I’m on my way to the lab when I spot an urchin sitting on the sidewalk, and I’m reminded of my once fiery conviction.

***

When I was four, my parents found out that I was a genius. They had finally realised after I had learnt to talk at one and a half and how to read and write at three that I was not your average toddler. After that, everything flew by in typical child-genius fashion: I was sent to an IQ test and returned with ridiculously high scores, stuffed with books and accelerated courses, and then entered into an enormous amount of competitions where everybody else was at least 2 times my height. 

At first, I had liked the attention and enjoyed learning new things and travelling to new places, but soon, the endless cycle of prizegivings, camera flashes, and news reporters wore down my young soul. I had longed for a normal childhood, where I could play with friends in the park and watch kids’ TV shows. But all that suddenly changed when I came across an urchin on the street. I was shocked to see somebody so similar to me leading such a different life.

‘How is it fair that, due to circumstances that we both cannot control, one of us can be at the centre of attention, while the other at the bottom of society?’ I thought.

It was then that I, for the first time in my life, felt a sense of duty, and I vowed to spend my life working towards a world where everyone is given the opportunity to grow and thrive.

With my newfound conviction, I studied harder than ever before and got into university at age 13. There I spent many years researching the sciences, earning multiple degrees and PhDs. Finally, after nearly 2 decades of continuous dedication, I made a breakthrough: I had discovered a new, possibly limitless source of energy, able to be harvested at particular sites on Earth. The fuel harvested can be used in almost any conceivable way, including creating matter itself. These magical properties lead me to aptly name this fuel ‘Mana.’

…I had thought this would be a good idea, I had thought this discovery finally meant the achievement of my dream… but I was wrong. 

So. 

Very. 

Wrong.

The ‘Mana mines’ soon became a valuable asset to anybody that owned one, and with so few of them on Earth. It was inevitable that conflict would break out. 

Millions are dead… and millions more will die… 

…all because of me.

***

The sky is blanketed with a thick layer of clouds, bleaching the red from the brick pavement that I’m standing on. The urchin that is sitting a few metres away from me shivers a little in the chilly morning breeze. I snort a bitter laugh, white plumes mushrooming in the air in front of me.

‘All of this work, and nothing has changed… 

…maybe I should stop, go do something better elsewhere.’

I turn my heel, about to walk back home, but out of the corner of my eye, I see a blue glow.

I turn back around to see the urchin taking something out of their pocket, and I recognise it: A mana-powered food printer that I helped to prototype.

The urchin presses a button and a steaming toasted sandwich starts to materialise in their hand. My eyes are glued to the working printer as if I hadn’t seen it countless times before, as if I’m a child again, earning my first little trophy.

I laugh, 

and this time it’s genuine.

‘How foolish of me, who is touted to be a genius.’ I think.

Although millions have died because of my discoveries, countless more will be saved. 

As I start walking towards my lab again, the cloudy sky begins to clear.