Beep!!! Beep!!!!
Beep!!! Beep!!!!
Beep!!! Beep!!!!
Beep!!! Beep!!!!
Beep!!! Beep!!!!
"Ah!"
"Who's calling me?"
a boy groaned as he crawled out of bed. He looked thin and sickly, his hair was a complete mess, and his room? "Dirty" was an understatement — it was filthy.
He looked no older than eighteen, with striking blonde hair that fell in messy clumps over tired green eyes—eyes that looked like they hadn't seen sunlight in days.
He shuffled toward the holographic call, rubbed his eyes, and stared at it with a tired expression.
" AUGH "
"Never had a call in like... a year? Is it Zack?" he muttered.
He hesitates for a moment then taps the answer button — Suddenly, a crisp, muscular soldier flickers into view on the holo screen. Uniform tight, posture stiff. His voice? Like a gunshot
" Mr. McKnight, you have been accepted into the NANO SOLDIER PROTOCOL. You are to report for duty next week — pronto. You've already missed the due date, but we're calling to confirm whether it was a mistake or if you had an important delay. Since you signed the documents, you should know there's no quitting and I'm sure you know the consequences. We're expecting you next week, son. Good luck "
" What the—!! "
Scott's eyes widened in disbelief he dug his fingers into is arm needing to be sure he wasn't in a dream, a sharp pain runs through his arm and he realizes this was real.
He bolted out of his room, screaming
"Mum!! Mum!!"
His mother froze, shocked to hear his voice after so long, replied,
"Scott!?"
she was shocked because in over a year he had not emerged from his room, since he failed his honor's exams.
"Mum, did you enlist me!??"
His voice filled with fear
"Wha? What do you mean?".
Scott mother replied, confused.
His face pale and his voice in panic
" the military! did you enlist me in the military!?"
"I didn't! Who.. why would i do that? Wha— wha— what happened!?"
Her eyes bulged and her face was filled with suspense
"I just got a message. They said I applied and got accepted into theNANO SOLDIER PROTOCOL. I'm supposed to resume next week!"
"What... decline! Tell them it was a mistake!"
"Mum... the way they spoke—it didn't sound like a mistake.They were sure I signed up. And there's a penalty for backing out".
His mother narrowed her eyes
"Okay... do you know the penalty?"
"No— I don't... Come on, Mum, you know I don't know much about the military
He turned to the sleek A.I. terminal on the wall. A small blinking face animates.
"Ziggo!"
he called out, to the computer.
"What is the penalty for quitting after passing the NANO SOLDIER PROTOCOL?"
[THE PENALTY IS DEATH] the computer replied, its cold, synthetic voice.
Scott and his mother froze, their eyes locked.
For a heartbeat, neither spoke — not out of confusion, but in pure bone chilling fear.
The silence hung and the room became heavy
Trying to break it, his mother asked cautiously
,
"Wait a minute… what type of soldier did you say again?"
"Nano Soldier"
Scott replied.
"That's… amazing"
she said, unexpectedly excited.
"That's one of the two prestigious autonomous militaries in the galaxy,In fact, in various galaxies. The only equal they have are theSun Bearers"
"Yeah, I know, Mum,"
he replied, his voice trembling.
"But this is fake! I never signed up for this. I'm not even sure they recruit outsiders. They're known for only picking elites or academy candidates. They're going to find out I'm a fake… and when they do—"
"Okay, relax. I'm not going to let you go and get yourself killed. You're not even trained"
She put her hand to her head, trying to think.
"Tell you what — take a teleporter, go to the protocol base, and clear the misunderstanding. Did they give you a key?"
She held her hand out.
"Yeah"
Scott muttered, handing it to her.
In her hands was a shimmering metallic card.
She scrolls through the documents and said
"Just imagine… what if it's real?"
she said, scanning the document with a faint smile, trying to lighten the mood.
"Mum!! You're way too relaxed. What if I die?!"
The air grew heavier. Scott's mother didn't look up.
"At that moment, Scott's mother was yanked back into the emotional torment she had endured over the past year—the helpless nights, the endless attempts to reach him, the silence, the stench of depression clinging to his room. And just like that, all the pain she had buried erupted to the surface in a fierce wave of anger and heartbreak."
" you think you'll die scott, well, you were already dead"
she snapped, all the emotions she had bottled in for a year exploded.
"You laid in that bed for months after failing that exam. Bed rotting. I talked to you. Your brother talked to you, we begged you to listen but no!, you shut us out "
"But, Mum—"
Scott's voice cracked as he looked at the floor, guilt knotting his chest.
"Don't 'Mum' me, Saw! I told you — not passing the honors exam isn't a death sentence.
She took a deep breath and continued, but I'm a more softly.
Just because your dad and your brother were scholars doesn't mean you have to be. I'm not a scholar — do you see me hurting myself?"
The house fell into silence.
She turns towards the windows and puts her hand on her head visibly tired and also mentally.
Go take a bath, Scott. And get something real to eat — no junk this time."
"Scott"
she says softly, He turned around, bracing himself, expecting her to continue scolding him.
In a calm voice she starts talking
"Scott, you think I don't understand how you feel, but I do. I failed my scholar exams too. It hurt — a lot. But my boyfriend at the time, your father, encouraged me. I found myself again. And if I were given a time machine or a wish to change it..
She stopped and cleaned her tears with the back of her hand
I.. wouldn't change a thing, I learned I was more than that... more than failure and rose above it. I failed an exam — not life."
Scott's face fell with quite sorrow
"Mum... you never told me that"
Scott said quietly.
"And I'm sorry"
she whispered, eyes downcast.
Scott's eyes widened.
"What do you mean, Mum?"
he asked softly.
"If I hadn't pressured you... I knew you wanted to be something else. I knew you were only trying to please me."
Tears slid down her cheeks.
"And when you failed, you thought you failed me. I ignored the comparisons with your brother — I knew it broke you. I'm so—"
Before she could finish, Scott stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm sorry too, Mum."
They stood there, holding each other for a good minute
She sniffed, then smiled gently.
"You smell awful" . Go take a bath
"Yes, ma'am"
Scott grinned, bolting toward the bathroom.