"Finally quittin' time."
Frank Gunn went to the time clock and punched out, causing the contraption to beep twice. He was officially free, at least until tomorrow.
Stretching his back with a loud crack, he prepared to head home.
The shifts were getting longer and longer lately. This wasn't because he was working longer hours; it was the days themselves that seemed to drag on, as if they were extra. Unnecessary and stolen.
Stepping out of his truck, he was soon greeted by one of the few welcome sights still remaining in this world.
"Daddy!"
His daughter Ana launched herself into his arms, nearly knocking him off balance. She was getting big, a far cry from the tiny thing who once fit perfectly in the crook of his arm.
She now stood a proud three-foot-six, her jet-black hair having grown down to her back. Her bright blue eyes were a carbon copy of her mother's, ambition and all. So much so that he often found himself stopping and staring.
In contrast, time hadn't been kind to Frank.
His once-commanding six-foot-two frame had shrunk a few inches from an ever-present, defeated slouch. His shoulders that used to be broad and proud from years of construction work, now sagged like they had been used as parking spaces for SUVs.
His crew-cut black hair had grown out into a long, unkempt mop, and his bright green eyes had lost their shine, leaving behind lifeless dull voids.
The lines around his eyes darkened every day, fueled by a mix of depression and exhaustion. Still, he always found a way to smile for Ana.
"How was daycare, buttercup?" he asked as he buckled her into her car seat.
"It was good! We played dollies and horsies and doctor! Oh, and Ms. Sarah let us draw pictures, and I drew our house, but bigger and prettier, and a garden like the one from the pictures-"
Ana rambled on endlessly, seeming to have a story for everything. Frank struggled to concentrate as she chattered on about her day, recounting the smallest, most mundane details with the kind of enthusiasm that you could only find in a four-year-old.
It was a relief she was happy; on the days she wasn't, his whole world seemed to turn a darker shade of gray.
Their apartment building came into view quickly in all its noticeably weathered glory. The paint was peeling with reckless abandon, and the concrete was cracked in many places, clearly neglected by the landlord.
It was pitiful, but it was well within his budget. It's not like they paid road workers a premium in Midwestern America.
'Maybe I'd be paid better in France or something,' he wondered.
It was fair to say the building had seen better days, just like Frank himself. So in an ironic way, it felt fitting.
He parked his truck and stared emptily at the place they lived. It was a poor substitute for a real home. After all, that was lost after his wife Jasmine died.
"Daddy, I'm hungry," Ana complained as Frank unlocked the door.
"Me too, sweet pea. How about horseshoes tonight?" he suggested. It was a common dish in their area and also happened to be Ana's favorite.
Her eyes lit up, a bit of drool forming at the side of her mouth.
"Yes, please!" She replied eagerly
Stepping inside, Frank was filled with the all too familiar feeling of claustrophobia. The apartment was cramped, too cramped for Frank's taste, and far too cramped to be good enough for Ana. But it was what they had for now.
He set down his things and went to the kitchen. It was small, and even smaller with Ana's toys lying across the floor, but it wasn't long before the thick smell of old ground beef and half-burnt cheese filled the air.
While Frank cooked, Ana paraded her toys around the kitchen, introducing each one and their elaborate backstories.
"This is Ms. Molly; she's the president of Puppy City! And this is Ms. Nancy, she's an astronaut—"
Frank chuckled and set her plate by her spot at the table.
"That's great! But do you think Ms. Molly and Ms. Nancy could wait in your room until we're done eating?"
Seeing the food was ready, Ana jumped into her seat, "Okay! Bye Ms. Molly! Bye Ms. Nancy!"
Taking her toys and bringing them to her room, Frank sighed.
'How many times do I need to remind her to clean up?' He complained inwardly.
The already tiny room was covered in toys, including a stuffed rabbit that was currently hanging off her bed. It was her favorite toy, and she refused to sleep without it.
Looking around only managed to piss him off. This place was just a glaring reminder that his life was gone and irrecoverable.
Lately, he'd been noticing more cobwebs in the corners. The building's spider problem seemed to be getting worse, but an exterminator was simply a luxury he couldn't afford. Rent and Ana's daycare fees ate up most of his paycheck.
'Maybe sometime in the future,' he thought, defeated.
After dinner, Frank gave Ana her bath. She was playing in the tub happily until she noticed a spider on the edge.
Her shriek nearly shattered his eardrums, prompting Frank to quickly stomp it out of existence.
'Note to self: start saving for an exterminator,' he thought, though he knew it would be months before he could spare the money.
"So, what story we reading tonight, princess?" Frank asked as he tucked Ana into bed.
"Alice in Wonderland!"
"You sure? That one always scares you."
"Pleaseeee?" Those eyes, Jasmine's eyes, looked up at him, and he knew he'd lost. It was always like this, he could never tell Jasmine no for long either.
"Fine, you win." He sighed, settling into the familiar ritual. "But you need to be brave, okay?"
Not even two chapters in, Ana's eyelids grew heavy. Frank started to reach for the bedside lamp, but was stopped by a small frightened voice.
"Daddy, please don't turn off the lights. The monsters will find me." She pleaded as she pulled the covers up to her nose.
Frank smiled gently. "Don't worry, Ana. There's no such thing as monsters." He answered before flexing dramatically, earning a giggle from Ana, "Besides, if they tried to hurt you, I'd just beat 'em up!"
"Promise?"
"Promise." He kissed her forehead before he tucked her in and turned off the light.
"Goodnight, angel."
---
After Ana fell asleep, Frank began cleaning up, entering his least favorite time of the day.
Things always were the worst between the time when Ana went to bed and when he eventually passed out from exhaustion.
It was about time Jasmine and him would have started talking about their day, playing a game, watching a movie or show, or enjoying their more... intimate moments.
Frank mindlessly washed the dishes as his thoughts wandered.
He was elbow-deep in dishwater when something strange happened.
A voice.
It didn't seem to come from anywhere in particular—it was simply there. But also loud, like it refused to be ignored.
[BREACH DETECTED
BREACH DETECTED]
Frank froze, his hands still in the water.
"What the hell? Am I finally losing it?" he grumbled, shaking his head as he took a seat and dried his hands. Clearly he needed a break.
[ANOMALY ERODING BARRIER AROUND SECTOR 103, LOCALIZED NAME: EARTH
PREPARING EMERGENCY MEASURES
ALL CREATURES OF MATURITY UNDERGOING FORCED EVOLUTION
ADOLESCENTS BEGINNING CORE RESTRUCTURE FOR EVOLUTION]
The voice was cold and emotionless, like a computer speaking directly into his consciousness without caring if it was invited.
Frank tried to make sense of what was happening. His thoughts raced, but none of this made any sense.
Anomaly?
Sector?
He glanced toward Ana's room. The apartment felt too still, as if something was waiting to happen.
The voice seemed to agree, as it wasn't done.
[INITIATING INTEGRATION WITH HOST]
.
.
.
[INTEGRATION: SUCCESS]
He felt his body begin to... change. It wasn't painful, and he didn't see any movement, but the feeling was definitely there. Like a tingle from static electricity.
The sensation was fleeting, but before he could breathe out in relief, the voice returned:
[INITIALIZATION COMPLETE
COMMENCING—]