The room was quiet.

  The moonlight reflected over Ken, sitting on the bed, smiling.

  Sophia, Jack, and Ben stood frozen outside.

  “What?” Sophia gasped as she ran towards Ken, embracing him in a hug.

  Jack followed Sophia, jumping over the bed to hug Ken.

  Ken smiled. “Thank you.”

  Ben shouted outside, “DOCTOR, IS SOMEONE THERE??”

  Ben gazed towards Ken as he thought, “How…,” a flicker of a tear ran down his face as he rubbed it off. “Who cares…”

  The head doctor rushed inside as he saw Ken sitting on the bed. “Please leave for now,” he said to the others urgently.

  Jack and Sophia walked out slowly, as Jack jumped.

  Sophia saw Ken while walking outside, and a smile appeared on her face.

  Jack hugged Sophia, his eyes glistening.

  “Mom… Dad is okay now.”

  Sophia hugged him back.

  “Right?... I am so happy,” her eyes watered.

  But this time, they weren’t tears of grief.

  Ben sat on the chair outside as he called Layla.

  Ben: “Layla… Ken is okay now.”

  Layla: “Wait, what??”

  Ben smiled: “Yeah… even I don’t know what happened.”

  Layla: “Well, I’m glad he’s fine now… can I talk to Sophia?”

  Ben: “Yeah, sure.”

  Ben gave his phone to Sophia.

  Sophia: “Layla… Ken is fine… my husband is fine.”

  Layla: “I’m so happy for you, Sophia… but what happened?”

  Sophia: “I really don’t know… but all I care about is that he’s okay now.”

  Layla: “Well… that’s good. You still owe me dinner, by the way.”

  Sophia laughed as her laughter filled the empty hallway.

  Jack leaned into Sophia as he thought, “I… was so scared.”

  The atmosphere calmed down as relief washed over everyone.

  After a few minutes, the head doctor came to meet everyone. “Guys, the good news is that… he’s okay, but…”

  The doctor took a deep breath. “It’s weird, to say the least.”

  Sophia gulped. “Is something wrong? Is he not completely okay?”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s not that.

  The problem is that he’s ‘too’ fine… He was in a very critical condition a few hours ago and… now he’s like a perfectly healthy person. I trust our medicine, but it’s too much even for our medicine.”

  A wave of relief washed over everyone as Ben nodded. “That is weird… but he’s okay. That’s all that matters right now.”

  Sophia nodded. “When can I meet him?” She looked at the head doctor.

  Jack jumped on his seat. “Me too, me too!”

  “You can meet him soon. There are only some tests remaining, then we will discharge him.”

  The head doctor thought, “How… is this possible? Burnt, bleeding, barely breathing, and now… he’s completely healed?”

  A few hours passed by. The clock struck 6 AM.

  The head doctor came back. “The tests are done—”

  Sophia ran inside as Jack followed her. The head doctor watched them rush inside. He sighed as he looked at Ben. “What I was saying was that they can either meet him or let him be discharged, but I guess I didn’t need to ask.”

  Ben chuckled. “She loves him… I’ve never seen two people this close.”

  The head doctor smiled. “Is that the case?”

  He looked inside as he saw Sophia and Jack surrounding Ken.

  The head doctor thought, “I wish my wife was here too… they both feel like how me and her used to be. Maybe I’ll let them be. They deserve better than being surrounded by media all day.”

  The head doctor looked at Ben. “I am Greg Savant. If you guys have any inquiries, you can contact me.”

  As Greg extended his hand for a handshake, Ben shook his hand. “Thank you.”

  Inside…

  Ken laughed. “You missed me, huh?”

  Sophia and Jack smiled. “Very much.”

  Ken stood up as he patted Jack, while Jack leaned in. Ken looked at Sophia. “I won’t leave you guys ever again… I promise.”

  Sophia smiled. “I hope so…”

  Ken smiled as he picked up Jack.

  As Ken thought, “My memory… feels so fuzzy…”

  Jack clenched onto Ken. “I… was scared… please don’t leave me again, Dad…”

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Ken nodded as he patted his back. “I won’t.”

  He walked outside, Jack still in his arms.

  As Ken saw Ben, he said, “I… made your day worse, huh…”

  Ben jumped over to hug Ken. “Who cares… it would have been worse if you weren’t alive right now.”

  Ben’s eyes watered.

  Ken rested an arm over Ben. “Thank you… I’m really glad you did this for me.”

  Ben sniffled. “No… problem.”

  Sophia looked near the hospital bed as she saw the keys lying beside it.

  She picked them up as she walked outside.

  Ken glanced at Jack as Jack’s eyes fell tired.

  He looked at Sophia wiping her tears with a small, exhausted smile.

  He pulled back from Ben as he whispered, “Let’s go home.”

  Ben nodded.

  As they walked outside, the hospital doors slid open.

  The morning sun shone throughout the parking lot.

  They got inside Ben’s car as the car started, the windows open.

  Ken looked outside, the sun shining over him, as he let out a warm smile.

  After a while…

  They reached home. Jack fell asleep in Ken’s arms, clinging to him.

  Sophia walked outside, a sweet smile that refused to go away.

  Ken sat in the passenger seat, looking at Ben. “Thank you, for taking care of them.”

  Ben nodded. “Don’t say that… I had to.”

  Ken smiled as he walked outside, waving bye to him.

  Ben drove away as Ken watched his car fading away slowly.

  Sophia opened the door. “Hey… are you going to come or not? I’m really sleepy.”

  Ken chuckled. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

  He walked towards the main door, reaching Sophia.

  As he hugged her, he said, “Sorry… for making you scared.”

  Sophia sniffled. “I love you.”

  Ken tightened the hug. “I love you too.”

  The sun shone over them.

  Meanwhile…

  At a distance away, near a tree, a man with red hair and green eyes watched them.

  “He survived, huh…” he grinned. “Will ‘he’ be happy about this?”

  As he flew upwards, a sudden unease fell over Ken as he looked back.

  He thought, “Was… someone there?”

  Ken narrowed his eyes on the tree, but there was nothing.

  Sophia pulled back. “Just come inside already.”

  Ken expression warmed. A flicker of unease washed over him, but that was not important.

  He still had a family to hold and a mystery to resolve.

  A new day was about to arrive, and it would be different than what he would expect.

  3 December, Year: 2024

  In the afternoon at 2 PM, Ken woke up from his bed, Jack still clinging onto him as Ken slowly moved his hand aside.

  He ran his hand through Jack’s hair as he smiled.

  He saw Sophia sleeping on his side.

  He slowly stood up, trying not to make a noise. He decided to take a bath.

  “I didn’t even feel much sleepy… what is happening to me…”

  He hit his head. “And why is my memory feeling so fuzzy?”

  After his bath, he got out and picked up a towel.

  As he dried his body, he saw a scar on his hand. “This doesn’t feel like an injury… is it because of surgery?”

  He blinked.

  Suddenly…

  The scar vanished.

  “What the fuck?... I could have sworn—am I hallucinating?”

  His mind wandered as his head started to ache.

  Suddenly, his phone rang.

  Ben: “Hey, I know it’s not really the right time, but I just wanted to ask if you knew about the thing we found at the mining site?... We searched the whole truck to get back the mineral… most things were burnt… is it possible it was burnt too?”

  Ken: “It was in the front compartment of the driver’s seat.”

  Ben: “Yeah, I saw it there too but didn’t find it. Are you sure you didn’t shift it somewhere?”

  Ken: “I don’t think so… but what’s the problem? It might just be a piece of junk.”

  Ben: “I know, but I might have told the boss that it was a rare thing… sooo he’s really pressuring me right now… but I guess I can handle it.”

  Ken laughed. “You are that eager to be promoted?”

  Ben: “Forget that, how are you feeling?”

  Ken sighed. “I’m feeling a bit better, but my head kinda hurts.”

  Ben: “Take care of yourself… we’ll figure out what happened later on.”

  Ken: “Yeah… Sophia and Jack might be happy just to see me… but something’s wrong.”

  Ben nodded. “Yeah, I know… talk to you later.”

  Ken nodded. “Okay, bye.”

  He ended the call.

  As he walked back towards his room, he checked the time.

  3 PM.

  “Did… I bathe for almost 1 hour?”

  He saw Sophia and Jack sleeping on the bed and, his lips curled up gently.

  “Wake up, it’s 3 PM.”

  Sophia woke up slowly, yawning as she rubbed her eyes.

  Jack woke up beside her.

  Sophia’s face lightened up as she chuckled.

  Ken’s brow furrowed as he smiled. “What’s funny?”

  Sophia shook her head. “Nothing,” as she thought, “I spent the last day crying… and now I can’t control my happiness… shouldn’t psychologists be able to control emotions properly?”

  Sophia stood up. “I’m gonna cook some food now… it’s already late, and you guys must be starving.”

  Jack jumped from bed, his eyes glistening. “MEEEE HUNGRY!”

  Sophia chuckled as she patted Jack. “Of course you are.”

  Jack leaned in. “Cake, please??”

  Sophia nodded. “Okay… no problem.”

  Ken looked at Sophia and Jack. “Isn’t someone being lovely today?”

  Sophia nodded. “Yes, Mr. ‘I got better in one day,’ I am being lovely.”

  Ken laughed as Jack joined in.

  Ken looked towards Jack. “Wanna go out?”

  Jack replied excitedly. “To the swing in the back, please?”

  “Sure.”

  As Ken and Jack walked outside, the air breezed.

  Peace brought happiness.

  But they were unaware of what was happening somewhere else.

  Meanwhile…

  In a place far away from Earth, on a planet floating in emptiness, multiple beings formed a circle as one stood in the centre.

  Their bodies were shaped like humans, but their eyes were dark, absorbing all the light entering.

  The one in the centre spoke. His voice was eerie. “Si ti enod tey?”

  As the others replied calmly, “Sey.”

  At Earth…

  Ken pushed Jack on a swing in their backyard. Jack giggled. “Dad, this is so fun!”

  Ken increased the force as Jack flew higher.

  “HAHAHA—”

  Suddenly, Jack’s eyes widened. He stopped the swing with his legs.

  He gazed toward the ground.

  “D… Dad?” His voice cracked.

  Ken’s brow furrowed. A flicker of unease fell over him. “Jack?”

  Jack turned his head towards Ken. His eyes were gloomy and dark.

  “I tnaw dloob.”

  Jack jumped towards Ken and bit his left hand.

  Ken fell on the ground.

  Ken screamed. “AGHHHH!”

  The grip of Jack’s teeth tightened.

  Ken looked at Jack’s eyes as he saw the darkness inside his eyes reflecting his image.

  Ken yelled, “Jack, what the fuck are you doing?!”

  Jack kept biting with intense force, and blood erupted from Ken’s hand like a spray.

  “I tnaw doolb.”

  Ken grunted. “What are… you… doing?”

  He screamed again. “AHHHH!”

  He bent his leg and kicked Jack in the gut, sending him flying away as Jack landed on the ground.

  Ken stood up, rushing over to him and pinning him down.

  “I am sorry.” He hit Jack’s neck with a chop, making him unconscious.

  Ken’s heart raced. “What… the hell?”

  As his breath intensified, he heard Jack say calmly, “Dad…” as Jack’s eyes turn normal

  Ken’s eyes flashed.

  He moved down to hear Jack’s heartbeat getting slow, his breath shortening.

  Ken picked him up in his arms and rushed to his car.

  “SOPHIA… I’M GOING TO NORDMED!”

  Sophia ran outside as she saw Ken’s car fading away.

  Sophia: “What happened?”

  In the car…

  Ken looked at Jack sitting in the passenger seat.

  As he drove with his right hand as fast as he could, adrenaline rushed through him, and he thought only about one thing: “I will save him.”

  He reached the Nordmed hospital.

  He got out and picked up Jack from the passenger seat.

  He ran inside.

  The hospital crowd looked at his hand dripping with blood and Jack in his arms.

  Ken screamed, “DOCTORS… NURSES… SOMEONE!”

  Multiple people, including doctors, rushed towards him.

  A nurse rushed with a Gurney.

  Ken laid Jack on the Gurney as they rushed inside.

  A person from the crowd looked at Jack and said, “Wait… is that Jack—”

  Ken’s eyes snapped as his face contorted.

  The person gulped. “Sorry…”

  They rushed towards the ICU as suddenly Ken fell to the ground.

  The doctors took Jack inside, and the crowd helped Ken get up.

  They took him to a hospital cot.

  A doctor walked towards Ken and started checking his left arm.

  He stopped the bleeding, and a small drop of tear fell from Ken’s eyes, not for himself, but for Jack.

  After a while…

  Sophia arrived.

  She looked at Ken and the gauze on his arm.

  Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped. “Where… where is Jack?”

  Ken’s eyes shadowed. “He suddenly bit me… and then his breath and heartbeat went slow, so I took him here.”

  Sophia rushed towards Ken, her eyes watering.

  “No… no… not again… yesterday you… and now…”

  Ken held her tight. “It will be fine… don’t worry.”

  Sophia sniffled. “I don’t want to lose another kid.”

  Ken’s eyes welled up with tears. “Me… too.”

  After a while…

  A sound of a zap echoed.

  Ken looked towards the ICU door. “Jack…”

  Suddenly, they heard an unfamiliar woman's voice.

  She spoke gently and in a calm tone. “Hello, Mr. Ken and Ms. Sophia.”

  Their breath hitched as they heard her voice.

  Sophia’s gaze flickered. “Who are you?”

  The woman replied with a smile. “I am Emilie, I am Jack’s assistant teacher.”