Really?
-Eat it.
-Eat it?
-Yeah.
Oh, well... I thought this was a joke, but she really is crazy. Yeah...
I took this peach and took a bite.
Mmmm... It tasted good! It's actually a little sour.
-By the way! -Uh...
I was about to ask her something when suddenly she disappeared.
# Whistling #
-Yeah, she's good at appearing and disappearing.
After I finished my peach, I glanced at my watch and realized lunch would be over soon.
-Well! Time to call it a night.
-Careful!
-А?
Before I knew it, a truck was hitting me at breakneck speed. And the only thing I thought about:
Is that it?
-Oh, shit! -Hurry, call an ambulance!
* Screaming *
*♪ Siren sounds ♪*
Is this really the end?
*Tick tock *
*♪ Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick ♪*
А?
* Tick like this... *
Suddenly I open my eyes and see that I'm alive.
What? But how? I definitely remember being hit by a truck... And then there's this weird feeling of discomfort.
Looking around I saw only walls, quite familiar, and a blanket that enveloped me, and...
My mother?
My mother who was looking at me softly...
It couldn't be. But how? Unless...
Even though it was immediately incomprehensible, this strange feeling of discomfort had the effect of making me a child again!