Lost Time (#Wattys2016)

2097 : Lost Boy

May 16 , 2097. It was my 10th birthday, Its 13 Years ago but I still remember it clearly as if It was an hour ago, It was the day my father left and where I think It all started.

It was morning, my cousin Keith woke me up, He is like 3 Years Older than me, Some people say that we look alike except that his eyes were blue and his nose was more pointier, his parents died when he was 3, So my father adopted him and I call and treat him as my Brother. He told me to dress up and he said my father was taking us somewhere as a birthday surprise then my father called me.

"Happy Birthday Kiddo! I can't believe you're 10 now, Time goes so fast, I wish I can slow it down and anyways where do you want to go? It's your special day! I'll take you anywhere you want!" Dad said.

"I want to go to the Mall! I want the new Wrist Projector!" I said.

"Sure! I'll make sure I get the latest version! Now you go to the car with Keith, I'll just get my stuff" He said.

We waited in the car and we eventually left, In the car, My dad gave me a Camera and a photo.

"What is this Dad?" I asked.

"That is my father's Camera and he took me that Photo when I became 10, So now, I'm passing it on to you" He replied.

"Was this the house back then? It looks old also this camera looks blocky , It still has Mirrors here unlike the mirror-less cameras everywhere" I said.

"That may be old but It's better than any camera today! See how it still works like new after 50 years also that's unlike any cameras today , that can automatically print photos!" He said then laughed.

I laughed and said "Anyways Thanks Dad!".

then after we got to the mall , we took a picture, All of us. There was a Science Convention near the entrance of the mall, there were a lot of people surrounding it , so It took time for us to get across that part of the mall. Before we went to the store , Dad said we should eat first , We went to my favorite restaurant but their reservations are full and we can't eat there , so we went somewhere else , a different restaurant.

When I was ordering my food, all of my favorites are sold out, so I had to settle with a salad, I was mad at that day and I acted childish, I played with my food with a frown on my face and I was stomping my feet, Dad did not look happy with how I acted even If it was my birthday, Only If I can go back, I'd stop acting like that, especially if I knew that it was the last time I would eat with him.

He later told me I should not act like that, especially when I'm eating, but I didn't care at that time , So we continued and went to the tech store, The first few stores did not have the model that I wanted so that made me more angry, at that time I wanted to cry and the feeling that I want to break stuff.

But we eventually found a store that has it, I was genuinely happy, I thanked my Dad for everything, Me and Keith played with it, then I asked my dad if Keith and I could play in the Zero Gravity Playground and he said Yes, he let us play for an hour or so and then we left the Playground .

Then Dad wanted to stop by the bakery in the Mall and buy a cake so we can celebrate later in the house, I picked a Cookie and Cream Cake and Dad bought it, Before we go home , He went to the bathroom and then He took us for Ice Cream, while we were eating Ice cream he said this.

"I can't believe It's been 10 Years , Your Mom and I are so happy you were born, You were the best gift anyone can ever have, You know, Your Mom would be so happy if she's here, I'm sorry if sometimes I can't give you something that only a Mother can give, I tried to do the best for you and I'm doing that all because, I appreciate you, I Love You".

then before I can say anything , there was loud sound, an explosion , Dad did not hesitate, he held Keith and Me and covered us from the blast, It was all under a moment, I fell unconscious.

After awhile, I woke up, I was not hurt, not even a scratch, The mall was obliterated, No walls, No roof and there are ashes everywhere, I found my Dad beside me, but I can't find Keith anywhere, I tried to "wake" Dad up, but he's dead, I cried for a good fifteen minutes on his lifeless body, I said sorry for all of my mistakes, I tried to bargain, I said that I would do anything just for him to wake up again because I know it would be hard to live without a father

Realizing the situation, I stood up, I shouted for help, then I looked carefully at my surroundings, there are People helping, but they're frozen, then I look up, Rain and ashes, also frozen, Not moving at all, I don't know why , but I'm moving and aware of this, for a moment I thought I was dead and I was only a spirit, then someone touched me in my shoulder, It was Keith and then everything started moving again, then I got drenched in the rain, Then Keith who looked like he went through hell asked me.

"Are you alright, I've been looking for you! where is Uncle?" He asked me while panting

"He's dead Keith, My Dad's dead" I said then I cried

After sometime, We decided to ask for help, While walking, I realized I still have my bag, containing a broken Wrist Projector, a broken camera and the one picture that I took before all of this happened.

It was all over the news, that mall imploding in a matter of seconds, It was speculated that a malfunctioning Science Project in the convention had caused the Implosion.

Me and Keith were brought in a place as I call it, a Home for Children with Dead Parents, We spent there our Teen years , they made us go to school and we graduated, they helped us get Jobs before they let us out, So I guess everything is fine now, but I still didn't think all of it is enough, So I took online courses and that's where the Whole Story begins.