The city thrummed with its usual energy as Alexander "Alex" Mercer navigated the bustling sidewalks of Metro City. The late afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the skyscrapers, and the air was filled with the sounds of honking horns, distant chatter, and the occasional siren piercing the urban symphony.
Alex adjusted the strap of his messenger bag, the familiar weight of his laptop and notepads providing a sense of comfort. As an investigative journalist for The Metro Gazette, he was perpetually on the move, chasing leads and uncovering stories that others often overlooked. While his colleagues pursued high-profile celebrity gossip and major corporate scandals, Alex delved into the gritty underbelly of the city—exposing corruption, uncovering bribery schemes, and shining a light on societal injustices that rarely made the evening news.
He entered the lobby of a modest office building where he rented a small workspace away from the main newsroom's distractions—a sanctuary where he could focus on his passion project, a book detailing the untold stories of Metro City. The security guard, Sam, gave him a nod.
"Burning the midnight oil again, Alex?" Sam asked with a friendly smile.
Alex chuckled, though he knew Sam wouldn't see the joke. "You know me. Stories don't wait for daylight."
"Just make sure you get some rest too," Sam advised, concern flickering in his eyes.
"I'll do my best," Alex replied, heading toward the elevator.
Reaching his floor, he settled into his quiet office. The walls were adorned with clippings of his past articles—reminders of the impact his words could have. He spread out his notes on a developing corruption scandal involving city officials and began piecing together the intricate puzzle, his mind sharp and focused.
Hours slipped by unnoticed until a low rumble shook the building, causing the lights to flicker.
Alex looked up, puzzled. "What was that?"
He stood and walked to the window, his gaze drawn to the sky. Dark clouds were gathering unnaturally fast, swirling in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. The meteor event was supposed to have been a one-time catastrophic incident, but recent intelligence suggested otherwise—new fragments were still landing sporadically, causing unforeseen disturbances.
A brilliant flash of light streaked across the horizon, followed by another tremor, this one more intense. Items on his desk rattled, and a coffee mug tipped over, spilling cold liquid onto his papers.
"An earthquake? Here?" he muttered. "We're not on a fault line…"
His phone buzzed with an emergency alert:
Severe weather warning. Seek shelter immediately.
Before he could process the message, a deafening roar filled the air. He looked out just in time to see a fiery object hurtling toward the city—a meteor.
"Dear God," he whispered, horror dawning.
The impact was catastrophic. A massive explosion rocked the building, throwing Alex off his feet. The windows shattered inward, and the floor beneath him lurched violently.
Alarms blared as the building's structure groaned under the stress. Dust and debris filled the air, making it difficult to see or breathe.
He scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging. "I have to get out of here!"
Stumbling into the hallway, he saw a few others emerging from offices, their faces mirrors of his own fear.
"Everyone, head to the emergency exits!" he shouted, trying to maintain some semblance of order.
But panic had already taken hold. People pushed and shoved, desperate to escape. Another violent tremor sent chunks of the ceiling crashing down, blocking the corridor ahead.
"Back! Go back!" someone screamed.
Alex turned, searching for another way out. The stairwell at the far end was still accessible.
"This way!" he called, waving people toward him.
A group followed, and they made a dash for the stairs. Just as they reached the door, a final, devastating tremor struck. The floor gave way beneath them, and Alex felt himself falling as the building collapsed into itself.
Darkness enveloped him. The sounds of destruction faded, replaced by an eerie silence. Pain radiated through his body—a sharp, all-consuming agony that made it hard to think.
He tried to move but found himself pinned under heavy debris. Breathing was a struggle, each inhale filled with dust and the metallic taste of blood. Something was pressing on his chest; he could only manage weak, shallow breaths.
"Help," he croaked weakly, though he doubted anyone could hear him.
Time lost meaning as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Memories flashed before him—his family, his friends, stories he'd yet to write. A profound loneliness settled in, and Alex started to weep, his sobs strangled by his shortness of breath.
"Stay awake," he told himself. "Someone will find you. Someone must be looking."
He clung to that hope, fighting against the encroaching darkness of unconsciousness.
Slowly, amid the darkness as his eyes adjusted to the gloom, a strange pale light caught his attention—a pulsating, eerie green glow emanating from a crystalline fragment mere inches from his face. It was one of the meteorites, cracked open to reveal a shimmering core. The light bathed his surroundings, casting elongated shadows.
He reached out weakly, fingertips brushing the crystal's surface. A jolt of energy surged through him, electrifying every nerve. His vision blurred, and a cacophony of sounds flooded his ears—the distant wail of sirens, the crackling of fires, the whisper of the wind carrying voices he couldn't place.
The pain intensified, spreading from his fingers up his arm and throughout his body. His skin felt like it was burning, muscles contracting involuntarily. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped. His heart pounded erratically, each beat echoing like thunder in his ears. The crystal shattered to powder.
Images flashed in his mind—memories of childhood, faces of loved ones, moments of joy and sorrow—all interwoven with flashes of the eerie light. Time seemed to stretch and warp, seconds feeling like hours.
He didn't know how long he remained like that, trapped between consciousness and oblivion. Eventually, the pain began to subside, replaced by a profound exhaustion. His eyelids grew heavy, and he surrendered to the darkness.
When Alex next awoke, he was aware of distant sounds—faint voices, the whir of machinery. He tried to open his eyes but was met with only darkness.
On what he guessed was the third day, a new sound reached him—the unmistakable noise of digging. His heart quickened.
"Over here!" he tried to shout, but it came out as a weak rasp.
The sounds grew closer. Light pierced the darkness as debris was moved away.
"We've got a survivor!" a voice called out.
Relief flooded through him as several rescue workers carefully extracted him from the rubble.
"You're okay now," one of them assured him. "We've got you."
He felt a pressure on his arm, then the sensation of being lifted. The faint aroma of smoke mixed with the crisp scent of night air.
"He's alive, but barely."
As they carried him away, a cool breeze brushed his face. The moonlight caressed his skin, sending a warm ripple through his body—a stark contrast to the coldness he expected. It was as if the light itself was embracing him.
Alex tried to speak, but exhaustion overcame him, and he slipped back into unconsciousness.
He awoke to a blinding whiteness. Harsh fluorescent lights glared down, reflecting off sterile walls and polished floors. The antiseptic smell told him he was in a hospital. He tried to move but found his body encased in a plaster cast, immobilizing him completely.
A soft beeping echoed in the room, accompanied by the rhythmic hiss of medical equipment. He was in a hospital bed, surrounded by monitors and IV drips. Footsteps approached.
"You're awake," a nurse said gently, leaning into his line of sight. Her face was kind but etched with concern. "You've been through quite an ordeal."
He tried to speak, but his throat was dry. She offered him a sip of water through a straw, and he gratefully accepted.
"Do you remember your name?" she asked.
He shook his head slowly, lying to the nurse but knowing for some reason he had to, the effort exhausted him.
"That's concerning, but you've suffered extensive injuries. It's a miracle you're alive. Rest now; we'll be monitoring you closely."
"How long...?" he managed to ask.
"Five days since the incident," she replied. "You've been in and out of surgery. You're lucky to be alive."
He absorbed this information silently.
"Do you remember what happened?" she asked.
He nodded slightly. "Building collapsed... after the meteor struck."
She adjusted his pillows, looking relieved he remembered that much. "You've sustained multiple fractures and internal injuries, head trauma, burns, but you're stable now, incredibly. Rest is the best thing for you."
"Thank you," he whispered.
As she left the room, Alex gazed out the small window. The blinds were closed, allowing only slivers of sunlight to enter.
He felt weak, every part of his body aching. Yet, there was a strange sensation—deep within him, something stirred, like embers waiting to ignite. He felt different. Calmer and more sure of himself than he should be in such a traumatic situation. Reflecting, he realized he felt no worry about his injuries; he knew he would recover.
Over the next few days, a stream of doctors came and went, conducting tests and discussing his condition in hushed tones. They marveled at his survival, puzzled by anomalies in his vital signs. He listened but said little, conserving his strength.
Each day crawled by, but with each passing hour, he felt a growing energy within. The casts began to feel restrictive, unnecessary. Sensations sharpened—the distant conversations of staff, the distinct scents of medications, the minute vibrations of footsteps in the hallway.
Over the next several days, Alex remained in the hospital. Physical therapists began working with him, helping him regain mobility, but he was cautious about showing how well he had recovered. Even so, they remarked on his rehabilitation.
One afternoon, Dr. Laura Mitchell, his physician, came to check on him.
"You're making remarkable progress," she noted, scanning his chart. "Given the extent of your injuries, we weren't expecting such a rapid recovery."
Alex offered a faint smile. "Guess I'm a fast healer."
She studied him thoughtfully. "Even so, it's unusual. I've never seen anything like it. Any pain or discomfort?"
"Less each day," he replied honestly.
"Well, keep it up. At this rate, you'll be back on your feet in no time."
They moved him to a private room with a small window high on the wall. Once a day, sunlight streamed through, casting a warm rectangle on the floor. He found himself yearning for that moment, positioning himself to bask in the glow.
When the sunlight touched his skin, it was transcendent. Alex felt a surge of energy unlike anything he'd ever experienced. A surge of vitality coursed through him, soothing aches and invigorating his senses. Colors seemed brighter, sounds clearer. It was as if the sun was recharging something depleted. It was as if every cell in his body awakened. The lingering fatigue evaporated, replaced by a vibrant strength.
His recovery accelerated beyond medical explanation. Bruises faded overnight, fractures healed in days. Doctors exchanged bewildered glances, running test after test.
"This is unprecedented," one murmured outside his door, the quiet words easily heard by Alex through the closed door. "Cells regenerating at an extraordinary rate. I've never seen anything like it, but the potential if we can replicate is incredible. He still claims to not remember his name, his charts all say "John Doe," but I get the feeling he's not telling us the truth."
He knew he was doing a bad job keeping the strangeness affecting him quiet. His vision had sharpened; he could read the fine print on posters across the room without his glasses. At night, he could see as clearly as if it were day. Sounds from floors below reached his ears—the hum of machinery, whispered conversations, even the subtle beating of hearts.
One afternoon, as he stared at the wall, contemplating his situation, his gaze shifted. The wall seemed to fade, layers peeling back until he could see into the next room. He blinked, startled, and the wall returned to normal. Heart racing, he focused again, and once more, his vision penetrated solid matter. He explored this ability cautiously, realizing he could control it at will.
Just then, a knock on the door startled him, and he turned to stare as a doctor entered. To his horror, she appeared only as a skeleton, her leg bearing an old, healed fracture. As she was doing her rounds, he looked through the wall behind her, seeing for the first time two men in dark suits lounging with their eyes on his door. It was time to go before he disappeared from the hospital by another's choice.
Late that night, when the hospital was quiet, he stood. Carefully, he removed the remaining monitors and IVs, silencing alarms before they could sound. Dressing quickly, he slipped out the window, moving with a speed and stealth that surprised even him.
He made his way slowly to the ground floor, his fingers pushing into the concrete like it was mud but holding him firm. He stopped when he reached the pavement, and the city sprawled around him, a tapestry of lights and shadows. The noises, lights, and movement were overwhelming to his new senses.
He took a deep breath, feeling the energy of the world around him. Looking up, he saw the moon hanging low, its glow inviting. A thought occurred—a wild, impossible thought.
He crouched slightly, then leaped upward. To his amazement, he soared several stories high, landing gracefully on the roof of a nearby building. A laugh escaped his lips—half disbelief, half joy.
For the next few hours, he explored his newfound abilities under the cover of darkness. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, ran faster than the eye could follow, and tested the limits of his strength.
As dawn approached, he found himself atop a skyscraper, the first rays of sunlight spilling over the horizon. He closed his eyes, letting the warmth wash over him. Energy flooded his body, more intense than ever before.
Opening his eyes, he gazed out at the waking city. Who was he now? What was he meant to do with these powers? What could he do with them?
Memories of stories from his youth surfaced—tales of heroes who used their gifts to help others. One figure stood out above the rest: a symbol of hope, truth, and justice.
He looked down at his hands, fists clenching with determination. The world was full of injustice, of people who needed help. Perhaps this was his purpose.
But first, he needed to understand the full extent of his abilities. He needed to learn control, to push his limits, and he needed somewhere remote where he could find out more about himself.