CHAPTER 1The quiet vehemence and antipathy in his eyes, the single tear that rushed out as he tried too hard to hold it back. He fisted his hand together to control these intense emotions boiling inside while he watched his dad walk in, drunker than the day before. Martin couldn’t hold the presence of his face after realizing his past. It wasn’t his drinking problem that set his emotions blazing but the fear that he might one day end up like him; because he was his son and he had his genes.Martin is a very intelligent student, one you can consider a potential polymath. Everyone had a greater aspirations for him. He was confident, strong-willed and the student every teacher was confident that he was going to have easy success. All that’s going to change, not for the people who believed in him but for Martin himself after discovering his father’s unpleasant history. Before, people wondered, and even Martin heard people say,“How could this intelligent boy be the son of those parents. They are too dumb to have such a hyper-intelligent son.”He was really good at handling that shame until the straw broke the camel’s back. Martin discovered his father’s old academic records. The public didn’t know the whole story about his father, not even him before discovering them. It appeared in the records that his father was as intelligent as himself when he was his age. He had even won more awards than he, Martin had.“But what happened? What went wrong?” Martin wondered, as all these discoveries sent shivers to his spine.He then saw a letter amongst the oldies covered in cobwebs from the truck he saw this father’s archives. The letter read.“Dear New Me.I have been waiting for you, and now you are manifesting. Before, I wondered, can this be true? Is this also happening to me, just like my dad? I thought I broke the circle by winning more awards, doing extra good but it was all a waste, I am losing it. This is like a whole process to me, if it was a phase, I would be happy it would pass but no, my dad never recovered, so like his dad before him. He told me, that’s what happens to us, our intelligence expires, it’s like in our genes. My worst fear was this, and it is manifesting. I have hit my mental peak just like my dad at the tender age of 18. Very soon, everyone will know about it and they will realize how fragile our hyper-intelligence is. I have to prepare for what is before me, I am wondering about my life when I am turn out like every average kid or probably dumber. After all, that shouldn’t be a reason I can’t live on. Maybe it is a generational curse, how could I possibly know.Bye Old me.“The fear plagued his mind and he couldn’t imagine himself ending up like his dad. It was not his father’s drinking problem that anger but the fear of losing himself too. He was angry his father didn’t change it, probably if he tried and never given up, he would have recovered.Martin had a test Monday morning, his father asked about how his studies were going. Martin tried to hide all the anger that exploded in him and responded fine. He couldn’t believe why his father didn’t tell him about his past.“Why was he keeping it from him? Did he want the process to hit him unexpectedly?” All these thoughts stirred his emotions.He wouldn’t let his worst fears be confirmed. He’s going to study really hard so he proves to his dad, there’s nothing like dumbing-gene or a generational curse. Martin studies throughout the night without rest because tomorrow was Monday.Monday morning, he took the test; a math test. He was in his final year of high school, and a day student so he had to always hitch a ride to school every morning. The results were in before school closed. The test papers were been shared by the teacher himself.“I am very surprised and disappointed at you, Martin,’ the teacher said as he was about to hand his paper to him with all the emotion drawn on his face. “Did you adequately prepare for the paper?” he added.“Yes sir, I did,” Martin responded with the eagerness to see his results which had to ensued this conversation.“I see. If your dad is causing any trouble for you let me know so I see how I can help you out, because this is so not you.” The teacher commented and handed the paper to him.Martin was dumb folded, as he saw the writing of the red ink boldly printed there, 5/30. Martin went into a shock due to asphyxiation.