Searching For Andromeda

A hand ruffled his platinum-blond hair.

"Are you fascinated with the b.u.t.terfly, Sam?"

He lifts his gaze to the one who patted his head. He was a tall man. He refers to him as "Papa."

"b.u.t.terfly?" Sam asks. His chubby hands reached to his tall "Papa,"—and then his Papa chuckles, picking him up.

"Yes, b.u.t.terfly," says Erwin Albrecht, Samuel"s father. "More specifically, a blue morpho. The blue morpho is amongst the biggest b.u.t.terflies around the globe, with wings traversing from five to eight inches. As its common name infers, the blue morpho b.u.t.terfly wings are bright blue, edged with black,"

Samuel nods.

"Honey, Sam won"t remember that. Why are you being so nerdy again," says Lucilla Albrecht, as she picks the small and chubby Samuel from her husband. Erwin Albrecht readjusted his gla.s.ses and pouted.

"I can"t help it, he"s so cute," says Erwin as he stares at Samuel, who was looking back at him expressionlessly. "Look at his chubby cheeks. I can"t believe we were able to create such a creature."

"Don"t call our baby a "creature,"" says Lucilla, kissing Samuel"s silky platinum-blond hair. "He smells so good. I love smelling babies. Remember when Samantha was this small?"

"But babies fascinate me. He has both of our chromosomes, and he"s a sperm and egg combined. What a wonder, he"s the only one who survived the onslaught,"

"What onslaught?" Asks Lucilla.

"Oh, Lucy. So innocent. You gave birth to two, and you"re still such a delicate maiden," says Erwin, and then smiles at Samuel who was again reaching to him. "Do you want Papa to pick you up?"

"Papa," Samuel exclaims. "Blue morpho."

"What did you say?"

"Blue Morpho. b.u.t.terfly. Five to eight inches."

Both Erwin and Lucilla stare at their child, who had uttered words so complicated at just the age of five. At this time, their other child, Samantha, had just learned the alphabet and was still practicing how to spell her name.

"What did you say . . .?"

Silence.

"D-did we hear it right?" Says Lucilla. "Or did I just hallucinate?"

Erwin stares at his five-year-old son, who was looking at him intently.

"Lucilla,"

"Erwin?"

"I think . . ." Erwin levels his head to his child, who was in his wife"s arm. "I think Sam"s a genius."

"Our child . . . a genius?"

"Yes!" Erwin grins. "Sam, can you tell us that again?"

Samuel stares at his "Papa" intently once more, looking at his glistening electric-blue eyes. They were so light, so much similar to his own. His Papa had an ash-grey hair, though. Samuel had a platinum-blond hair like his Mama, who had eyes the color of the "blue morpho," a deep shade similar to the sky.

"Blue Morpho. b.u.t.terfly. Five to eight inches,"

"Oho! Our Sam is going to follow my footsteps!" Says Erwin with a gleeful tone. "He"s going to be even greater! Look at that exceptional memory. What about we skip the ABCs and let"s proceed to x + y?"

"Ow!" Erwin caresses the mark Lucilla left as she slaps his arm. "What was that for, Lucy?"

"It"s because you"re saying ridiculous things. Don"t you forget Sam is our baby." She says. "Right, Sam?"

Samuel did not respond.

Lucilla then carefully places Samuel back to the ground. Little Samuel ran towards the flowers once more and stares at the bugs instead.

"Lucy . . . don"t tell me you don"t want to have Sam take advanced lessons? Looking at him, I know he"ll be a bright child," says Erwin. "He memorized a thing I said so easily. He didn"t stutter as well."

"You say the dandiest things," Lucilla exclaims as she stares at her child playing with the bugs. "But I"m not in the same boat as you."

"I don"t understand. We"re both doctors. Samuel . . . you know he"s special."

"Every child is special," Lucilla answers. "But I don"t think you know that. You"re not that affectionate with Samantha when she was the same age as Samuel,"

Erwin"s shoulder slumped, as he stares at Lucilla sadly over his spectacles. "Is this about me being in military camp instead of supporting you with Sammy?"

"It"s not that," Lucilla answers as she sighs. "Look, Erwin. I don"t want Samuel to be strained at such a young age. I want him to enjoy being a kid. I want him to play, get curious, and play again. He"s growing, but I don"t want you to cut his childhood so shortly."

"Lucy, you"re making a big deal out of this . . ." says Erwin. "I want Samuel to be able to enjoy his childhood too. He"s our baby. But know I don"t want his talents to go to waste . . ."

". . . what are your plans?" Lucilla says after a brief silence. With that simple question, Erwin Albrecht eyes" gleamed as he glanced over Samuel who was playing.

"A father-son time,"

"Do you understand the concept of genetic engineering, Samuel?"

Silence.

"Sam," says Erwin as he stares at the small figure at the opposite end of the table. Only the bulb above provided light at the papers and books scattered across the table. Everything else was covered in pitch-black darkness. Two figures, electric blue eyes looking at each other, were the only life to be found in the bas.e.m.e.nt.

"Samuel. I repeat. Do you understand the concept of genetic engineering?"

Silence.

"Samuel Albrecht," Erwin exclaims. "Genetic engineering."

Samuel"s gaze drifted back to the paper in the table. He grabbed the blue crayon on his side (it was there since crayons are safer than pointed pencils), and then he started to scribble to the paper. The paper was an article about genetic engineering.

Erwin immediately stood up and stormed to Samuel"s side.

"What did I say about drawing?!" He yells. "You are not here for drawing, Sam! You"re here to study!"

Samuel halted for a moment, but then he continued to scribble and draw. Erwin Albrecht gritted his teeth and then grabbed the paper away from Samuel.

"You"re here to study," Erwin exclaims calmly. "You"re not with your mother, Samuel. You"re here with me. And you know what that means, right? It"s to study!"

"Study," Samuel mumbles.

Erwin"s eyes lit up. This is the only time Samuel responded to him in their "study session,"

"Yes, Sam. You"re going to study." Erwin exclaims. "It"s genetic engineering. Since you know how to write your name, and know the ABCs, it would be easier for you to study genetic engineering. You memorized the dictionary, right?"

Samuel didn"t respond.

"Samuel, don"t make this difficult," Erwin says. "We always studied together and we only study every night. You can still play, right? This is for your own good,"

"Study." Samuel mumbles. "Genetic engineering."

Erwin nodded. "That"s right!"

"I hate it." He says. "I want to color."

Erwin fumed up, and then before he knew it, his hand landed towards Samuel.

The next thing that occurred was a loud slap, accompanied by Samuel"s cheeks turning red.

And his baby tooth coming out as blood poured out from the child"s mouth.