As an ordinary genius

The alarm buzzed again at 6:30 a.m., and Aaron Hayes groaned as he slapped it off. He dragged himself out of bed, the cold air of his apartment biting at his skin.

He glanced at his desk, where his latest project lay in pieces: a prototype for a high-capacity battery system that, if it worked, could change how portable devices were powered. He had spent weeks soldering wires and testing circuits, but so far, all he had gotten were short circuits and frustration.

"Tonight," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "I'll figure it out tonight."

The pipes groaned as he twisted the shower handle, and a weak stream of lukewarm water sputtered out.

"Come on," he muttered. "You can't even give me hot water today?"

The drip-drip-drip of the kitchen faucet echoed through the apartment as he scarfed down a piece of dry toast. He grabbed his bag, glanced at his half-finished project one last time, and headed out.

At the bus stop, the morning crowd was as restless as usual. A teenage girl scrolled through her phone, headphones jammed in her ears. A man in a rumpled suit tapped his foot impatiently, glancing at his watch every thirty seconds.

The bus screeched to a halt in front of them, its brakes squealing like a wounded animal. Aaron climbed aboard, flashing his monthly pass to the driver.

"Mornin', Hayes," the driver said, a wiry old man named Pete who always seemed to be in a good mood.

"Morning, Pete," Aaron replied, forcing a half-smile.

As Aaron shuffled to the back of the bus, Pete called after him, "Hey, don't let that office grind you down, kid. You look like you haven't slept in weeks!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Aaron said, collapsing into a seat near the window.

The bus groaned as it pulled away, the engine rumbling like distant thunder. Rain began to patter against the windows, a soft, rhythmic sound that almost lulled Aaron to sleep.

The office was just as soul-sucking as ever. The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, and the heating system was either too hot or not working at all. Today, it was the latter.

Aaron hunched over his computer, typing out an email when Greg strolled by, as smug as always.

"Yo, Hayes, you're the IT guy, right? My computer's running slow again. Think you can—"

"Turn it off and on again?" Aaron cut him off, not looking up.

Greg smirked. "Wow, that attitude will really get you places."

Aaron sighed as Greg walked away. He knew his sarcasm didn't help, but after years of being the office tech punching bag, his patience was running on fumes.

Lunchtime came and went, and Aaron stayed at his desk, nibbling on an energy bar as he sketched ideas for his project in the margins of an old notepad.

By the time the workday ended, Aaron was more than ready to leave. He shuffled onto the bus, exhausted, as rain poured outside in thick sheets. The windshield wipers squeaked back and forth, struggling to keep up with the downpour.

"You look like you've had a day," Pete said as Aaron boarded.

"Don't I always?" Aaron replied, taking his usual seat.

The bus ride was quieter tonight. The sound of rain hitting the roof mixed with the low hum of the engine. Aaron leaned his head against the window, his mind already on his project.

Back home, the first thing Aaron did was throw his bag onto the couch and make a beeline for his makeshift laboratory in the corner of the apartment.

The lab wasn't much—just a desk covered in tools, wires, and notebooks, with a battered soldering iron that looked like it belonged in a museum. But it was Aaron's sanctuary.

He flipped a switch, and the overhead light buzzed to life. The faint smell of burnt solder filled the room, a reminder of last night's failed experiment.

"All right," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's try this again."

He grabbed the circuit board and started tinkering, the sounds of his tools filling the room: the click of pliers, the hiss of the soldering iron, and the faint hum of electricity.

As the hours ticked by, the rain outside turned into a full-blown storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and lightning occasionally lit up the room, casting strange shadows on the walls.

Aaron barely noticed. He was too focused, his brow furrowed as he connected the final wires.

"Okay," he muttered, stepping back to admire his work. "Moment of truth."

He flipped a small switch on the circuit board. For a moment, it hummed softly, the LED lights flickering to life.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, grinning for the first time in days.

But then, the hum grew louder. Too loud. Sparks began to fly from the board, and the lights in the apartment flickered.

"Wait, no, no, no!" Aaron shouted, reaching for the switch.

Before he could turn it off, a deafening crack of thunder shook the building, and a blinding flash of light filled the room. The last thing Aaron heard was the sound of glass shattering as his prototype exploded, sending shards flying across the room.

And then, silence.