Prodigy

by Edward Mullen

  “You know what I mean. I was just using you as an example.”

  “Why are invisibility cloaks illegal?”

  “What’s the first thing you would do if you were invisible?”

  “I don’t know, spy on some women, rob a bank, punch unsuspecting people in the face.”

  “Exactly. That’s what most people would do.”

  “Is that why you don’t let me borrow your cloak?”

  “Of course, you just told me you would immediately turn into a criminal if you had it. I wouldn’t want to live in a world with a bunch of invisible people walking around.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  Milo sat across from Alex, staring at her. Similarly, he was trying to preserve the image of her in his mind. Alex was a remarkable specimen, both inside and out. Her physical beauty was indescribable and her IQ was immeasurable. It was only natural that Milo developed feelings for her. Although he had speculations at times, he was not quite sure how she felt about him. Every now and then, situations would arise where she would give him a look or touch his arm in a certain way that would convince him that she was trying to convey her feelings toward him, but he would quickly dismiss those thoughts as wishful thinking.

  “So, will I ever see you again?” he asked.

  “Of course, it’s not like you’re a prisoner here, we can hang out whenever you want.”

  “I know, it’s just—” he paused. Alex turned to look at him.

  “We can still hang out all the time okay, nothing will change. Milo, you’re my only friend, it’s not like I have anyone else to hang out with, right?”

  “I already know how this whole thing is going to unfold. You’re going to move out, meet other people, and we’ll slowly grow apart. Eventually, our friendship will completely dissolve and I’ll never see you again.”

  “Oh really, is that what’s going to happen? How can you say you know when you really don’t know?”

  “I don’t know,” Milo shrugged as his intellect felt inferior.

  “We may even grow closer.”

  “Maybe it’ll be a good thing you’re leaving – you won’t be around to constantly remind me how dumb I am.”

  “Don’t say that, you’re not dumb.”

  “Compared to you I am.”

  “Why are you so concerned about comparing yourself to others? Be confident with who you are, women like that in a man.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, you’re the only person in history to graduate seven years ahead of schedule. Not one year, not three – seven!”

  “You shouldn’t get down on yourself about that, and you certainly shouldn’t praise me for anything I accomplished. Remember what Immanuel Kant said, ‘we should not praise people who are naturally inclined to do certain things, rather we ought to praise those who are not so inclined, but through their sheer will discover the righteous path.’ The fact my brain can store a lot of data has nothing to do with anything I did. I guess you could say I just got lucky and hit the genetic lottery.”

  “Yeah, twice,” he grumbled.

  “What’s that?”

  “Oh nothing. It’s just, given your genetic disposition you could’ve made other choices that did not exploit your gifts.”

  “Again, I should hardly be praised for that. Since birth, I was introduced to a system that placed a strong emphasis on achieving academic excellence, what choice did I really have?”

  “I guess you’re right, as usual.”

  Alex was ambivalent about transitioning from her life at the Facility to being a free and independent citizen. Her entire life had been spent studying at the Facility – it was the only life she really knew. She was academically brilliant, but her actual life experience was seriously underdeveloped.

  Like many other kids in the Facility, Alex was an orphan – separated at birth from her mother due to a violation of The Child Rearing Act. As such, she was required by law to carry out the beginning stages of her life at the Facility. Since those requirements had been fulfilled, it was time for her to pursue the next stage of her life, whatever that may be.

  Chapter Two

  The great pyramid of Megalopolis was a magnificent engineering achievement designed to reduce commuting and negate the effects of urban sprawl. The massive structure was comprised of a network of steel trusses and tiered platforms. Erected on the outskirts of the crumbling city, the Megaplex pyramid was just a sample of modern human ingenuity. It was a contemporary version of the ancient pyramid of Giza – a true testament to how far humans had come in a relatively short span of time.

  Home to nearly one million people, the Megaplex hosted an array of retail and office spaces, parks and entertainment, hospitals and schools, and also subsidized housing for new graduates. The pyramid represented a new age of living – a structure that was almost entirely self-sufficient. So far, it was the only one of its kind.

  As the taxi approached the pyramid, Alex looked at her new home. She had to tilt her head just to see the top of it. Construction on the project had been completed eight months ago, but it was the first time she had seen the structure up close. The mere sight of it nearly took her breath away. As the taxi continued toward the great pyramid, Alex never broke her gaze. She had only seen pictures of it previously and was not prepared for how grand and beautiful it was in person.

  Her eyes continued to scan the angular panels, which were outfitted with the latest solar technology and wind propellers. Since Earth’s oil reserves had been depleted many years ago, this was a common way to utilize as much renewable energy from the environment as possible.

  The taxi traversed silently into the pyramid and stopped in front of one of the internal transport hubs. Alex exited the vehicle with her large bag and stood in silence for a moment. She felt like she was in the centre of a human beehive. There seemed to be a genuine hustle in the atmosphere, which was invigorating for her. Things were zipping in all sorts of directions, robots shuffled around attempting to sell merchandise to people, and LED screens lit up with bright messages and colourful advertisements. The plant life inside was abundant and did its part to counteract the modern industrial ambience. It was a true work of art.

  She knew the sense of awe she was feeling would soon wear off and be replaced by boredom or even contempt, so she savoured the moment. As with most things in the world that are amazing, they often become mundane and insignificant with time.

  The taxi hovered for a moment and then accelerated out of the pyramid, leaving behind a trail of water vapour. It was now time for Alex to navigate the megacity on her own. She raised her left arm, which held her access pod, and reviewed her coordinates. She gave a simple voice command and within seconds she had the precise location of her apartment along with a detailed map listing the exact steps she needed to take to get there.

  With cautious optimism, she took the first step on what would become the journey of the rest of her life – or at least the beginning of a new chapter. She walked toward a transport vehicle and eagerly boarded with the other commuters. The tram doors closed and an automated voice greeted the passengers. Within seconds, the rapid tram accelerated through the tube so quickly that it caused Alex’s stomach to churn.

  As if sensing her unfamiliarity, a stranger offered her some words of encouragement.

  “Is it your first time in the pyramid?” a young man asked.

  “Yeah, is it that obvious?” Alex asked timidly, displaying her gorgeous smile.

  “I know it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she remarked.

  “I’m Aris.”

  “Aris? Is that short for Aristotle?” Alex asked.

  “Aristotle? Who’s that?”

  “Never mind.” Her second guess would have been Ares, the Greek god of war, but figured that would be unlikely. Nobody would name their kid after some war god, especially one known for being a murderous coward.
/>   “So what’s your name?”

  “Alex… Alex Gray.”

  “As in, Alexander the Great?” he joked.

  “You know Alexander the Great, but you don’t know who Aristotle is?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah, why, are they related?”

  “Aristotle was Alexander’s teacher.”

  “Really?” he said displaying an interest.

  The synapses in Alex’s brain fired up with the ferocity of a jet engine as she searched her vast database of knowledge. Like an old juke box selecting a record from a stack, she isolated the relevant information and brought it forth for instant access.

  “Aristotle’s dad was the physician to King Amyntas of Macedon. The king had a little son named Philip, who was the same age as Aristotle. Since Aristotle was always around his dad, it was inevitable that he became friends with the young prince. As they grew older, Prince Philip succeeded his father and became King Philip. Even as adults, the king and Aristotle were still very close friends. When King Philip had a son of his own, the young Alexander, he asked Aristotle to tutor his boy, and he did.”

  “Wow, I never knew that. So is that who you are named after?”

  “No, my name is short for Alexandra… but I’m not named after anyone in particular.”

  “That’s nice.”

  To avoid an awkward pause, Aris continued asking questions.

  “So where are you staying, Alex?”

  “In Facility Housing for now,” she replied.

  “Which one?”

  “It’s called Green View Echelon.”

  “Oh Green View, that’s where I live. I can show you around.”

  Green View Echelon was an entry-level housing community located on the upper-most tier of the pyramid. The view was incredible, but it was on the smallest tier and furthest away from everything. Assisted living facilities were established to wean new graduates into society. Instead of students worrying about finding a place to live and a job all at once, the government made the transition much smoother so they only had to focus on one thing. Once they found employment and saved up some money, they were expected to transition into society as fully independent citizens.

  Alex and her new friend, Aris, rode the automated tram as it travelled up one of the trusses. When they approached the top tier of the pyramid, Alex’s access pod came to life. “Approaching destination,” the robotic voice said. Alex quickly reached down to silence her pod, then looked around feeling a little embarrassed. For the most part, people were pleasant and no one seemed to mind the minor disturbance. Everyone seemed relaxed and stress free.

  The doors opened and the remaining few people on the tram deboarded.

  “Come on, this way,” Aris said as they headed down the wide walkway.

  The atmosphere was reminiscent of a college dormitory. Young and brilliant minds gathered together to discuss everything from pop culture to science, while others remained to themselves with their heads buried in the access pods. There was an unbridled optimism in the air as if anything was possible.

  When she walked by, conversations trailed off and faces looked up – everyone stopped what they were doing to lay their eyes upon the famous Alex Gray. Several people whistled while others simply said hello.

  “Hello,” she replied with a warm smile.

  “Do you know those people?” Aris asked.

  “No.”

  “Then why does everyone seem to know who you are?”

  “I’m not sure,” she said downplaying her fame.

  By the time they arrived in the Green View Echelon district, Alex had developed a positive opinion about the pyramid. The place was very civilized and the people were courteous.

  Aris helped show Alex to her apartment unit.

  “Just place your thumb on the scanner box, it should be already preprogrammed for you,” Aris said.

  Following Aris’ instruction, Alex placed her thumb on the scanner box located to the left of the door. A blue light crawled down her thumb to confirm her identity. Within a few seconds, the door slid aside and disappeared into the wall.

  Upon entering her new apartment for the first time, she took notice of the size. The unimpressive rectangular-shaped room felt smaller than a school bus. There was an insignificant and unobtrusive area by the entrance for shoes and coats. A little bit further in was a tiny cooking area, featuring all the latest appliances, but with minimal counter space. At the far end was a modest bedroom and bathroom.

  “Yup, it’s just like mine,” Aris said, as he looked around. “They built all these with maximum space and energy efficiency. The units get bigger the closer you get to the ground – more surface area per tier.”

  “Makes sense,” Alex replied. “This place is fine for now; it’s only meant to be temporary.”

  Alex slowly made her way through her apartment, examining every little detail. She opened every drawer and cupboard, inspected the refrigerator, and sat on the tiny sofa. Before long, she had reached the end. When she entered her bedroom, she headed toward the window. The view was incredible, unlike anything she had seen before. Feeling as if she was on top of the world, Alex cast her gaze over the landscape until the point where the golden sky met the horizon. The vehicles looked like a team of ants, marching in unison, and she could barely see any people. After a moment had passed, she walked back to her bed, set her bag down, and began unpacking her things.

  Aris followed her into her room and began talking at a rapid pace. “You know, you’re lucky, you have a west-facing view. Mine faces north, so I barely get any sunlight in my place. Any view is better than the north view. South you get the city, east you get… more city, and north you get mountains.”

  “I like mountains,” Alex responded.

  “Me too, but I’d rather face west. West is the best. Little bit of city, little bit nature. You got the ocean, the sunsets…”

  Aris continued to talk aimlessly while Alex began to put her things away. She took out a tattered old blanket, folded it up, and put it in a drawer beside her bed.

  “Why do you have that old thing?” Aris asked.

  “This blanket is very special to me.”

  “Are you going to tell me it has been in your family for generations and now it’s your turn to lug it around?”

  “Something like that,” she replied, not willing to reveal too much of her past.

  Aris sensed the sombreness in Alex’s voice.

  “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you. I often find myself saying stupid things. In case you haven’t noticed, I tend to talk a lot and rarely think about the things I’m saying before I say them. Then before I realize it, I’ve blurted out some inappropriate or offensive comment.”

  “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

  “I actually like the blanket, it’s very nice. In fact, it reminds me of one I had when I was a kid. They used to make them down on… let’s see… there was a factory on… no wait, am I thinking about the right place…” Aris trailed off mumbling to himself. “Union and Lexington!” he finally blurted out. “There’s a blanket factory on Union and Lexington. I mean, there used to be one there. I’m not sure if it’s there anymore. I can’t believe I spaced on the address, I actually used to live in that neighbourhood.”

  “You’re saying this factory made blankets just like this one?” Alex asked.

  “Let me see it closer,” Aris said as he walked over to her.

  Alex reached down in the drawer, pulled out the navy wool blanket, and handed it to Aris.

  After a quick examination, Aris said, “Yup, it’s the same,” before handing the blanket back.

  “Are you sure?” Alex asked.

  “I’m pretty sure.”

  “Well, which is it?” she said impatiently “A moment ago you said it was the same, now you’re saying you’re pretty sure.”

  “I’m saying it looks the same, but I could be wrong. There’s more than one company that makes blankets you know.”

&n
bsp; “I know, I’m sorry for snapping at you.”

  “You seem awfully sensitive about this blanket. What’s so special about it?”

  “It was my mother’s. It’s the only thing I have from her.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize she had passed away.”

  “That’s just it, I’m not sure she has.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Alex was reluctant to delve into that part of her life with a complete stranger, but since many of the details of her life were already publicized, she decided to be open with him.

  “I’ve never met my mother. Due to the Child Rearing Act, I was taken away from her.”

  “You’re a so-called ‘reclaimed citizen’?”

  “Apparently when they took me, I wasn’t wearing anything, only this blanket. I’ve had it ever since.”

  “So you have no idea where your mother is right now? Has she not tried to contact you over the years?”

  “No, I haven’t heard from her at all.”

  “I thought most parents who are forced to surrender their kids to the Facility are at least given visitation rights, and some even regain custody. I wonder why your parents didn’t take advantage of those options.”

  “Well, sometimes…” Alex began, and then stopped.

  “What is it?”

  “Don’t think I’m crazy, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Sometimes, I can hear her in my thoughts.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know… some woman.”

  “Really?” Aris said sarcastically, not convinced for a moment. “And you think this voice is your long-lost mother trying to communicate with you like some spirit from the underworld?”

  “See, I knew you’d think I was crazy.”

  “I don’t think you’re crazy, but you realize how crazy that sounds, right?”

  “I know, that’s what I was afraid of.”

  “Isn’t it more likely you were just hearing your own thoughts? You know, a sort of wishful thinking?”

  “It could be that, but it feels different. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”

  Alex nuzzled the blanket against her face, then folded it up to place it back in one of the drawers.

  For the first time since they arrived at the apartment, there was silence. Aris was beginning to feel more comfortable and less nervous around Alex. As a result, he was not talking as much. He slowly approached the window and took a moment to admire the view.