The next day,
Lay got up and checked the time it was 10:30 , he again fell into bed with eyes open he wanted to sleep more, but slowly rats started to run inside his tummy.
He got up rubbing his eyes and went to kitchen.
"Granny...
(He looks around)
Ahh granny,Are you there? "
He looks around like a child lost in supermarket.
Then he sees, some food left over the dinning table, and note beside it.
Which says,
(Did you sleep well ? Now be a good boy and eat all this, I will go to supermarket to buy some special meat for lunch .
~ by your dear granny )
He smiles. He fresh up and starts eating. He didn't left a single rice grain.
Knock on the door.
"Yes coming"
A robot which was a delivery guy came to deliver his belongings. He gave him a box and points him at the delivery scanner which is on his chest ,
"Please scan your ID to confirm delivery ."
He closed the door and opened the box, he finds some cute looking charms where the company's name is been craved. Some snacks, most importantly an offer letter.
He was so happy to see those.
"Am waiting for you granny. Come home fast, there is lot to see. "
Later he does some household chores and waits for granny while watching his favorite cartoon. He didn't open the snacks.
"I will wait for granny then I will open it to have it ."
After some time. Granny comes home. Lay run towards her and carry all the items and makes her sit. He brings fresh fruit juice to her and waits so that she finish it.
"What happened dear? You look so happy "
"Granny I want to say you something "
He acts like a small child.
"Yes go ahead "
"Granny I have passed the test. In one week I made 10 thousand dollars to 15 thousands. Me with some other guys are been selected. And look here I got the offer letter with some goodies from them, a few minutes ago. And...
Granny am sorry I didn't talked to you correctly all this week. "
He said everything he meant in all one breath.
Granny's eyes are filled with tears.
"Congratulations dear "
She cries,
"My little child has grown into old man, he is working now, ahh, bless him my Lord. Congratulations, we need to have a party"
"Granny... I don't need a party, I just want to meet my pappa"
Complete silence
Granny sighs,
"You can't. We are always being watched, I manage to go there, but you can't, it's complicated. When you are working you can go by making proper reasons"
"Can't you say where he is?"
"No I will tell you when you have starter working. Untill then ....keep quite"
"Granny... "
Days rolled.
Lay stood at the foot of the transport hub, bag slung across his shoulder, charms jingling faintly inside. The air smelled faintly metallic — the scent of rail lines, machinery, and too many people rushing in too many directions.
Above, massive screens pulsed with advertisment for cyberware upgrades and luxury apartments .
"NOVA — Building the Future" flashed in bright letters, made him smile.
He walked some distance and reached NOVA.
The shuttle slid in without a sound. Sleek, silver, humming with quiet power. The doors hissed open and Lay stepped inside, scanning his ID at the entry gate. The interior was clean but cold — soft white lights, rows of seats, and the faint hum of the energy core below the floor.
He saw Hundreds of people — humans, robots, and hybrids — moved in perfect rhythm, their badges glowing with faint blue light.
" I never saw this last time, ahh I remember now, we were invited at the backside of the company ."
A voice — smooth, synthetic — greeted him from a floating terminal.
"Welcome, Lay. Candidate ID verified. Please proceed to Orientation Hall 03."
His heart thumped. This was it. The first step into NOVA. The place where his life was about to change.