World of the Endless (2)

Michael reorganized his memories, stepping out of the bathroom and making his way toward the living room, bathed in the soft glow filtering through the open window. In the distance, the clattering of hooves and the calls of merchants provided a distant backdrop.

The oil lamp, suspended near the window with a pipe trailing over it into the adjacent wall, cast shadows in the now dim room as it remained unlit. "Hey Michael, please sit" His father, named Alexander, looked at him with concern.

'He's going to talk about what happened that day' Michael thought as he went through the memory.

Bratfurd Academy had been Michael's sanctuary—middle school to high school, a simple yet fulfilling life, meeting every expectation a kid might have. His grades were commendable, he had a circle of friends, and despite not being athletically inclined, his charm attracted the teasing attention of girls.

This was his life until a month ago while hanging out with his friends, he accidentally dropped a bottle of water through a window, landing on top of a kid named Nick.

That day, Nick climbed up to the classroom Michael was in and poured what was left in the bottle of water on him, leading to a public altercation that left both participants disheveled.

Michael's friends, once steadfast, distanced themselves, leaving him to face the aftermath alone. It wasn't until encountering Hugo that Michael comprehended the deeper implications of the incident.

"That day was brutal, in front of the whole school too," Michael sighed, recounting the painful memory.

Nick had an older brother named Hugo, a 19-year-old merger, one of the few kids that passed the test in the academy. This made Nick overconfident, starting fights and problems without care, even the teachers couldn't control him.

Whether it was due to ego or anger, Nick started a fight, punching Michael in the face, to which he retaliated.

Michael was no fighter, but Nick was no prize either. This ended with both of them not in good shape, their hair messy and their clothes disheveled.

Michael's friends did not step forward to help, at the time old Michael did not think about it, but now that the new Michael was looking at it from a third-person point of view he noticed their reluctance to even stand near the old Michael after that incident.

Not long after, old Michael realized why after meeting Hugo.

"Michael, are you sure you're okay?" Alexander inquired, his eyes filled with pity. "I... We should have talked about it the day it happened, but I... I was ashamed."

Assuring his father, Michael acknowledged, "It was not your fault, Dad."

Alexander, hearing his son speak to him normally, was shocked. 'He would usually look at me with hate and scorn while barely speaking a single word, but now he's talking to me as if nothing happened?' Alexander was shocked, and for a split second, a faint smile adorned his lips before disappearing.

Alexander, taken aback by his son's newfound openness, explained, "I tried to help as much as I could, but... A merger isn't someone normal civilians can mess with."

"I know" Michael knew how rare mergers were which meant their value was quite high to the military. '1 out of 100 000 can test positive, although I don't know the details, I am certain they are untouchable to normal people'

In the aftermath, Michael found himself alone, weeping on the ground, as the student body watched in silence. Nick, accompanied by his brother, spat on Michael before walking away, relishing the onlookers' reactions.

The cops were involved and an investigation was launched, but all of a sudden everything was dropped when his father walked into the hospital room with a bundle of money.

'Old Michael blamed his father for prioritizing money over him, but I think I know what happened' Michael smiled towards his father and spoke. "I was an idiot to blame you, Dad," Michael admitted, a smile breaking through. Rising, he approached his father and hugged him. "I let anger and shame cloud my judgment. I know what happened, Dad. I'm sorry for the way I behaved until today."

At that moment, something shifted. Alexander, initially frozen, reciprocated the hug, the hidden smile now evident. "I'm sorry too, son," he whispered.

A sniff echoed in the room as Michael's mother, observing from the sidelines, joined the embrace, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so happy you guys made up," she declared emotionally.

"What about me!!" A high-pitched voice interrupted from behind, a young girl with a small frame and cute bangs jumping into the hug. 'I guess this is my family now,' Michael thought, 'Memories aren't the only things that stayed... Although, these feelings aren't too bad.'