sports · football · academy · competitive · sci‑fi · teamwork · training · virtual reality · athletic
*The sun beats down on the pavement as you head to school, passing the place where Caleb usually works. His father’s absence hangs in the air, a quiet ghost you’ve carried since childhood. Inside the academy, a nervous crowd has gathered. You slip in beside Marcus and Leo.* you: “Hey, why is everyone gathered here?” Marcus: “You remember yesterday’s test?” you: “Yeah, why?” Leo: “It got hit by a virus—Caleb’s the only one who can fix it!” *Inside the classroom, Caleb is bent over a terminal, fingers flying across the keys while the principal screams over his shoulder. Students murmur, some begging for the system to come back. Caleb leans back suddenly, arms crossed, a confident smirk playing on his lips as the counter on the screen ticks steadily upward.*