Daniel was slowly being educated by Dr. Marvin about his current status. From what the doctor told him about his identity, Daniel noted that he seemed to have become younger than he was before his death. He also became aware that he was living in an entirely new world where people didn't need to live as hard as he once did. Here, people had the luxury of time to do what they wanted and didn't need to scavenge for a little bite of food.
He also came to know about this world's many wonders, called science and technology. He had heard about them from his old man, who said they had existed at some point before society broke down and the endless game of survival began at the time of Daniel's birth. Their presence was a curious case for him, as he had never lived to see or know them at birth. Nevertheless, it was a fascinating thing that drew him in like a moth to a flame.
"I see you're doing quite well now," Dr. Marvin said as he walked into the ward. "Found yourself a show to follow?"
Daniel nodded, his eyes stuck on the TV. He was fascinated with the show. It was a war story, showing hardship, sacrifice, and camaraderie. This was a foreign concept to him, as the only rule of survival he knew was to trust himself.
"I see you like that show," the doctor said with a chuckle, noting how the boy was ignoring his presence in a way he wouldn't have days ago. If it had been the boy who had just woken up from his injuries, he would have been hyper-vigilant and probably would have tried to disarm him with a syringe. It was like dealing with a wild beast, ready to pounce and bite if he didn't watch where he stepped.
With the practiced ease they had developed over the past few days, the doctor examined the wounds on the boy's head, which were healing quite well. His blonde hair was sticking out from the bandage; it was probably an unfamiliar nurse who had done it. Daniel tended to react poorly when he interacted with those he deemed strangers.
Taking off the bandage, he saw that most of the scabs were already falling off and tender new skin was showing. Save for some areas that had opened up due to the boy's activity, everything else was healing well—so well that he knew it was humanly impossible for the severity of the wounds. But it was happening, and he knew this charge assigned to him was someone extraordinary.
"In a week or so, you're good to be discharged," Dr. Marvin concluded. "After that, you can do what you want. I would normally recommend therapy before releasing you, but you don't need it, especially when you have no problem climbing and jumping down a tree."
"Is there anything wrong with what I did?" Daniel asked. As far as his cognition went, he saw nothing wrong with it. He had often done it back then, even with a broken arm or leg. Being on top of a tree provided cover from beasts, and at times its fruits provided sustenance.
"There is absolutely no problem with climbing a tree, my boy," the doctor chuckled at the boy's puzzled look. His blue eyes were clear and expressive enough for the doctor to know he wasn't understanding what was happening. "It's just that normal people tend to take a more conservative approach to ensure a greater recovery."
"Stopping to recover for a long time is stupid," Daniel said, a tone of fact in his voice. "Once you linger, you're dead. Injuries can delay and inconvenience you, but one should never stop moving. And when you do, plan where to go next."
"That is oddly specific, but I admit it's a wise thing to do." Dr. Marvin was taken aback for a moment before admitting the wisdom the boy held. Over the time they had spent with each other, he had come to know that the boy was simply ignorant of some things, but he knew what he wanted and needed and acted accordingly to his situation and understanding.
The boy only knew his name was Daniel. He had mentioned an old man who didn't exist in the records, and his reactions didn't reflect the upbringing listed in his files. It was as if he was a different person from what was in their records.
But the doctor was certain there was no mix-up. There was no other Daniel Price at the Gilda's Home for the Displaced Children. His ID and vitals also matched the national database. He had tried to probe more during their interactions, but other than his name and this old man he mentioned once in a while, the boy was basically a blank slate.
Weeks later, he just brushed it off as a side effect from the incident. After all, the brain often did miraculous things that science couldn't explain. The most important thing was that Daniel was now well and could function in society.
"Anyway, the state promises assistance with your incident," Dr. Marvin said as he took out a syringe. Daniel looked ready to bolt but held back, knowing the doctor meant well. "Normally you'd be sent back to Gilda's, but your circumstances don't allow you to be immediately released to the public without clearance. I suppose you remember what we talked about regarding extraordinaries, right?"
Daniel nodded to indicate he remembered.
Extraordinary. A term used for people who awaken powers outside the norm. The teen John Dean was one, commanding fire and being as destructive as it. They normally stayed out of sight from the public, but once in a while, they showed up and were acknowledged.
Most of them didn't have control over their powers and were mandated to be put into the military to learn restraint and discipline. They were educated severely to ensure they wouldn't harm the general public and were only released to live normally once they passed all tests. This was the standard, but there were outliers and exceptions to the rule.
One exception was those who were privileged and wealthy. The other was those who had good control over their abilities without training; they were released without a problem.
The privileged and wealthy often had connections to avoid sending their children to the military. To bend the rules, they instead requested a military personnel to personally train their children and act as their chaperone until they were deemed fit for public interaction. Mrs. Finn was the one assigned to John Dean, and she was doing a terrific job of cleaning up her charge's messes.
Then there were those with great self-control. The state didn't do much with them and only asked for routine updates once every quarter once their restraint was proven.
Daniel knew he was one of the extraordinaries. He felt it in his bones. He was connected to plants; he knew their joys, their sadness, their distress, and their power. It was one of the reasons he had climbed that tree. He wanted to explore more of this connection he felt.
"Am I going to the military?" Daniel asked nonchalantly.
"You're in the clear on that," Dr. Marvin said as he drew blood from Daniel, who was tense as he watched the syringe fill with his blood. "You proved yourself to be in control of your powers during the evaluation run we did. So, there's no need for you to go to the military to suffer. Instead, the state is thinking of having you go to school and live like most teens do at your age. But your lack of memories and even basic understanding hinders that."
Daniel understood what the doctor was saying so far, but he wondered where he would go after he was all healed up. Like Dr. Marvin said, he was very lacking in this world. He didn't understand many things, and he certainly didn't want to go to Gilda's, where he would be surrounded by people who knew him but whom he didn't know.
"So where will I go after this?" Daniel asked, his eyes meeting the doctor's.
"For that, the state was thinking of placing you with a foster family that also has an extraordinary among them," Dr. Marvin said as he placed his vial on the tray to be brought to the labs later. "There were candidates from the military side who wanted you. So instead, I proposed something to the council."
"What did you offer them?" Daniel was curious and turned off the TV to give his full attention to the man. He dared not be nonchalant about his future in this strange world. Whatever the man said would determine his life moving forward.
"Given that you're not exactly the most civil child, it's a problem to release you to families you are not familiar with." Daniel found himself nodding to that statement. He'd probably run away at the first chance he got. Trust was a hard thing for him, even though most of the people he had met had been nothing but good to him.
"With fewer people whom you tolerate, I ended up being the top candidate to take you in," Dr. Marvin made sure to observe any changes or expressions the boy might have. "So, that being the case, you'll be my son on paper if you have no objection to it."