Cyclic

Chapter One: May Creation Guide You

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I actually understood cyclic, the first day a younger me could finally comprehend the thing connected to my thoughts. Creation, in its most simplistic form, allowing humans to think of any imaginable object and wish it into existence. In fact, the idea that humans ever existed without this tool seemed alien to me, to a lot of children back then.

"Cal, wake up, baby. We're going to be late. Please get dressed!"

My eyes break the effective spell sleep held over them, revealing my mother grabbing clothes off the floor that were still clean enough for me to wear to school. She smiles when she sees my feet dangle off the bed, and she pelts me in the face with yesterday's pants and a shirt I wore over the weekend. I grab them and throw a sharp look at her to stop rushing me, but she darts out of the room to get ready. I slowly put my clothes on and crawl through the rest of my morning routine.

"Cal! Honestly... you are a freakin' 90-year-old man in the mornings. Let's move it!"

I put my controller on and send cyclic flying across the room to retrieve my toothbrush. Mom runs in to find Cujo and me leaning against the stainless-steel sink so we can slowly zap yesterday's gunk off my teeth. She towers over me, her long, dark brown hair dangling in my face as she uses the same mirror to do her teeth. Her companion transforms into a hair dryer which fills the room with treacherous noise.

She looks down and over the noise asserts, "Get him off the counter, dear. You know the rules."

"Mom, you know it's not a real dog. Come on, so what if he's on the counter?" I quickly retort while holding my hand to my manifested, furry companion.

"Your cyclic still collects gross stuff, young man. It doesn't matter what form it takes right this second," she insists with a playful tone.

I let out a loud sigh so she can hear it over the contraption that ruins my peaceful morning, and I move Cujo to the ground.

"Don't worry, buddy," I whisper to him.

She laughs. "I thought he wasn't real, cool dude."

"He's real enough. You've hurt his feelings now... look!"

We stare down and he remains frozen in place with a huge smile on his tiny, furry face and a tail cutting through the air in excitement.

"Come on, dork, I'll drop you off at school today. I have to be at work on time though, okay?"

I nod, and she runs out to pack my lunch. I stare at Cujo and think back to class, studying the history of Serenity and how cyclic started. They were small like me and made big promises like the ones I make to my mom, telling her I'll make a better life for us one day.

When Serenity started out, they were laughed at and disregarded in their crowd-sourcing attempts. They promised the ability to control a synchronized mass of nanites using only mental command, which could then be transformed into anything you could possibly think of. It's so cool they never gave up, and now everyone uses it.

"Cal, I swear, if you don't stop stalling and get ready, I will give you to the neighbors. Move!"

I leave my mental study and make a run for the front door as it closes behind Mom. Today is my history exam, and I get to sit next to Alexis. My hands get sweaty as I think about her, and a lump forms in my throat when I see we're already at the school.

"Do a good job today, baby." she shouts as I jump out and run for the door.

I keep running until I arrive in class and casually walk the last few steps from the door to my seat. Alexis is already there and politely smiles when our eyes meet. "Hey, Cal," she says, looking at the digital display at the front of the room which has the URL for our test on it.