The Nexus Corporation

As Mark opened the box, he discovered a strange gemstone nestled inside. It appeared to be made from unknown components, exuding an ancient otherworldly aura, and it glowed ominously.

What struck him shocked was, that as soon as he touched it, the gemstone began to vibrate intensely.

"Shiiiin...."

"Ouch!"

A sudden, excruciating pain pierced his chest. The gemstone, glowing with a sinister light, began to drill into his skin with an unnatural force. Mark's muscles tensed, his hands instinctively reaching to pull the stone away, but it was too late. The stone drilled deeper, tearing through flesh and bone with terrifying speed.

"No! No! This can't be happening!" Mark screamed, his voice cracking with terror and disbelief. He stared in horror as the gemstone burrowed into his chest, leaving a gaping, jagged wound. Blood gushed from the opening, splattering across his clothes and the floor, the sound of it a sickening gurgle.

The pain was unbearable, a fiery agony that radiated through his entire body. His heart pounded frantically, each beat sending waves of torment through him. His vision blurred with tears, and he felt his strength ebbing away as the blood loss took its toll.

"Help! Clara, please!" Mark's voice was a desperate plea, echoing in the empty room. He dropped to his knees, clutching his chest, his fingers slick with blood. "I don't want to die... Not like this..."

He felt his body growing cold, his movements sluggish. The room spun around him, and he could barely keep his eyes open. As he collapsed to the floor, his mind raced with a single, desperate thought. "Please... let me live..."

The darkness closed in, and with one last, shuddering breath, Mark began to lost consciousness, the gemstone's sinister ethereal glow still faintly visible within his chest.

As his consciousness began to fade, panic set in. "Am I really going to die like this? What about Clara? Won't she be left alone in this cruel world? Who will take care of her?"

.

As he pondered these thoughts just before slipping into unconsciousness, his mind conjured a spectacular vision. There he witnessed the formation of a spiral galaxy, where every star and celestial body twinkled like grains of sand in an endless cosmic dance. It was a mesmerizing sight, vast and filled with wonder.

Amongst the myriad celestial objects, one star stood out prominently, outshining all others by a significant margin. Its brilliance captivated him, a beacon of light amidst the cosmic expanse, drawing his gaze as if it was calling him towards it. He wanted to go see why was it calling him, but at the crucial moment, the vision went off and he became unconscious.

After he became unconscious, the ancient stone inside his body glowed slightly, and the opened wound in his chest started to heal quickly, saving him from certain death.

.....

Time passed.

It is unknown how much time had passed since he lost consciousness. Gradually, he woke up feeling groggy.

He rubbed his eyes. "Where am I? Am I not dead?" He instinctively glanced down at his chest, where the gaping wound had been. To his surprise, he was dressed in a hospital gown. With trembling hands, he cautiously peeled back the gown to inspect the area.

To his disbelief, there was not even a single wound there. But there was something else — A symbol of Infinity.

"What's with this symbol?" He rubbed it to make it disappear. But it was not budging an inch, as if it was attached to his chest forever.

A wave of unreality washed over him as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing.

Adding to the surreal scene, he noticed he was inside some kind of advanced medical pod with a holographic display showing his vitals and medical condition.

The room buzzed with the faint hum of medical equipment, contributing to his disoriented state.

Eventually, after looking around, he found out that he was in some kind of hospital facility.

"Clara! CLARA! Are you there?" he instinctively called out for his sister. But there was no one around.

Soon, a nurse approached him from the hallway. Her presence was striking, with an unusual walking posture that caught his attention.

"Hello, Mr. Mark Wayles. I am your health assistant, Silia," she greeted him in a clinical tone, her accent oddly devoid of emotion. She continued, checking reports on a virtual screen. "Can you tell me how you're feeling right now after waking up? Any discomfort?"

As he observed her, a thought crossed his mind: "Is she one of those Artificial humans?" he wondered silently, noticing her robotic efficiency and lack of emotional nuance.

"No, I am feeling fine. But I am very hungry," he replied honestly, feeling a mixture of relief and disbelief at being awake.

"Oh, I see. That is understandable, considering you've been in a coma for 15 days straight," Silia explained calmly.

"What! 15 days? That long?" Mark exclaimed in shock. The realization hit him hard—he had been unconscious for over two weeks. His thoughts immediately turned to Clara and what she must have endured during his absence. Thankfully, he had savings put aside. Financially, they should be okay.

Despite his hunger and disorientation, he tried to focus on the positive: he was awake and able to plan for the next steps, including reuniting with Clara.

"Yes, it's true, Mr. Wayles. You should feel fortunate that it was only 15 days for you. Many patients in coma conditions take years to regain their consciousness. Our current technologies aren't advanced enough to bring them back you know," Silia explained clinically.

Mark absorbed her words, feeling a mixture of gratitude and solemnity at his own situation.

"By the way, I have informed your family about your condition. They might be here very soon," Silia added, her demeanour professional yet attentive to his emotional state.

Mark felt a surge of happiness upon hearing the news. "By my family, you mean my sister, right?" he asked eagerly, needing reassurance.

"Yes, most likely. Here, take a look," Silia replied calmly. She turned the floating screen towards him, displaying a picture of his sister.

Seeing Clara's familiar face on the screen, a sense of relief washed over him. He smiled softly, comforted by the sight of her.

.....

Very soon, two people entered Mark's room. One was his sister Clara, and the other was a very handsome male doctor.

"Brother!" Clara shouted joyfully, tears welling up in her eyes as she rushed towards him.

"Haha, don't be a crybaby now, Clara. You're a grown-up woman now. Look, I'm completely fine," he said reassuringly, patting her head gently to calm her down.

On the other hand, the male doctor approached him. His presence exuded a sense of calm authority as he made his way over.

"Hello, Mr. Mark Wayles. I hope you're feeling better," he greeted warmly. "I'm Doctor Steve Wilson, a Quantum Neurological specialist and advanced genetic researcher. I'm your attending doctor. Please cooperate with me for a few minutes while I examine your condition thoroughly."

Doctor Steve's voice carried a reassuring tone, and his professional demeanour put Mark at ease despite his lingering confusion. He carefully reviewed Mark's medical charts and began asking detailed questions about his symptoms, medical history, and any recent events that might have led to his hospitalization.

As they went through the examination, Mark answered each question truthfully, focusing on providing accurate information while consciously omitting the mysterious incident involving the black box.

It felt prudent to withhold that detail until he understood more about what had transpired himself.

Seeing their meticulous care and expenditure, He was confused by the situation. Why would such a prominent doctor attend to him when he couldn't afford it? Seeking answers, he gave Clara an inquisitive look.

"So, Clara, where is this place? And why did you admit me here? You know we can't afford it, right?" He whispered into her ear, trying to grasp the situation.

"Oh, about that. I don't know either, brother," Clara whispered back, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "We're at Nexus Next Generation Hospital. It's owned by the famous industry giant, The Nexus Corporation."

Her words left him puzzled. The realization that they were in a hospital owned by a major corporation only deepened his confusion about how they could afford treatment there.

"Can you explain?" Mark asked.

Clara nodded and began to explain clearly.

"After finding you unconscious in your room, I called your friend Jake to get some help. I was so panicked at that time that I didn't have any other choice. Together, we took you to a local physician, considering our limited resources. The doctor there conducted a basic examination and then unexpectedly recommended that we transfer you to Nexus Next Generation Hospital.

"We can't afford treatment there," I protested, but the doctor assured us that Nexus Hospital was running a special charity program offering advanced treatment for free. Despite our reservations, we reluctantly agreed, seeing it as a last resort."

"Is there such a good thing that still exists in this world?"

Clara's explanation left Mark conflicted—grateful for the chance at advanced care but uneasy about the mysterious circumstances surrounding it.

After hearing the whole story, Mark couldn't help but feel a surge of guilt and empathy for Clara. She had taken on so much responsibility in his absence, and it weighed heavily on his heart to see how much she had been through.

"I'm so sorry, Clara," he began, his voice cracking with emotion. "I never wanted you to go through all of this. It must have been incredibly hard for you. I promise you, I'll never let it happen again. I'll take care of things from now on."

Clara looked at him with a mixture of concern and determination in her eyes. "Brother," she said softly but firmly, "We're family. We've always been there for each other. Don't blame yourself. I did what I had to because I love you and couldn't bear to see you like that. We'll get through this together like we always have."

Her words washed over him, bringing a wave of comfort and gratitude. Despite the challenges they faced, her unwavering support reminded him of the strength of their bond and gave him hope for the future.