Strange but Thrilling Stories from a Sophomore Writing Class

Conception of The Wunderkind

I couldn't sleep that night. I didn't feel tired or anything, I just sat in bed and let my thoughts dwindle in my head. What I thought of was my life, the overwhelming success of it and the glorious reward it gave me. My wife slept next to me in bed, and I looked over and smiled, rubbing her shoulder and gave her a peck on the neck. You see, I was raised to be perfect, and my wife has been raised the same way, and like the ends of two magnets, we just attached. She was a teacher over at the Academy just a few blocks down.

It was just a walk though, the job I had needed my aero-Cadillac, and it was a few miles through and out of the promising City of Tomorrow, where we lived. Where the elites dwelled in their success.

I was a doctor, and I loved my job. I wanted to help people in any shape or form, but it has been a rocky road at first. My dad was a lawyer of course and urged me on to be successful and get jobs that help other people, but I didn't want to be a lawyer. My dad did support the doctor's decision, but thought it was pointless in a sense because in his own words "In this world, people don't need doctors. Where you are going, doctors will just be like mannequins in a store, watching others as they go on by and are just for show. If you want something, make it useful to you and to others. That's the key son, find the best path for you and others will follow."

I never forgot those words, and luckily, I was able to carve a new path.

As I stared at the ceiling fan, a neon wave of circular motion like the cars that pass by our apartment, I pointed to it and made a whirling motion with my finger. Around and around we go, when we'll stop, no one knows. After a few minutes, I fell asleep. And the world grew quiet and I lost myself to yet another dreamless night.

"Breaking news, Dr. James P. Lincoln will present his new invention to the public today, code-named The Wunderkind and only known by doctors and Lincoln's co-workers in Project Prodigy, his own company. What Lincoln has to present today can only dwell in the imaginative minds of those willing to behold the most anticipated invention this year."

"That's a little far-fetched isn't it?" Two reporters were talking on the morning news, and there's been this one guy that has been riding my tail since the very beginning. "I mean, Victor Frankenstein decided to play God once to, and look where that left him. How is Dr. Lincoln any different? How do you know this thing would actually work anyway?" The other reporter shrugged and replied "Well, Lincoln had almost a hundred engineers and doctors on the project, double checked and triple-checked in everything. I think he's got it under control." The other guy sighed and twiddled his thumbs, and the reporter said "And now, a word from our sponsors..."

"Don't let him get to your head sweetie." My wife was in the bathroom, probably doing her makeup or something. I leaned back on the couch and said "Trust me, I'm used to it by now. I just want to see this guy's face when every hospital this machine is in skyrockets in sales. Ha ha, it's going to be amazing!" My wife let out a little shriek, and there was silence for a few seconds before I said "I know, I feel the exact same way! Oh shoot! I'm gonna be late if I hang around a little longer, see you later." I rushed to the kitchen to get my phone and briefcase, and then I was out the door, barely hearing my wife call my name.

I closed my eyes and took a long deep breath, and I was thrown back about a decade to my first time going on stage. My aunt was driving me to my science fair, and she found me shaking in the back of the car. She parked in the school parking lot and she turned to look at me. "Jimmy, there's nothing to be afraid of." I adjusted grabbed my inhaler and took a deep breath with it, and I replied "The whole school's watching me, how can I stop shaking?" My aunt sighed and told me to close my eyes, in which I did. "Can you see people cheering you on Jimmy?" I slowly nodded, and my aunt smiled. "Those people are inspired by you Jimmy. They will clap because of you, because of your invention. And if you think like that, you will achieve that dream. Remember what you always say, 'I think, therefore I am." I opened my eyes and I couldn't help but grin. "Go get 'im Einstein." I got out of the car and my aunt grunted. I walked over to the car and asked if she was alright, and she replied "It's just little Claire bouncing around." She rubbed her enormous stomach when she said this, and then she said "Just go knock 'em dead Jimmy." I smiled and walked on over to the school, and my aunt pulled out of the parking lot and left me with my invention, and one of the many presentations which will shape my destiny.