Chapter One

19 years later

Maria kneeled down in the old garden she now owns. After Aunt Vanessa’s passing, she inherited the old garden. She placed the still broken shear from all those years ago underneath a stray vine that overgrew and cut it. She threw it in the pile of branches and weeds that was starting to get to her knees.

“Mamaaaaaá! Why did we move out here?!” Her son, Ray, exclaimed while his father came from behind and dropped a pile of rotten wood.

“Your mother didn’t want to sell it after Auntie Vanessa gave it to us.” Her husband, Cedric, said. Maria smiled at the two of her boys before looking over at the mostly overgrown garden and sighed.

“We have a lot of work cut out for us.” Maria said before everyone heard a knock at the door. Cedric gave a weary look in the direction of the front door he could see clearly through the glass backdoor. Maria clutched her shear and waved her husband back. She walked inside and towards the front door. She looked through the peephole and saw the familiar bald head of her colleague, Quasar Tremor. She sighed before opening the door.

“Mrs. Salvador, can I come in?” Quasar asked, humbly. Maria stepped aside for her friend to come inside and Quasar began to look around the old home. Noticing that the carpet has some noticeable mold stains on it. “I didn’t expect you to be the country type, Maria.”

“Well, you don’t know a lot about me, Q.” Maria responded while putting the broken shear down. Quasar looked around for a seat and only found the dilapidated couch on the southmost wall.

“Any...chairs?” He asked. Maria shook her head and Quasar sighed before carefully sitting down on the couch. “I bet you’re wondering why I’m here.”

“Sí, why are you here?” Maria asked. She could see, out of the corner of her eye, Ray and Cedric were peeking in from the glass backdoor and listening to her conversation.

“Your proposal for the outlandish cloning project you had...it went through.”

“What?!” Maria said as she hopped with joy. Cedric quickly ran through the backdoor and stared at Quasar.

“Are you serious?” He asked the man. Quasar nodded his head as Cedric hugged his wife.

“We’re gonna be able to fix this place up in no time.” Maria said proudly. “Heck, with all of the money we’ll make off of it we can just completely redo it all.”

“With all of the money can I get a dog?” Ray asked his mother. Maria furiously nodded her head and the boy began to imagine how big he wanted his pet to be. Quasar smiled at the family’s eagerness before speaking again.

“But, in order for you to work on it, we need you to be somewhere other than here.” He said. Maria raised an eyebrow.

“Where is that?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard the news of the new sector. The Arians are giving it a mechanical marvel similar to Darci. A planet made out of metal and wiring, with its very own personality.” Quasar stated. “All of the greatest minds are going there to discover breakthroughs in science, engineering, and space travel. You’ll need to be there if you want to continue your research.” Maria’s smile faded when she heard that.

“Oh. Well, I can’t just leave the house after we just moved. I have to fix it up-”

“You and Ray can go. I’ll stay and fix up the house.” Cedric said. Maria looked at her husband with apprehensive eyes. “I’ll be fine. You need to go and make a scientific breakthrough.”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” Maria asked him. Cedric smiled before answering.

“I’ll be okie dokie, artichokie.” Little did Cedric know...that would be the last time he saw his wife in person.