The car ride back home from the villa was filled with a mix of exhaustion and nostalgia. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the countryside as Henry stared out the window, watching the familiar sights of their journey pass by. His siblings were mostly quiet, either dozing off or lost in their own thoughts, the excitement of the vacation now giving way to the realization that normal life was about to resume.
As they pulled into the driveway of their home, Henry felt a strange sense of unease. The house, which had always been a place of comfort and security, now seemed like the starting line of a daunting race. He knew that as soon as he stepped inside, he would be drawn back into the world of his research on the mysterious 3.15% in his mind.
Over the next few days, Henry settled back into his routine at school. In the classroom, he found himself struggling to focus on the mundane lessons. While his classmates were diligently taking notes on grammar rules or historical dates, his mind kept wandering back to his theories about his brain's potential. During a math test, as he effortlessly solved complex equations in a fraction of the time it took his peers, he couldn't help but wonder if this was a sign of the 3.15% at work or if it was just his normal intelligence enhanced by his new - found confidence.
After school, instead of heading straight home, Henry decided to visit the local library. The familiar smell of old books and the soft murmur of other patrons provided a comforting backdrop as he made his way to the science section. He pulled out stacks of books on neuroscience, psychology, and even quantum physics, hoping to find any information that could help him understand the nature of the percentage in his mind.
As he pored over the pages, he came across a study on brainwave patterns. It mentioned that certain frequencies were associated with enhanced cognitive functions. Henry's heart skipped a beat. Could there be a connection between these brainwaves and the 3.15%? He immediately borrowed the book and rushed home to do further research.
At home, Henry set up a makeshift laboratory in his room. He dug out an old EEG machine that his father had bought years ago for a science fair project and, with a mix of excitement and trepidation, began to experiment on himself. He attached the electrodes to his scalp, carefully following the instructions in the manual. As he sat in front of his computer, waiting for the data to be collected, he felt a sense of anticipation.
The first reading showed his normal brainwave patterns. Henry then decided to try and activate the 3.15% by focusing on a complex problem. He closed his eyes and imagined a difficult math equation. Slowly, he felt a familiar tingling sensation in his mind, similar to what he had experienced during the arcade games. When he opened his eyes and looked at the EEG results, he noticed a slight shift in the wave frequencies. His hands trembled with excitement as he realized that there might indeed be a connection.
However, his excitement was short - lived. Just as he was about to start another experiment, his mother knocked on the door. "Henry, it's time for dinner," she called. Reluctantly, Henry removed the electrodes and quickly tidied up his equipment. He knew that if his parents found out about his experiments, they would be worried, and he didn't want to cause them any stress.
During dinner, Henry's mind was still on his research. His father noticed his distraction and asked, "Henry, is everything okay? You seem a bit preoccupied."
Henry forced a smile and replied, "I'm just a bit tired from school, Dad. I'll be fine."
After dinner, Henry couldn't wait to get back to his experiments. But as he sat at his desk, he realized that he needed a more systematic approach. He decided to create a detailed log of his experiments, recording everything from the time of day to his emotional state before and after each attempt to activate the 3.15%.
Over the next few weeks, Henry's life became a cycle of school, research, and more research. He continued to experiment with different methods to increase the percentage, from meditation and visualization techniques to physical exercise. He also reached out to some of his teachers, asking them for advice on advanced topics related to neuroscience, all while being careful not to reveal the true nature of his curiosity.
One day, as he was running in the park, he had an epiphany. He realized that his emotions played a crucial role in activating the 3.15%. Whenever he was in a state of intense focus or excitement, like during the arcade games or when he was deeply engaged in a challenging problem, the percentage seemed to have a more pronounced effect. He immediately stopped running and jotted down his thoughts in a small notebook he carried with him.
As Henry delved deeper into his research, he also started to notice some subtle changes in his daily life. He found that he was more intuitive, often able to anticipate what people were going to say or do. He also had a better memory for faces and names, which made it easier for him to make friends at school.
But along with these positive changes, there were also some concerns. He started to experience mild headaches again, especially after long hours of intense concentration. And sometimes, when he was too focused on activating the 3.15%, he would lose track of time and neglect his other responsibilities.
Despite these challenges, Henry was more determined than ever. He knew that he was on the verge of a major discovery, and he was willing to do whatever it took to unlock the secrets of his extraordinary brain and find out what lay at 100%.
Henry kept plugging away at his experiments, but things weren't as smooth as he'd hoped. His headaches were getting worse. One day during math class, the pain came on so strong that he had to put his head down on the desk. The teacher, Mr. Thompson, noticed and asked if he was okay. Henry just said he had a small headache and would be fine, not wanting to raise any red flags.
His experiments at home weren't going great either. Sometimes, no matter how hard he focused, he couldn't get the 3.15% in his mind to do anything different. Other times, when he did manage to make a change, the EEG machine readings didn't show anything clear. It was like trying to catch a slippery fish with his bare hands.
His family started to notice he was acting strange. One evening at dinner, his mom said, "Henry, you've been so quiet lately. And you're always in your room. Is there something going on?" Henry just shrugged and said he was working on a school project. His dad looked at him closely but didn't push for more details.
Emily, though, was a different story. She knew her brother well. One day, she knocked on his door and walked in without waiting for an answer. She saw the EEG machine and all the books about the brain on his desk. "Henry, what's all this?" she asked. Henry froze. He didn't know whether to tell her the truth or make up another lie.
Finally, he decided to come clean. He told Emily about the 3.15% in his mind, the changes he'd noticed since the accident, and all the experiments he'd been doing. Emily's eyes got wide. "That's crazy, Henry! But... are you sure it's safe?" she asked. Henry admitted he wasn't sure, but he said he couldn't stop. He was too curious to know what would happen if he could increase that number.
Emily thought for a moment and then said, "Well, if you're going to keep doing this, you can't do it alone. I'll help you." Henry was shocked and relieved at the same time. Having someone to talk to about his secret made him feel better.
With Emily's help, they started to approach the experiments differently. They made a schedule so Henry wouldn't overdo it and get those bad headaches. Emily also helped him take more detailed notes, writing down things like what he ate before an experiment and how he was feeling.
One day, as they were looking over the notes, they noticed something interesting. Henry seemed to have better results when he was relaxed. So, they decided to try something new. Instead of sitting in his room all tense, trying to force the 3.15% to change, Henry started doing simple things like listening to music or drawing before an experiment.
Slowly but surely, things started to improve. The headaches became less frequent, and Henry started to see more consistent changes in the EEG readings. One afternoon, when he was listening to his favorite song and thinking about a math problem, he felt a little jolt in his mind. When he checked the machine, the readings showed a clear shift in his brainwaves.
Henry and Emily looked at each other, grinning from ear to ear. It wasn't a huge breakthrough, but it was progress. For the first time in a while, Henry felt like he was on the right track. He knew there was still a long way to go before he could even think about reaching 100%, but with Emily by his side, he felt more hopeful than ever.