Dawn of Tomorrow

by Kevin Douglas

  A million and one uses would pull in one-hundred-fold in revenue, and change many industrial and environmental processes, making them more efficient.

  After he finished his notes on e-Frond Leo worked out a meeting point and time for tomorrows hike with Sarafina and texted Tyler and Anabelle to tell them where to meet at 7:00 AM.

  He could not wait till tomorrow; he had wanted to hike all week and tomorrow was finally the day. He finished his classes for the day and sent a text Sarafina from his car.

  Dinner, coffee, U?

  He waited in his car for a response listening to music.

  She replied a minute later: Sure! Where at cowboy? I’m starving.

  Ranch Cantina out on Warm Springs Road?

  I’ve never been there but I heard the view is amazing. Can you pick me up?

  You know it, see you in thirty or so.

  K ;-) You don’t have a crush on me now do you? LOL JK.

  Leo fired up his Vette and made his way toward Sara’s apartment, high puffy white clouds drifted overhead, the ideal weather of sun and a breeze. Leo sat at the light watching passing traffic when the notifier tone went off on his iPhone, signifying an incoming email message. He reached into his pocket and unlocked the screen.

  He noticed he had ten new emails, he looked up and the light was still red, so he thumbed through his inbox. His first five messages were assignments, three were retail ads, one was an email fortune, and the last one from an address he did not recognize from Bartholemeau.

  The car behind him tapped their horn and Leo looked up to see the light had turned green. He accelerated, puzzling over the subject of the email, ‘Join New Wave, join the future’.

  He waited for the next red light, so he could check the message to see if it was spam mail. He almost passed Sarafina’s apartment complex and turned in just in time. He parked at the curb and sent her a text; outside now.

  While he waited, he opened the email as he read the email his eyes grew wide with excitement. A voice outside the window startled him and he nearly dropped his iPhone.

  “Howdy,” Sarafina said, looking pretty in a yellow and green sundress, sandals, and her beautiful hair blowing in the breeze.

  “Hop on in girl. I just got some excellent news.”

  She slid into the passenger seat, making sure her dress stayed down. Leo tried to keep his eyes on his iPhone and off Sarafina’s toned, tanned legs.

  “Well spit it out,” she said. “Don’t keep a girl in suspense.”

  “Well, we may be celebrating tonight. This is the first real offer for Flash Match since the first prototype was complete. Not only is it a cash offer, but a position in the company, and royalties!”

  “No way! That’s awesome, Leo. How much are we talking about here?”

  Sarafina blushed and put her hand over her mouth, “I’m sorry that was kind of rude to ask.”

  Leo chuckled as he pulled away from the curb.

  “It’s okay, but I shouldn’t go into too many details. They’ll need me to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. I’m really thinking of accepting this offer. I’ve had others and this one surpasses them all by far. I mean royalties and a position with salary, and my own lab to work in!”

  “Wow, you’re glowing Leo. I’m so happy for you. What would you do about school?”

  It had crossed his mind that his schooling would probably be impossible. Despite that, he was almost certain he would accept the offer.

  “Well…I don’t know. I will have to decide, but this is something that doesn’t come along every day. Besides I have another idea that is way bigger than my last, and this position would be perfect for developing my invention.”

  “Dang, Leo, I wish I had such a clear line of thought as you do. You make such decisive moves.”

  Leo laughed. “I do, huh? I just see no reason not to take it, is all. Anyways, let’s not think about this; let’s enjoy dinner. We’re not too far from the restaurant.”

  The wind blew through her hair, sending it streaming backwards, scents of summer filled the interior and he could hear the hum of his engine under the sound of the radio.

  Leo pulled off the highway and followed a dirt road that led to Rancho Cantina.

  The restaurant looked like a lodge pole cabin with a porch all around it, in the midst of several small ponds and a marshy bog. Cattails, reeds, lily pads, lotus flowers, and dragonflies lined the edges of each body of water. He parked in a spot in front of the restaurant and turned off the car.

  “Leo, this place is so cool, it’s better than people described.”

  “Yeah, it is!”

  Sarafina frowned and said, “I thought you’d already been here?”

  “Nope, it’s my first, I heard the back deck is a must.”

  “Back deck it is then.”

  They exited the car and proceeded to the hostess stand. There was lantern style lighting along the extensive porch and small citronella candles burning on the tables. Sarafina excused herself to go to the restroom and the hostess ushered Leo to a table on the back deck. He took out his iPhone and looked over the email offer once again.

  He decided he would respond and see what Bartholemeau would say if he indicated his interest. He touched reply and wrote a short message:

  Dear Bartholemeau and New Wave, I am interested in your offer. Where is the lab you referred to, and what is the time frame for disbursement of funds? Also, if the terms are agreeable, can I roll them into your stock, and what is your stock symbol?

  He sent off the email and waved for Sarafina to join him. She made her way over and sat down. While browsing the menu they basked in the afternoon sun munching on chips and salsa. They talked about their classes and friends, and inevitably, the subject came back to Leo’s email and his future. His iPhone vibrated as the waiter dropped off the main course.

  Bartholemeau’s response stated, Leo the lab is 30 miles north of your campus and disbursement of funds is immediate as soon as we get your signed contract. We are very serious about acquiring you. We do have stock and it is worth taking. We are so serious that the contract is attached to this message, so if you can e-sign we can get this partnership started. Thank you.

  He looked up from his iPhone to see Sarafina looking at him. He put his iPhone away but was anxious to make a decision. It could wait, he wanted to enjoy his time with Sarafina.

  “Yum. The food smells great. This was such a good choice, Leo.”

  He grabbed his fork and dug into the first cheesy bite of his chicken enchilada. They ate quietly for a few minutes and his iPhone, chiming with another email, broke the silence. He reached into his pocket to silence the notifier and looked at Sara to read her expression.

  “Dang Leo your popular tonight, who is it now?”

  “Well let me see.” He read over the email.

  It was from Mrs. Sullivan, an invitation to view the actual Geology book.

  “Oh wow, the spook residence wants to invite me back to view the book.”

  “Really? Are you going to go back and view it? Wait, what do you mean view the book?”

  “Well they gave me the tablet loaded with my textbook, but the digital version is a copy. The real book is inside their library. I think it has samples of every type of rock and mineral, it must be worth a fortune. And then, of course, there’s the coding and patterns.”

  “Coding and patterns, digital copies and a priceless book, you lost me Leo. This is geology, right?”

  “Well you’ll just have to see for yourself, so I’ll bring it tomorrow. It’s best you just see it in person.”

  “Sounds like a plan, how’s your enchilada there?”

  He tried to speak with a mouthful of food.

  “It’s quite tasty, sorry about that.”

  She laughed with him and they both enjoyed the rest of their dinner. As they finished their meal the sun set, turning the water on the pond orange and pink.

  An egret spread its white wings and flew away as several ducks swam out to the middle
of the pond half a dozen ducklings trailing them, getting into trouble.

  Frogs and crickets began to play their nighttime tune as the waiter lit the candle on the table. The light lit up Sarafina’s face; the low light accentuated her beautiful features, her hair casting a web of shadows on her cheeks, her lips glistening. He caught himself staring at her for more than a glance.

  “Hey, I never did ask, are you with anyone?”

  The question caught him off guard. “Well I’m with you, Sara.”

  A quick laugh from Sarafina.

  “Really?! You didn’t tell me this was a date and we’re going steady, I guess I should expect you to pay then?” Sarafina giggled and Leo followed suit.

  “Yeah sorry I took that so literally. No, I’m not with anyone right now.”

  “Wow just like that we’re broken up?” She gave him a wink. “I’m going to use the ladies room don’t you go dating anyone out here while I’m gone.”

  The quiet setting allowed him to reflect on his thoughts of Sarafina and then to the email and the offer that had been made. He pulled it up on his phone and read it over, drawn to it, perhaps because it was a confirmation of his ideas worth. He opened the contract attachment and stared at the screen.

  His mind drifted away from the restaurant to his schooling, his ideas, his future, his current ideas, and how this would change everything. He wished his father were here to guide him. This might be the most important decision of his life.

  He was moving his hand toward the sign and send button when he heard Sara calling from inside the restaurant,

  “Leo. Leo over here, I’m ready.”

  With Leo’s attention broken, he slipped his iPhone into his pocket and stood up.

  “Hey Sara, I’m on my way.”

  He forgot to lock his iPhone and reached back into his pocket again, felt around to locate the lock button, and locked the device. Things could not be better. He had an excellent scholarship, amazing grades, beautiful car, unbelievable offer for Flash Match, and rekindled a friendship with Sarafina. He was right, things were about to change for him; he was on a path to his dreams now.

  Chapter 20

  They walked out together, arm in arm, separating at the car that he had bought in hopes Flash Match would be a success. They enjoyed the drive back and he dropped her off at her complex.

  “Goodnight, Leo. Have sweet dreams tonight.”

  Leo enjoyed the sight of her as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. When he arrived at his cottage, thick fog hung low about the grounds, and he blindly made his way to the front door. After packing snacks and supplies for his hike the next morning, he slipped off to sleep as Willy curled up beside him.

  Leo slipped into a shorter dream, although confusing just the same. He awoke in a bed of money, the sheets and blankets made of overlapping $100 bills. Instead of presidents’ faces, skulls gleamed back at him. He ran his fingers over the edges of fabric made of money, revealing more bills underneath. He tried to pull away the covers, but they would not budge. He tried to push and tug them away and noticed they were not covers at all. He was covered in a pool of loose money.

  He tore at them and they bled green all over his fingers. As he cleared away a small section, his skin was stained a light green all over. The money had teeth and dug into his skin making it painful and impossible to remove the bills. He rolled back and forth violently trying to loosen up their grip. Falling onto the ground, ripping and tearing, green liquid dripped all over his body.

  He tried to sweep the money off his body and woke up to himself trying to straighten out the wrinkles in his pajamas. He laughed at himself, as the alarm on his iPhone sounded.

  Leo quickly got ready, which caused Willy to be on edge and to follow him all around the house. He put his tablet in the backpack and loaded an ice chest with drinks. He grabbed his camera off the kitchen counter just as his new clock chimed 6:00 a.m. He locked up, watching Willy plead with him, trying to make him feel bad for departing at such an early hour.

  Leo pointed to the squirrel on the porch.

  “Cheer up fur ball, you always have your squirrel buddy to keep you entertained.”

  That squirrel is getting too comfortable.

  The Vette growled to life as he took a whiff of the morning air mixed with the plant life. At the front gate, he saw what Sarafina described, the bars glowing blue underneath the archway. As he rolled closer the bar’s glow stopped and descended into the ground just before he passed through. He stopped under the arch to see where the bars disappeared but could not see where they came from and he did not have time to investigate.

  He texted Sarafina, hey are you ready? I’m on my way.

  Yuppers. Waitin on you

  LOL, See yah soon ;-)

  He noticed some alerts at the bottom of the screen and checked on them. The first was from his bank: Notice of direct deposit New Wave Industries.

  “New Wave deposit, what the fuck!?”

  The second was his bank as well, offering exclusive interest rates as well as loan and savings options. Not wanting to be late he put the car in gear and headed through the bridge, pulling up his checking account with voice commands.

  He slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop in the grass, dust billowing past his car. His eyes bugged out of their sockets at the figure displayed in his bank ledger stating a $5,750,800.39 balance.

  He sat in total disbelief; This can’t be right, can it? Holy crap! The balance shows a deposit. His heart raced at the thought that this was not a banking error. Sweat gathered on his brow, and he pinched himself to see if he would wake up.

  “What? I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”

  He checked his emails Drafts folder and it was empty; he then checked the Sent folder. He opened the last sent item … The most recent out going message to New Wave.

  “Holy crap! I must have sent the signed document inadvertently before I locked my iPhone last night.”

  He thought about the situation for a minute, trying to grasp the change this would bring. He was not upset by this accident.

  They were not kidding about wanting him and the funds being immediate. How did they get the money in my account though? He stared at the screen again, checking the balance and pushed “Refresh” just to reaffirm he was not seeing things. “Yeahhhh!! Woooo!!”

  He normally concealed his excitement, but he could not help it this time. My future has begun; my dream is coming alive. He looked at his other alert, an email marked urgent, so he opened it.

  Dear Leo,

  I never received a reply from my last message I sent. I would like for you to view the original book of your digital text. This weekend is perfect as I am busy during the week. I look forward to seeing you. Saturday, at 3:00 p.m. will do just fine.

  Thank you, Evelyn.

  He did not want to be rude to her or keep her thinking he was coming, so he messaged back. Dear Mrs. Sullivan, thank you for your invitation, but this weekend isn’t a good time for me. I’ll message when I am able to come. Yours truly, Leo K.

  He sent his reply off and headed towards Sarafina’s place. He tried to put the new deal out of his mind, so he could fully enjoy his hiking trip.

  He knew with this revelation, it was going to be difficult to not think about it. He wound his way through her apartment complex and waited for her to come down. Sarafina walked down the steps, with a pink tank top and brown shorts. Her hair in a tight long single French braid down to her lower back, all smiles with her small backpack of supplies over her shoulders.

  “Hey, Leo. I’m so ready. This is going to be awesome.”

  “You know it! Hop on in and buckle up cowgirl. I just sent a text Annabelle and Tyler. They’re gonna meet us at the convenience store at the edge of town.”

  When he was out of the complex, he pushed the pedal down and roared down the road to the meeting spot. Tyler was gassing up his four-by-four quad cab truck. Annabelle sat in the front seat her nose in a book.

  Tyler caug
ht sight of this and yelled, “Hey that book’s gotta go! We’re going on a hike, nerd.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. I had to finish my chapter.”

  “Hey, you two. Tyler that ride is looking nice as usual I haven’t seen your truck in forever,” Leo said as he gave Tyler a handshake and light chest bump.

  Anabelle stuck her head out of the truck window and yelled playfully,

  “Hey you nerds ready? Let’s get a move on already.”

  “Oh whatever, I’d have this thing gassed already if I didn’t have to wait for you all morning.”

  They all laughed, Leo and Sarafina parked, then hoped into the truck. Tyler screeched his tires out of the gas station and down the road that led to their destination twenty miles away.

  They caught up on things, jammed out, played trivia from Leo’s iPhone and took some road selfies with each other. Before they knew it, they arrived at the trailhead.

  It was a somewhat unknown trail, so they were the only truck there. Leo and his crew geared up and headed out, the sun still low on the horizon.

  The first stretch of the two-mile hike was flat and littered with wild rhododendron and blackberries, Leo stopping to take photos whenever he felt inspired. There was a lot of wildlife, birds chirping a morning tune, butterflies floating by and ladybugs hitching a ride in Sarafina’s braid.

  The trail changed from flat to steep and finally precarious with sharp drop-offs on one side down into the ravine that held the river created by the falls, the destination of their journey.

  Several wood decks placed along the way jutted out from the ravine ridgeline to afford views of the squalling white water below rushing down the narrow steep canyon.

  Leo interrupted Sarafina’s blank awestruck stares as she looked down the canyon at the edge of the railing. He tapped her on the shoulder, quickly put an arm around her, then aimed the camera and took a portrait of them.

  “You goof, you scared me,” she said.

  Leo cupped his ear at her.

  “I SAID YOU’RE A GOOF, YOU SCARED ME,” she shouted over the loud splashing roar of the echoing river far below. “THIS IS AMAZING LEO IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL, she yelled.”