Jacob, now an older man, walked over the bustling streets of New Albion while dragging his cart with him, and he was reading a book. Edgar, a young teenager who has green eyes and fiery red spiky hair, was walking next to the cart, he was wearing a suit, much like his dad’s, he had to. He was reading the list of deliveries they had to make.

Fay was walking on the other side of the cart, now fifteen years old, she was wearing casual clothes with a long skirt. On her right arm, she has a pearl bracelet. “Edgar, give me that list, I want to see where we are headed next.”

He scoffed and gave it to her, “Sure thing, hey dad, when are we going to see mom?”

He looked at him. “Did you say something? I was busy reading these notes about a new power source.”

“Yes, my mom, when are we going to see her?”

“Well, we will see her tonight, we have to finish the deliveries first, I promised Fay we would go see the garden and have an ice cream. Now, can I finish these notes?”

Edgar crossed his arms and looked at Fay, “Fine, for her, I will wait, what are you going to do with your life, Fay?”

“Let me think, well, I would like to tend to a garden and make potions to help New Albion, like my dad did. I hope to find a lovely man to share my passion with. What about you? Are you going to follow in your mom’s footsteps? Or perhaps your dad’s?”

Edgar looked at his dad walking his route and avoiding people while reading as if it were burned into his brain. “I’d rather keel over than do this everyday, school is better.”

“Yes, because you keep acing everything without trying, but you need to focus, on something, what do you want to accomplish in life?”

“I need to think hard about it, since I have no idea, maybe I can help the Mafia, didn’t the guy have a son? Or perhaps I could become an alchemist? Spending days on end in a lab sounds boring.”

Jacob spoke up, “Dear son, Fay is right, you have to have a goal in your life, finding out what you want to do is the first step towards becoming a great man.”

“Why do you always side with her? Is it because you have known her longer? Or perhaps because her dad is dead?”

Jacob stopped and put away his book, “Edgar, never, ever, speak ill of the dead again, your mom has been very clear to you. Never disrupt the dead, never speak ill of them, respect them, and one day you will be welcomed into Elysium.”

Edgar wanted to say something back, but he looked away, “Okay dad, sorry. Can we please finish these deliveries?”

Fay pointed, “Here is the next house,” she ran over to the door and rang the bell.

A woman opened the door, “Hello, what are you doing here?”

Jacob walked over to them with the cart, “Madam, here are the books you ordered, Edgar, if you would like?”

He grumbled and nodded, he picked the books that the woman had ordered and offered them, “Here you go, books from the library, brought to your doorstep.”

The woman smiled and took them, “What a lovely young man, you are Annabel’s son, aren’t you?”

“Yes, do you know my mom?”

“Well, I know she invented the new streetlights for the lower and upper class. I bet you will grow up and become a great help to New Albion.” She nodded towards Jacob, “Thank you.”

He smiled, “No worries,” they continued their way and finished the deliveries of the day. After which they went to get ice cream, Edgar always chose strawberry. Edgar and Jacob already started to walk towards the garden.

Fay smiled at the man, “I like your bowtie, does it ever get boring, you know, riding around and selling ice?”

The man grinned, “Boring? No, sometimes the strangest things happen to me, I met your dad once, as a doll. I am sorry, I should not have said that.”

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“No, it is alright, I know, my mom, I mean Annabel told me. And I saw him too, my dad, Jasper, he is resting now, I’ve got to follow the fools who did not even notice I stopped for a chat.”

The vendor looked at them and grimaced, “They are quite absorbed in their own world, aren’t they?”

Fay nodded slightly, “Yeah, you get used to it, thanks for the ice cream.”

“No worries dear Fay, have a lovely day.”

“You too, sir.” She quickly ran over to Edgar and Jacob, “Wait for me.”

Edgar looked at her, “There you are, why are we going to the garden again?”

“Because I love to look at plants, are we all still on for the theater tonight?”

Jacob nodded, “Yes, dear, first we will go see your mom and ask what she wants for dinner, we will go home after that and make sure everything is ready for when she gets back.”

Fay smiled, She was glad that Annabel took care of her like a daughter, her real mom had passed away, if you could have called her a mom. She visited the factory where they made new batteries, ones that Annabel invented, something went wrong and Sophia fell into a pit of boiling liquid. It was a horrible day, but still, Sophia never loved her. Not like Annabel does.

When they got to the garden, Edgar sat down on the bench and blew out air, “Go wild, Fay.”

She smiled and took in the smell of flowers and looked around her, the garden was a mosaic of colors and scents. Neatly arranged flower beds boast a plethora of blossoms, from vivid roses in hues of red and pink to dainty daisies that nod gracefully in the breeze. Fragrant lavender and jasmine vines climb gracefully along a trellis, releasing their sweet aromas into the air.

A cobblestone path meanders through the garden, guiding visitors on a leisurely stroll. Weathered benches beneath ancient trees offer peaceful spots to rest, while the gentle murmur of a crystal-clear fountain provides a soothing soundtrack to the surroundings. Small, intricately designed sculptures of mythical creatures peek out from the foliage, adding a touch of whimsy to the natural beauty. Butterflies flutter around, adding a delicate dance of movement to the already picturesque scene.

Jacob kept an eye on her as he read another book, he seldom stopped reading. He did not even stop reading in the bathroom. Edgar got up after he finished his ice cream and inspected the sculptures, he also kept an eye on Fay.

After a while, Fay walked back to Jacob, “Thanks dad, can we go see mom? I think Edgar is getting impatient.”

Edgar scoffed, “Me, impatient? I would never be impatient.”

Jacob got up, “You are always restless my son, especially when your mom is in the lab.”

“Well, she has been there for five days, does that not bother you?”

Jacob seemed to be thinking for a moment, “No, your mom always comes back, with stories, full of love, and new books.”

Fay grinned, “He is doing it for the books.”

Jacob grinned with her, “I like your wits, dear, your mom allows me to vanish me in my books, and I allow her to vanish in her lab when needs it, this is called love. Edgar just needs to learn to have patience. She is working in the lab next to the factory, come on, let’s go ask her what she wants for dinner with a surprise visit.”

They made their way through the bustling streets of New Albion, Jacob pointed, “Look over there is the lab. Your mom should be able to get a break.”

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion ruptures the air and Jacob covered Fay and Edgar as he pushed them to the ground. The explosion sent shockwaves through the air. The frame of the building shudders as if caught in the embrace of an invisible force. Instantly, glass shatters, and debris is expelled outward, scattering in all directions like a chaotic dance of destruction.

A plume of smoke billows forth, its dark tendrils ascending skyward, marking the epicenter of the cataclysmic event. The explosion’s fiery glow casts an eerie illumination upon the surrounding structures, briefly transforming the sky into a surreal tableau of light and shadow.

The force of the blast reverberates through the ground, causing nearby pedestrians to stagger, their faces painted with shock and awe. Emergency sirens wail in the distance, signaling the arrival of first responders rushing to the scene.

Jacob slowly got up and looked at his children, “Are you two okay?”

Edgar nodded in shock, “What happened, where is mom?”

Fay gulped a few times, “The lab, it exploded.”

The remnants of shattered windows and debris litter the streets, testifying to the violence that unfolded behind the seemingly innocuous exterior. Bystanders gathered at a safe distance, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination, Jacob pointed at the cart, “Stay here, don’t leave.” He started running towards the exploded lab.

As he came closer, the police, dressed in their black uniforms stopped him, “Sir, no one is allowed near the wreckage until it is cleared.”

Jacob ignored them and ran past them, he noticed he was followed, he had never run this fast in his life. He made his way over the rubble, he found the lab where Annabel was working, or rather the little pieces that were left of it. He started digging until he found a hand sticking out of the remains of shattered machines.

Jacob grabbed her hand and gently pulled Annabel out of the wreckage, she was no longer breathing, the explosion had killed her. Jacob started crying as the police arrived, “Leave him be, that is, his wife.”

Jacob screamed, “No! Annabel, what happened? Please, I need you. What am I going to tell our children?”

I let out a deep sigh, “Seeing this again, it even wrecks my heart a little. What a touching scene, Jacob cradling her dead warm body, Edgar and Fay, shocked, waiting for the horrible news. What exactly went wrong, we shall never know. But this event, this will shape the future of New Albion, it is time for us to take a look at the second generation.”