Prelude to the Apocalypse 1  

"Hoi! Leo, have you finished your homework yet? Or have you been glued to that game all day again? Finals are just weeks away, you know. Why are you staying up all night playing?"

Leonel winced as his mother's barrage of questions assaulted his ears. Her words felt like sharp blows, each one landing with painfully.

He rubbed his head where his mother's fist had connected moments before. "Mom, what do you want me to do? Study or make money?"

His mother's expression darkened as she raised her hand to strike him again. "I want you to do both."

Leonel felt frustration bubbling up inside him. "But that's impossible!"

His mother's hand made contact with his head once more, sending a jolt of pain through him. "If you can't handle both, you'll never become a man. You'll never be as successful as your sister."