Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
Don sat slouched in the living room, a book open before him, though his mind wandered far beyond the words on the page. The dim light from the flickering lamp cast long shadows across the walls, and in those shadows, his thoughts simmered. The world had wronged him, that much was clear. Born into this pitiful life of poverty, he'd come to realize something—something that set him apart from the rest. The world owed him. After all, why should someone as extraordinary as himself suffer while the weak, the insignificant, lived in comfort?
His family didn't understand. They were too consumed by their daily struggles to see the truth. His parents, Marcus and Mira, did their best, but in Don's eyes, their efforts were laughable—nothing more than desperate attempts to keep afloat in a world designed to crush them. His older brother, Jak, worked tirelessly, coming home every evening exhausted and covered in grime from a day of menial labor. But Don looked at Jak and sneered. Jak's pitiful attempts to lift the family out of the mud were futile. His efforts were nothing more than a waste of time—a reflection of his weakness. It was the same with everyone, but none more so than Jak.
His younger sister, Lila, was even worse. Her naive optimism was a joke. She still believed in the possibility of a better life. She still thought there was hope. But to Don, she was just a naive little girl, too soft to survive in the harsh world he'd come to understand.
The taunts at school only served to fuel his growing resentment. The other kids saw his worn clothes and thin frame and mocked him for it, calling him names and laughing behind his back. But Don didn't care. Their words meant nothing. They were beneath him, every single one of them. And when they tried to push him around, he merely smiled, knowing that they would never, ever catch him. They couldn't touch him.
Because Don had a secret—a gift that set him apart from them all. He could see the future. Not far, but enough. Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes ahead of everyone else. It was as if time bent to his will, allowing him to manipulate the world around him like a puppeteer pulling the strings of his enemies. Every move they made, every word they spoke—it was all laid out for him. It made him untouchable. It made him feel like a god.
But unlike the noble or selfless, Don had no desire to use his power to help others. No. To him, the world was a game, and he was destined to win it. His foresight was his ticket to greatness, to rise above the pathetic lives of his family, his classmates, everyone. He used his gift to make his life easier, to avoid conflicts and manipulate situations to his advantage. And with every passing day, his belief in his own superiority grew stronger.
The sound of the front door creaked open, interrupting his thoughts. Jak entered, his shoulders slumped with the weight of the world. His clothes were covered in dirt, and his face looked older than his years. He was tired—so tired. Don barely looked up as his older brother trudged into the living room, dropping his bag on the floor with a heavy sigh.
"Don," Jak muttered, his voice strained with frustration. "Why do you keep acting like this? Why do you make everything harder than it needs to be?"
Don didn't respond right away, his eyes still fixed on the pages of his book. He had no interest in Jak's complaints. Jak didn't get it. He never would. After a moment, Don glanced up from his book, his face expressionless, before delivering his verdict.
"Harder?" Don's voice dripped with mockery. "No, Jak. You're the one making everything harder. You keep pretending that if you just work hard enough, you'll get somewhere. But you're just as stuck as the rest of them. You think the world's gonna reward you for being a good little worker? It's pathetic."
Jak's jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I do this for the family, Don. For all of us. Someone has to."
Don snorted, pushing himself up from his chair, his gaze cold. "Someone has to, sure. But you're wasting your time. Do you think I'll ever be as weak as you? Tied down by the same miserable routine? No, I'm destined for more than this. I see it, Jak. The future is mine, not yours."
Jak's eyes flashed with anger, but there was something else in his voice—a hint of sadness. "You don't know what it's like, Don. You have no idea what real struggle is. You think you can just escape it all because of your... whatever it is you think makes you special? You're going to fall hard if you keep thinking like that."
Don's lips curled into a smirk, and he took a step closer to Jak. "Fall? I don't fall. I never will." He paused, his eyes narrowing with cold calculation. "You're just mad because you can't see what I can. All you do is work, work, work, and what's it getting you? Nothing. You're just a cog in the machine."
Jak took a deep breath, his fists trembling with frustration. "And what's your plan, Don? What are you going to do with all that power of yours? You think that makes you better than us? You're nothing without your family. Without us, you'd still be stuck in that gutter."
Don let out a hollow laugh, his eyes gleaming with a quiet fury. "Family?" he scoffed. "You think I need you? I'm going to rise to the top, Jak. All of you are just stepping stones. You'll see."
Jak stood frozen, staring at his younger brother, but his face betrayed a deep sadness. Without another word, he turned and left the room, his heavy footsteps echoing through the silence. Don didn't even watch him go.
Instead, he walked to his room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He stood before the mirror, staring at his reflection. His dark eyes were filled with contempt, but there was something else there too—something that he refused to acknowledge. Loneliness.
A soft knock at the door broke his thoughts. Lila's voice, gentle and hesitant, drifted through the wood.
"Don... I made you some tea. I thought... maybe it would help."
Don rolled his eyes and pushed away from the mirror. Lila was always trying to fix things, to make him feel better, but what did she know? She was just a child—too soft, too naïve. He opened the door, eyeing her with a mixture of disdain and indifference.
"Help?" Don raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Help with what, Lila? Your endless optimism? Your pathetic little dreams?"
Lila's lower lip trembled, but she didn't flinch. She placed the tea on his desk, her voice quiet but earnest. "I just... I know things are tough right now, but maybe we can all work together to make things better. We don't have to be so angry all the time. You don't have to shut everyone out."
Don stared at her, his face hard as stone. "Shut everyone out? Don't you get it, Lila? No one else matters. They're all just distractions. The world owes me, and when I'm in control, things will finally be the way they should be. You and everyone else will just follow me, whether you like it or not."
Lila blinked back tears, her voice barely a whisper. "But... we're family, Don. You can't just push us all away. I... I just want to help."
Don took a step toward her, his gaze piercing. "Help? You really think you can help? You're just a naive little girl. Don't you see? I don't need help from anyone. I don't need anyone at all. I can bend time to my will. I'm already ahead of everyone."
Lila's eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "But you're still lonely, Don. You're still... so alone."
Don froze, a flicker of something almost human in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. He turned his back on her and walked toward the window, staring out into the night. "Lonely? No, I'm not lonely. I'm just... different. I'll be on top soon enough. You'll see."
Lila stayed in the doorway for a moment longer before turning and leaving, her footsteps soft as they faded down the hall. Don didn't move.
---
The next day, Don walked through the school halls, the familiar taunts from his classmates ringing in his ears. They thought they could push him around, but they didn't know. They didn't know what he could do. With every passing day, his belief in his own superiority grew stronger.
When Kyle, one of the bigger boys, shoved him aside with a grin, Don only smiled. He stepped aside just in time, his body moving fluidly as though guided by some unseen hand. Kyle tried again, but Don was already three steps ahead.
Kyle lunged, and Don effortlessly dodged the punch. He laughed coldly as he stepped back, his voice smooth as silk. "I'm not invincible. I'm just smarter. I can see the future, Kyle. Every move you make, I already know it."
Kyle stumbled, disbelief flashing across his face. "You... what? You've been using that weird power of yours to avoid us this whole time?"
Don smirked as he walked past Kyle, unfazed by the anger burning in the other boy's eyes. "Of course. Why would I let you waste my time? You think I'm going to let you slow me down? I'm going to be great, Kyle. You're just an obstacle, and I know how to deal with those."
As he walked away, Don felt the rush of power surge through him, his conviction growing. The world was his. The future was his. And soon, everyone would realize it.