As an ordinary genius

The day started like any other. Ethan came home from work, ate a quick dinner, and headed straight to his garage. His latest project—a portable, self-sustaining power source—was spread out across his workbench.

"Tonight's the night," he muttered, tightening a screw on one of the components. "This is going to work."

The hum of the tools, the faint scent of solder, and the soft overhead light created the perfect environment for tinkering. He had no idea that his life was about to take a dramatic turn.

Outside, the wind picked up, rattling the windows. The sky turned an ominous shade of gray, and distant thunder rumbled.

Ethan didn't pay much attention. His focus was entirely on the device in front of him.

"Just a few more adjustments…" he said, leaning in closer.

As he worked, the storm intensified. Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.

Ethan didn't notice the faint hum of static electricity building in the air. Suddenly, a brilliant bolt of lightning struck a nearby power line, sending a surge straight through the grid and into Ethan's garage.

The lights flickered, and before he could react, the surge hit his project. The device sparked wildly, then exploded in a shower of light and energy, throwing Ethan backward.

The force of the blast knocked him to the ground, and everything went black.

In the house next door, Mrs. Patel was watching TV when the power flickered and went out.

"Not again," she muttered, grabbing a flashlight.

She stepped outside, where a few other neighbors had gathered, grumbling about the latest power cut.

"Do you think it's Ethan?" someone asked.

"Probably," Mrs. Patel replied. "Let's check on him."

They approached Ethan's house, where the garage door was slightly ajar. The faint smell of smoke and burnt metal filled the air.

"Ethan?" Mrs. Patel called out, pushing the door open.

What they saw made them freeze. Ethan lay unconscious on the garage floor, surrounded by the remains of his project. Sparks still flickered from the broken device.

"Call an ambulance!" Mrs. Patel shouted, rushing to his side.

The neighbors worked quickly, calling for help and doing what they could to stabilize Ethan until the paramedics arrived.

At the hospital, doctors and nurses sprang into action, running tests and treating Ethan's injuries.

"What happened to him?" one of the nurses asked.

"Some kind of accident," the paramedic replied. "It looked like a small explosion in his garage."

As Ethan lay unconscious in the hospital bed, his neighbors waited anxiously in the lobby.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" someone asked.

Mrs. Patel sighed. "I hope so. He's a good kid, even if his experiments are a bit... chaotic."

Little did anyone know, the events of that night were far more significant than a simple accident. Ethan's life—and perhaps the lives of many others—was about to change forever.