The Catalyst

Malach was engrossed in the latest issue of his favorite graphic novel, "The North Against the East." His hand dipped into the wrinkled bag of Leto's chips, scavenging for the last piece. His fingers met his lips, licking off the crumbs they had discovered. He was momentarily distracted by the patterned patches on his skin. His vitiligo seemed to be spreading. Sighing, he put down the graphic novel and reached for the mirror on his bedside table. He stared at his face for a while, his eyes half-closed as if he had just woken from a nap.

"It's gonna be a long summer," Malach muttered.

RRING RRING! The loud ringtone of his phone made him twitch. His eyes widened in surprise as he dragged himself like a caterpillar from his bed to his distant study table. It was Reggie on the other end, his best friend.

"What are you doing all cooped up in that house? We've got the whole summer ahead of us!" Reggie's voice came through with the sound of laughter in the background.

Malach scratched the back of his neck. "I've got everything I need, man. Plus, I just got this new game. Heard there's a secret level you can unlock by beating the final boss in record time."

Reggie sounded almost disappointed. "Man, touch some grass, dude. You really want to waste your best years indoors playing video games and reading comic books? Be better, dude. I've got this whole trip planned out."

Malach sat at his study table, scrolling through his notifications on his PC. "I don't know, man. My skin situation isn't looking good, and I don't want to go out there and get called dumb names like 'spotted cow' or 'Dr. Kaleidoscope' like back in middle school."

Reggie chuckled. "C'mon, now. Dr. Kaleidoscope wasn't even that bad. Friends from school are gonna be there by the way, and you can't give the excuse of not having camping equipment. Cos I've got extra!"

Malach gasped in awe as he viewed images Maya had sent from the Science Institute of Ivan Alexei. One image showed Kepler-186f, a planet with possible evidence of life, captured by her own invention.

"She's really outdone herself, huh?" he remarked.

"Indeed she has," Dr. Andrew said, standing at the entrance of Malach's room, smiling with a sense of pride.

"Reggie, I've gotta go. I'll call you back later," Malach quickly dismissed the call at the sight of his father.

"It must have cost a fortune to capture an image like that," Malach said, his eyes burning with curiosity.

"The institute funds research such as Maya's. This might be the breakthrough she's been looking for a long time," Dr. Andrew replied, putting both hands on Malach's shoulders.

"I've got to give her a call," Malach replied with excitement.

"I overheard Reggie on the phone talking about some camp trip he has planned out?," Dr. Andrew said while stroking his goatee. He seemed really worried about Malach's social anxiety.

"Umm, yeah, actually. Friends from school are gonna be there and stuff, but who still goes camping anyway? Feels very millennial if you ask me, haha!"

"I think you should go, Malach. It's all part of the human experience. Have fun and be adventurous, make mistakes, that kinda stuff," Dr. Andrew encouraged.

Malach stared at Dr. Andrew for a while, puzzled. "So you're saying that I could, umm, get wasted on some meth or get a girl pregnant? That kinda mistake?" Malach replied jokingly.

"That's not what I'm saying, I'd kill you if I found out you were on drugs, goofball. All I'm saying is to live," Dr. Andrew said with a chuckle.

It got silent for a while, Malach staring at his father like he had just seen a different side of him.

"What about my monthly checkups?" Malach broke the silence. "If I'm away, how would that happen?"

"You'll be fine. You've been very stable for a while now, so there's no need to worry," Dr. Andrew reassured.

"Alright, Dad. I'll give Reggie a call. I guess I'm going after all," Malach said, a hint of excitement and anxiety in his voice.

Later that night, Malach tossed and turned in his bed. His sleep was restless, plagued by vivid, horrifying nightmares. He found himself on a distant planet, the sky a deep crimson, explosions echoing in the distance.

He was in his mother's arms, her face full of fear and desperation. Around them, his fellow race was being slaughtered mercilessly. The screams and cries of his people filled his ears as buildings crumbled and the ground shook. His mother tried to reach for him, but an explosion separated them.

A young man appeared, saving him from the chaos. "You're our last hope," the man said, his voice echoing in Malach's mind. Then, he saw the planet being obliterated, the explosion powerful, terrifying, and beautiful at the same time. It felt almost real.

Malach woke up with a start, drenched in sweat. His heart was pounding, and his breathing was heavy. He sat up, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare.

He headed to the kitchen for a glass of water, hoping to calm himself. As he filled his glass, he heard faint voices coming from the garage. Curious, he moved quietly towards the door, careful not to make a sound.

Peering through the crack, he saw his father, Dr. Andrew, talking with two suited individuals who looked like federal agents.

"I'm telling you, he's stable," Dr. Andrew said, his voice tense. "There's no need for this kind of intervention."

One of the agents, a stern-looking man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. "Dr. Andrew, the directive is clear. Project Inferno requires all potential assets to be monitored and assessed. Malach's extraterrestrial origins make him a prime candidate."

Dr. Andrew clenched his fists. "He's not an asset. He's my son. And his energy levels have been dormant for years. You can't just rip him away from his life based on some ancient threat."

The second agent, a woman with piercing green eyes, interjected. "With all due respect, Doctor, this is bigger than family. If Malach's powers reawaken, and we're not prepared, it could spell disaster. The stakes are too high."

Dr. Andrew handed them a thick file, his hands trembling slightly. "This is all the data you need. Malach is stable. Any change, and I'll be the first to report it. But you have to trust me on this. He's safe where he is."

The scarred agent glanced at the file, then back at Dr. Andrew. "Trust isn't something we deal in lightly, Doctor. We'll review the data, but understand this—Project Inferno doesn't wait for anyone. If there's even a hint of danger, we will act."

The agents turned to leave, the scarred one pausing at the door. "For Malach's sake, I hope you're right."

As the door closed, Dr. Andrew exhaled, a look of deep worry etched on his face. Malach, hidden in the shadows, slowly backed away. His mind raced, trying to process what he had just overheard. Could it be true? Was he really an alien? And what was Project Inferno?

He returned to his room, the nightmare and the conversation he had overheard playing over and over in his mind. What did it all mean? He couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change in ways he couldn't yet understand.