phantasmagoria ✔

REALITY 03 | A Good Day

— Aquarius Subdivision —
— December 11, 2022 —

It was a classic day. From a distance, one could smell the barbecues that the neighbors had cooked, and one could also hear the raucous barking of stray dogs and cats.

"It looks like a good day today." Nathaniel commented from the sight.

He traverses the sidewalk while sporting headphones in both ears. He recently acquired a new drive and left Waltermart. His storage was dying as he developed this game of his.

♫ Gotta go fast! Gotta go fast! ♫

Nathaniel stopped in his tracks when he felt a vibration in his trousers. Slightly disoriented, he planned to ignore it if this were ever his father trying to call him.

It wasn't! The caller was Evie. When he picked up the call, his demeanor instantly warmed.

"What's up, Nat! How's the game? Did the Antivirus I installed worked? It should easily delete the Malware inside Mirage's Avatar File." Evie's voice seemed enthusiastic.

"I don't know yet. I'm just about to come home actually." Nat's voice sounded hopeful, "I hope it works."

"No shit, it'll work! I made that program after all." She replied with confidence.

The male teen chuckled, "Sure, sure. When I get home let's see if your self-proclaimed expertise works, y'know?"

"I'm part of a company! What do 'ya mean by 'self-proclaimed'?" Evie reacted against the mockery.

"Well... You did copy Renee's homework and activities a lot back in High School..." Nathaniel snickered. He reminisces the good old days. The days where his mother was there...

"Life isn't about the smarts and the grades, Nat. It's about strategy, do 'ya get me?" Evie told him, "Clinging to numbers given by a teacher isn't gonna help you know how to get a job. Heck, school didn't even teach me how to pay my taxes!"

He replied, "Chill! Just go and make a skit out of your rant on TikTok or something."

"Oh, you're right. Be right back, Nat!" Evie then proceeded to end the call. Nathaniel wasn't even able to say goodbye or anything.

He arrived at his house shortly after that. He was going to reach for his key while grasping the door latch when he discovered it was already open. 

Anxiety latched onto his mind like a plea for help. Nathaniel knows his father wouldn't be here early. So... why was the door unlocked?

Entering the house, it was strange. Everything was in order.

Looking at the shelves, nothing valuable was stolen. No mirrors or CCTV were broken, all of which were completely fine and unharmed. It was unnerving, to say the least.

Nathaniel scurries to his room, afraid that something may had happen to his computer... to the game he's developing.

All of his worst worries came true that day. His room was a wreck. His figurines were destroyed, and his posters were either missing or were torn apart. However, the computer was perfectly intact.

Nathaniel rushed to his computer and opened it. His heart was beating so loud it rang in his ears. It was until he was drawn to the loud sound of the door slamming.

His eyes darted about in concern, but his greatest dread was what he witnessed. It was his father, standing there with a soul-crushing gaze. His eyes flashed with rage.

"Dad... Who... who did this...? Did someone enter the house? Was there a burglary?!" Hysteria struck his mind.

His father ignored him and grabbed a poster, "What is this, Nathaniel? Are you planning to join this... Video Game Proposal bullshit of yours?"

Nathaniel was about to reply, but his father continues, "And what is that?" He points to the calendar, "What do you mean by 'drop-out?' You dropped out? From what? From med school?!"

"Dad... I finally understand. It's you. You destroyed my room, didn't you?" Nat's voice became increasingly agitated.

"Wow. You still have the courage to talk to me like that? Tell me, why did you drop-out from med school? Why do I see these... these bullshit things around your room?!" Oliver pointed at his son's posters, "Why are you so eager to trade our dreams to this pointless shit?!"

"'Our' Dreams? It's your dream! And don't drag mom into this, dad. She supported me with whatever I want up until she died 'cause of you!" Nathaniel spouted, "She isn't a controlling parent like you! You're just a drunkard bastard who relies on mom's life insurance!"

"And this?!" Nathaniel grabbed the crumpled pieces of the poster off of his father's hands, "This is my dream! If this is pointless to you, to me it isn't! What do I care if you think the opposite? You never cared about me anyway! All you see in me is a fucking doctor, not your son! Why do you always see the worst in me?"

"Nathaniel, it's because of that poster that we're broken. A broken family. You barely do anything at home, the least you can do is follow my dreams!" His father grabbed his arms and tightened his grip.

Nat suddenly laughed hysterically. He appeared to be losing his mind. His father releases his grip on his arm after becoming a little unsettled by this side of his son.

"See. You said it. It is your dream. Not mom's. Not mine. It's just yours." Nathaniel sat on his bed, "You impose your goals on your son because you failed your own dreams."

Speechless.

That was what his father was at that very moment.

"It's always like this. I'm just that. I'm just a second you. I'm not allowed to be myself, am I?"

Oliver didn't listen to a word he said. He simply grabbed the poster back, and threw it in the trash bin. "You need to fix your fucking head, Nathaniel."

The door slammed shut forcefully.

...

...

...

Silence.