Chapter 01: The beginning of everything

"So, what do you have to say today?" the deep and somewhat annoying voice came from an old man dressed in a long light blue robe on a stretcher "I remember saying that it wasn't necessary for you to come every day"

"Yes, I remember what you said grandfather, it's just that I can't help coming to visit you" the young man sitting on a chair right next to the stretcher was Julio, an ordinary high school student, just like the rest of the students in the country, only, in this case, this young student only had a single family member, his grandfather who was now in the hospital after his health got worse.

"TSK" the old man clicked his tongue with annoyance" you are not only annoying, but you are also an airhead, I told you many times before, you must learn to live your life, I don't have much time left and school is not eternal, it is the best opportunity you have to make a social circle, but you have been in high school for two years and I never heard anything about your friends, don't forget also that you don't have the best grades to use them as excuses"

Listening to the last part of his grandfather's words, Julio could not help but wince, his grandfather was right, they both agree on that, but Julio could not just abandon his grandfather in the hospital when he was at the end of his life, his grandfather was the only family he had left, after his parents' accident, it was the old man who raised him properly.

It was late, the sky had already turned orange and the rays of light were disappearing little by little, soon Julio would have to leave the room and go home.

"You already know, don't you?" Before Julio left the room, his grandfather's question reached his ears, the young man's steps stopped, but he didn't say anything, he wanted to avoid saying anything.

"Then I can deduce that the doctor already told you, I only have three weeks left to live at the most, I may look very healthy on the outside, however, my inside is really a dump" the old man put his hand on his stomach "believe the doctor's words, every day I can feel my body losing strength, I doubt I can do the things I did before coming to the hospital"

Julio did not look at his grandfather at any moment, he wanted to avoid seeing his grandfather's expression, his arms were shaking with impotence at not being able to do anything to help the most important person in his life.

"Julio" the old man called, making his grandson turn to look directly at him "I want to avoid seeing you in the hospital again, I would like to avoid seeing your weak face. If you would like to make me proud, then I want you to live your life properly from now on"

"but-"

"Do you suppose I'm an idiot, Julio?!" exclaimed the old man making the young man shut his mouth and take a step backwards "your body is at its limit, not only do you come every day to accompany me, but you also have part-time jobs, you know your school forbids part-time jobs for its students"

"It was only to raise more money" excused the young man in a lower tone than the old man.

"You're lying" the older man's voice no longer had the high tone, but now seemed as cold as an iceberg, –the money you were raising was for a different treatment.....

"Grandfather"

"Julio, I want to avoid repeating myself; I don't need any other kind of medical treatment. From now on, you must worry about you and your future, the moment my life comes to an end then everything I have will be yours, you must now be to study and enter a university, it is the only way you can make me proud"

Leaving the image of his grandfather on the stretcher, Julio left the room and soon left the hospital itself, walking through the streets of the city with his grandfather's words in his mind.

"Sigh" he let out a long sigh "grandfather you are absolutely right, I know you are right, but I really can't stop myself, regardless of what you say, there is no way I will allow seeing you in the hospital and me enjoy life"

Julio continued his way to a dingy alley right next to a nightclub, there was his part-time job there from Tuesday to Friday, the pay was pretty good and the likelihood of getting caught was low, his specific job, washing dishes. It was not a demeaning job, in Julio's mind he would rather be here washing dishes than watching TV while resting in a lonely house, besides his existence there was no one else at home, the silence was scary.

He had part-time jobs practically every day, not even on weekends when he helped on a farm near the city.

When the end of his work shift came, he would just pick up his things and go out the back door, of course before retiring he would get his money as usual, then the way home was clear.

Everything that happened was just as his grandfather had said before, Julio had no friends, the contacts on his phone hopefully reached two digits, most of his bosses.

When he got home all the lights were off, there were no dirty dishes in the wash, he barely had any clothes in the washer, even the couch had started to collect dust.

After a quiet bath, time allowed her to review the class notes, nothing special besides the homework she already finished before leaving class. There wasn't much more to his life, he simply made his way to his room and dropped his heavy body on the bed, closed his eyes and finally the day was over.

The alarm clock made the normal sound at six in the morning, he had to get up and prepare lunch before going to school, a lunch box as usual, quite nutritious with some meat to enjoy a bit of life.

"Everything is ready" Julio took a look at the photograph of his deceased grandmother "I'm leaving again grandma" the door closed as Julio left, and the house returned to its silence, a silence that from that moment on would be almost eternal.

The way to school had nothing different, there was no special event, when he arrived at the classroom almost all his classmates were already in their places, there were some glances in his direction, but nothing more, Julio was invisible in the classroom and he himself could not blame them, he never dedicated his time to make friends, the truth was that he wasn't concerned about the opinions of his classmates.

It was when she reached her seat that everything happened, she didn't have the chance to put her bag on the floor when a kind of magic red circle appeared on the floor that caught everyone's attention.