Without hesitation, I rushed inside, darting through rooms, even heading up to the second floor. The entire house was already furnished; everything was new, fresh, and strangely in line with my taste.
I noticed a few things had fallen, and a couple of frames on the wall were tilted just enough to catch the eye. But there wasn't much of a mess. I guess this area hadn't been hit too hard by the earthquake earlier.
"This is where we'll live from now on," Uncle said, his smirk widening as he watched me take it all in.
"No way! When did you plan all this?" I asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"That's a secret," he teased, enjoying my shock. "Wait inside. I'll park the car."
And with that, he was gone.
Until now, Uncle and I had been living in a cramped apartment. We weren't poor, but we weren't well-off either. It had always been just enough. Uncle had lived there alone before I came into the picture. He never needed much, especially with his job keeping him away most of the time. But everything had changed after the accident.
I don't remember anything. But Uncle told me that both my parents died in a car accident when I was just four. According to him, because of an accident, I got an amnesia. He also told me that it was a miracle that I survived.
Uncle said the doctors told him it was impossible for me to live. I'd already lost so much blood, and the wound on my back was huge. But the next day, I somehow started getting better. I was healthy again, and the doctors were amazed. But I still couldn't remember anything.
The doctors said it was probably the trauma from the accident, that it might take time for my memory to come back. They thought I'd recover in about a month, but it's been years, and I still don't remember a thing.
Week after that, the doctors wanted to run tests on me before we leave, as if some kind of experiment because of what happened, but Uncle wouldn't let them. He insisted on taking me home instead. He only told me all of this last week, after I kept asking him for days. I couldn't understand why I couldn't remember anything, and he finally told me the whole story.
Without any other family to take care of me, Uncle put his own life on hold. He quit his job and focused entirely on raising me. He gave up everything to make sure I was okay. I think he probably got lonely sometimes, but he never complained. I don't know what I would've done without him.
When I turned nine, Uncle went back to work. He mentioned we needed money, especially now that I was growing up and our little apartment was bursting at the seams. I thought he was joking at the time, but now I see he wasn't kidding. Not at all.
"So, how's it?" Uncle asked as he walked back in, his tone casual.
"Hmm? Not bad," I replied, but my voice betrayed my words. I avoided looking directly at him, focusing on everything but his eyes.
Uncle chuckled, clearly amused by my poorly disguised indifference. He gave me a look as if he knew exactly what I was thinking, then gestured toward the basement, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Come on, follow me."
Curiosity stirred within me as I trailed behind him, my mind racing with questions. I couldn't help but imagine all kinds of possibilities, wondering what could be waiting down there. Maybe some hidden arcade, or something special he'd been keeping from me.
But when Uncle opened the door and I got a glimpse inside, despite the dim lighting, I felt an uneasy twinge. Something was off. And when he flicked on the light, revealing the full scene, I just stood there, speechless.
It wasn't what I had imagined. Instead of something exciting and mysterious, I was met with the sight of a cluttered, ordinary basement, boxes stacked haphazardly everywhere. Nothing but a mess.
Uncle burst out laughing when he saw my face, which probably showed every ounce of disappointment I was feeling. I glared at him, brows furrowed, thinking that maybe he really had lost his mind.
Without explanation, Uncle walked over to the far left wall and placed his hand flat against it.
"Alcantara," he said, his voice steady.
Before I could ask what on earth he was doing, the door behind us clicked shut, and the concrete wall in front of him lit up, as if it were scanning his hand.
"Nicholas P. Alcantara confirmed," a calm, artificial human-like voice echoed from nowhere. I spun around, trying to figure out where it had come from.
And just like that, the wall slid aside, revealing a hidden elevator. My heart skipped a beat, a wave of surprise and excitement bubbling inside me.
"Pretty cool, right?" Uncle said, ruffling my hair with a proud grin. "Our house is guarded by an AI system named Alex. This wall? It's a scanner. Even the basement door is hooked up to a sensor that recognized me the second I opened it."
I stared at him, my mind struggling to catch up.
"Wait, it recognized you?"
"The scanner only activates if someone registered in the system opens the door," Uncle explained, his pride clear.
"Wait, check this out. Alex, show yourself."
The wall flickered, transforming into a black screen. A cheerful little stick figure face appeared, flashing a smile, as if it were eager to chat.
"Hi! I'm Alex. Nice to meet you! How can I help you today?"
"Damn," I muttered, staring at the screen in disbelief. I was so taken aback I couldn't think of anything else to say. Before I knew it, Uncle smacked my head and reminded me not to curse like that.
"Nothing," Uncle said with a grin, as Alex disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Without another word, he guided me to the hidden elevator. There were only two buttons: up and down. Uncle pressed the button that has an arrow pointing downward and the elevator hummed to life. After what felt like a minute, it came to a halt.
The door creaked open, and the lights outside flickered on, casting a soft glow that revealed something I hadn't expected at all. It was like stepping into a dream: a massive training space, all for us. My heart started pounding in my chest as I took my first step inside, a rush of excitement and disbelief hitting me at once. My mouth went dry, and I couldn't find the words, so I kept walking, trying to absorb it all, but it felt unreal.
My steps slowed as I looked around, soaking it all up. The place was stocked with every weapon and gear I could think of. To my left, there was an open space perfect for sparring, plenty of room to move without feeling boxed in. The air smelled like fresh wood, metal, and leather, like the place was brand new, barely touched.
"How's it?"
"Not bad." I answered without looking his way, my voice steady and flat, masking any hint of admiration.
For a moment, I just stood there, letting the stillness settle in. My fingers itched with anticipation, but something about the silence felt off. My muscles tensed, a primal instinct flaring to life just as a sharp cut through the air behind me.
Without thinking, I spun to the left, barely dodging a long wooden rod that whistled past my shoulder. My uncle's figure loomed behind me, his grip firm and stance poised. He didn't give me a second to catch my breath.
"Uncle, what are you—!"
I barely managed before he struck again, his swings relentless and precise, forcing me to move non-stop. My feet barely kept up as I ducked and weaved, my heart hammering in my chest.
"From now on," he called out, his voice steady despite his attacks, "I'm going to launch surprise attacks on you. So, you'd better keep your guard up!"
"Are you serious?!"
I bolted away from him as fast as my legs could carry me, not even bothering to hear what he was saying after that. But when I turned back to check on Uncle, my heart nearly stopped; he hurled his weapon straight at me with terrifying precision, like he was dead set on turning me into a dartboard.