The Future Today
"Doctor is he going to be fine?" Barbara's voice laced with worry as she stared at her sons prone figure laid on the hospital bed, "Mrs Snow I'll be honest with you, it's a miracle your son survived. It's been 2 days and he should be awake, but his scans show neural activity present while he remains motionless. It's only a matter of time till he awakens" the doctor patiently explains to the distrust mother as this isn't the first time she's asked.
"I know doctor, I'm just worried" as she was saying this Tabo knocked on the door to the room "Mama Jack you're still here? Go get some rest while I look after him" she wanted to protest but he cut her off "I know you're worried but I'm sure he doesn't want to see you like this" she struggled for a bit before dropping her shoulder "I guess I should take a rest, but promise me you'll call as soon as he wakes up" "I promise mama Jack" a reassuring smile on his face as she slowly walked out of the room, taking a glance at her son and only a sad sigh on her face.
"Come on Jack, it's been a few days, why are you still asleep. Everyone at the workshops worried about you" Tabo could only look on at his friend. A few hours pass by until visiting hours were over, during the night there was a spike in his brain activity and Jacks body started convulsing but no one noticed the machines he was hooked up to didn't react to the situation; this continued for a few minutes until he finally became still, a few minutes later his eyes fluttered open as he examined his surroundings.
He first noticed the unfamiliar roof above his head, then looked around to see that he was strapped up to some equipment he instantly recognised. "Why am I in the hospital?" He groggily said as he tried to sit up, he was more tired than he thought as he struggled with this. As he tried to stand up he staggered but caught himself, however as his hands cane in contact with one of the machines, a screen popped up in front of him.
~ Welch Allyn Connex Spot Monitor with BP, Pulse Oximetry and Pro 6000 Ear Thermometer.
Sell: $1,814.49
Recycle: Break down into base elements...
Jack simply stared at the screen that popped in front of him, as he took his hands off the screen disappeared. He repeated the process and the same screen popped up again
~ Welch Allyn Connex Spot Monitor with BP, Pulse Oximetry and Pro 6000 Ear Thermometer.
Sell: $1,814.49
Recycle: Break down into base elements..
He tried it with the other equipment and the results were the same, coming up with the name, price to sell and list of elements they can be broken down to. He got lost in his exploration that he didn't notice the nurse that walked into the room, clearing her throat "Mr Snow it's good to see that you're awake but should I be worried about your current behaviour?" This brought him back to reality and a sheepish smile appeared on his face "sorry nurse I was simply trying to get used to moving again" the nurse only hummed as she observed him.
"I see, well I need to perform a checkup on you so can you please return to bed" He agreed and as he was getting there he asked "can you tell me what happened, all I remember was the storm then I woke up here", while the nurse was conducting the checkup she answered "you were brought in by a friend of yours, I believe his name was Michael, he found you on the floor in your room as he forgot to give you something. You were found passed out with your phone burnt up to your side and your body showing signs of Lichtenberg scarring, which is only possible when exposed to major electrical currents and in your case a lightning strike"
Jack digested this information as she continued "you've been here for 2 days and your friends and family have been worried about you, we will contact them as soon as possible to let them know you're awake, for now you'll have to remain in the hospital till we discharge you"
After his checkup Jack went through everything that's happened so far 'okay so I've been hit by lightning even though I don't remember this happening, then I wake up and everything I touch has a screen showing their selling price or recycling properties.' He pauses as he digested this information "I need to explore this and see what it can really do" so he got up and started walking around the hospital touching random things, he even tried it on people but it only showed the items they're wearing.
He found a store room that doesn't look like it's been used in a while and saw a chair, as soon as he touched it.
~ Simple Wooden chair
Sell: $5
Recycle: Break down into base elements 10g (grams) carbon, 8g oxygen, 4g hydrogen, 2g nitrogen, and 2g other elements
He touched the option of sell and as soon as he did, the wooden chair disappeared, but in his mind he felt the presence of something, when he focused on it, he saw a screen filled with empty boxes and in the first box he saw what looked like $5, as he reached to grab it his fingers felt the sensation of paper. Pulling back he saw $5 in his hands, he simply stared at it not sure what to do. He looked at a smilier chair and touched it, the same screen appeared
~ Simple Wooden chair
Sell: $5
Recycle: Break down into base elements 10g (grams) carbon, 8g oxygen, 4g hydrogen, 2g nitrogen, and 2g other elements
This time however he chose recycle and as he did the chair seemingly dispersed into dust, he focused on the screen and saw new boxes labelled with the elements shown in the previous screen. His heart rate started to increase as the implications of what he could do registered in his mind "Amazing! With this ability alone I don't have to work ever again!" loud laughter could be heard from the store room and those that were close to the vicinity hurriedly left scared that a madman was lurking close by.