Wrong Number, Wrong Planet
Shadows of past
William Kade
Mom, Dad…? I’m home.
(He drops his schoolbag at the door. Silence greets him.)
William Kade
Where are you?
(He walks toward the bedroom, the air oddly still.)
William Kade
Mom—?
(His voice freezes. His parents lie on the bed, motionless. Two small poison bottles roll on the floor.)
William Kade
No… no… no…
(His knees weaken. He shakes them, hoping they’ll wake up.)
William Kade
Wake up! Mom, you promised me tiramisu today… You said—
(No answer. His tears blur everything. His hands tremble as he grabs the phone.)
William Kade
000… ambulance… please… they’re… they’re not breathing…
(The sound of sirens. His memory fades like ink in water. The next thing he knows—)
William Kade
Why… are they… in those boxes?
(He stands at the funeral, eyes red, clutching his own sleeve.)
William Kade
They look like they’re just sleeping…
(The coffin closes. He bites his lip so hard it bleeds.)
William Kade
This is just a prank, right? You’ll come out laughing… right?
Reality doesn’t answer him. Many familiar and unfamiliar faces come to greet him but his mind is just blank, nor can he hear anything neither can he comprehend what they were saying, or what their intentions was. The only face he could never forget was his Aunt, Sydney…….That day he was adopted for the second time..
Sydney Kade
William? I’m Sydney… I was your parents’ friend from the orphanage.
Sydney Kade
I’ll take care of you now.
They move to City A. Her house smells different, her voice feels unfamiliar.
William Kade
Can I… go back to City Z?
Sydney Kade
That’s… not a good idea
After weeks of persuading, she agrees.
Sydney Kade
Fine. But you’ll video call me every day, and I’ll visit every month.
Now 16, William lives in a small house a few streets away from his old home. Neighbours barely know he exists. The past still lingers like a shadow.
The basement is pitch dark except for the glow of dozens of monitors. Lines of code race across the screens. In one corner, a small desk holds his laptop; on the opposite wall, a large board is covered with pinned papers, photos, and scribbled notes.
System Log: > Running scan... 87% complete...
(William sits hunched over the keyboard. His long fingers move so fast it sounds like rainfall on keys. His pale skin catches the blue light, dark circles framing sharp eyes. His long hair falls over his face — beautiful in an eerie way. A lollipop stick pokes from the corner of his mouth.)
William Kade
William: (humming softly) …mm… mmm…
(His dull gaze flicks between windows, decoding, rerouting, tracing.)
William Kade
Whoa—!
(A small weight lands on his lap. A white British Shorthair cat blinks up at him.)
William Kade
Woo, you scared me, Misu.
(He scoops the cat into his arms. Misu purrs, headbutting his chin.)
William Kade
You trying to give me a heart attack?
(He strokes his fur absentmindedly, eyes still scanning the code.)
(On the main screen, the loading bar finally fills.)
System Log: > 100% complete.
William Kade
Another deal closed.
(He leans down, pressing a gentle kiss on Misu’s forehead. The cat blinks slowly, as if in approval.)
(William pushes his chair back and stands, stretching slightly. He walks to the sofa, grabs a black hoodie draped over the armrest, and pulls it on.)
William Kade
Come on, buddy
(Misu climbs onto his shoulder with practiced ease, tail curling around his neck.)
(Without a glance back at the glowing screens, William heads upstairs. The door creaks open, letting in the cool night air.)
(He steps out of the house, the streetlights casting long shadows behind him. The pale boy with the white cat disappears into the city.)
…. Unknown City – Meeting Room
A long table stretches across the sleek meeting room. At the head, a man sits — calm, composed. His eyes are unreadable, but the air feels heavy.
Around him, employees shift uncomfortably. Their hands fidget, eyes darting to one another. The calmness feels dangerous… like standing in the eye of a storm.
The secretary beside him picks up the phone.
Luke Sydhnam
…Yes?
(He listens, his face draining of colour. Without a word, he steps out. Minutes later, he returns, looking tense.)
Luke Sydhnam
Sir… we lost the bidding.
The man slowly brings his hands together, clapping thrice. He looks down the table, eyes sweeping over every face.
Download NovelToon APP on App Store and Google Play
