As an ordinary genius

Ethan woke up to the sound of his alarm, feeling oddly calm despite the whirlwind of revelations from the day before. He stretched, sat up, and stared at his phone.

"I need more time," he thought to himself as he scrolled through his contacts. His finger hovered over his manager's number before pressing it.

"Hey, Ethan," his manager's familiar voice came through.

"Hi, Greg," Ethan replied, keeping his tone steady. "I know I've already been out for a week, but I'd like to request another week of leave. There's some... personal stuff I need to sort out."

There was a pause on the other end before Greg sighed. "Ethan, you're one of our best. You've been through a lot recently, so take the time you need. Just make sure you're ready to hit the ground running when you're back."

"Thanks, Greg. I appreciate it." Ethan hung up, relief washing over him.

The first task of the day was simple: clean the house. Dust had gathered over the week he spent in the hospital, and it was everywhere—on the furniture, the countertops, even the corners he thought he'd cleaned weeks ago.

Armed with a broom, a mop, and a vacuum cleaner, Ethan went to work.

Hours later, the house felt new again. Ethan stood in the living room, hands on his hips, surveying his work. "Not bad," he muttered before heading to the kitchen to fix himself some breakfast.

After finishing his meal, Ethan turned his attention to the underground storeroom. It was time to make space for his plans.

The storeroom was filled with all sorts of things—old furniture, unused tools, boxes of forgotten belongings. Ethan sighed as he opened the door.

"This is going to take all day," he murmured, rolling up his sleeves.

One by one, he carried the items upstairs, sorting them into piles: things to keep, things to donate, and things to throw away. It was exhausting, but it gave him time to think.

By the time he was done, the storeroom was empty, save for its walls and floor. Ethan wiped the sweat off his brow and leaned against the doorway, smiling. "Step one, done."

Ethan pulled out a notepad and began sketching a rough blueprint. He envisioned a hidden passageway leading from the garage to the underground storeroom—a place where he could work without interruption.

"The main door stays sealed," he muttered to himself, jotting down notes. "No one needs to know this exists."

He planned to turn the storeroom into a secret lab. It wouldn't be anything grand at first, but it would be his space—a place where he could explore his newfound abilities and experiment in peace.

As the sun set, Ethan stood in the empty storeroom, the dim light from a single bulb casting long shadows. This was it—the beginning of something new.

"This will be my sanctuary," he said quietly, a hint of determination in his voice.

Tomorrow, he would start gathering the materials he needed. But for now, he allowed himself a moment to dream of what this place could become.