All Chapters of A Bright Road Ahead: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

For as long as I could remember, whenever danger struck, my parents' first instinct was always to shield my brother, Cyrus Lockwood.Maya was always the first to calm him down, too. Meanwhile, I was the "adult" who was simply expected to look after him.They always said the same thing: I was the older brother, so I had to give in to him.But this time, I didn't want to give in anymore. I clenched my fist and put down Noveria Engineering University, the school I had always dreamed of attending.The day after I turned in my college applications, my mother hired a car to take us to a church on the edge of the city to pray for blessings.To make sure Cyrus could breathe easily, she had specifically chosen the roomiest seven-seat van available.Cyrus had his own captain's chair in the middle row, with Maya beside him. Every so often, she checked his heart rate with a small device she always carried.They put me in the very back row, with candles, fruits, and bottles of water piled ar

In mid-August, my family held a banquet at the biggest restaurant in town to thank Cyrus' teachers.Officially, it was meant to honor his high school homeroom teacher and school counselor. In reality, the banquet was a chance to show off to all our relatives.Cyrus had earned a solid SAT score, enough to get him into a decent four-year college. For a kid with a serious psychological condition, everyone considered it a miracle.And naturally, I became the waiter for the evening.Two tables filled the private room. I wore an old shirt that did not quite fit and moved back and forth between them, pouring drinks, handing out towels, and keeping a smile plastered on my face.My uncle raised his glass and heaped praise on my father. "Old John, Cyrus really had it rough. That kid's got good fortune, though. He's staying local, so you two can keep an eye on him every day."My father's face flushed with pleasure. He downed his liquor in one gulp and waved his hand repeatedly. "It's all th

I walked down the empty street with my slightly worn canvas backpack slung over my shoulders.The streetlights cast my shadow long across the pavement, and the summer night breeze carried a faint chill against my skin.I reached into my pocket and touched the train ticket I had bought a few days earlier. My destination was Noveria.The train station's waiting hall was packed with people. I found a corner, sat down, and quietly waited for boarding.My phone remained silent the entire time. My family was used to me disappearing without notice. At this hour, no one would have realized I was already gone.At 5:30 a.m., the boarding announcement came over the speakers.I got up and joined the crowd filing onto the platform.Inside the train car, the smell of food and sweat hung thick in the air.I found my window seat and sat down.With one long blast of its horn, the train slowly pulled out of the station.The buildings outside began to slide past, and I watched the city that h

By the time the first heavy snow fell on Noveria, I had fully adjusted to the climate. The temperature had plunged to -4°F, and the packed snow crunched beneath my feet with every step.That afternoon, I had just finished a round of data testing in the lab and was heading back to my dorm to grab my books for the evening study session.I wore a black down jacket with my face buried in my scarf as I walked briskly along the campus path.When I reached my dorm building, I stopped in my tracks. Three people I knew all too well, and had absolutely no desire to see, stood in the snow outside the entrance.My parents and Maya wore winter clothes that looked far too thin for the bitter cold, and they shivered in the icy wind.My father's face was dark with anger. My mother's eyes were red and swollen. Maya looked utterly exhausted and worn down.They had clearly gone to considerable trouble asking around before they finally tracked down where I lived.The moment my mother saw me appro

Winter passed, and spring arrived. The ice and snow across Noveria slowly began to melt. Forsythias bloomed across campus in bright bursts of yellow, full of life.Throughout those long months, I had not received a single piece of news from home.I had changed my phone number and set all my social media accounts to reject friend requests.I had disappeared from their world completely.…In the spring of my freshman year, I represented the university at the National Undergraduate Engineering Skills Competition.To prepare, my teammates and I pulled countless all-nighters in the lab. We revised our design drawings again and again and continually refined the model parameters.Through it all, I felt a sense of accomplishment I had never known before.Every idea I proposed was taken seriously and put to the test. Every bit of effort I invested produced tangible results.The finals were held in Baronton. During our defense, I stood at the podium and looked out at the industry expe