The world swam back into focus, a blurry, distorted mess of shapes and colors. Leo blinked, his head throbbing like a bass drum after a particularly heavy metal concert. He was sprawled on the cold, dusty floor of the abandoned lab, the acrid smell of ozone still stinging his nostrils.

He pushed himself up, groaning. Every muscle in his body ached, protesting the electrical jolt that had coursed through him just moments before. He remembered the blinding flash, the crackling energy, the feeling of his very bones vibrating. Then, nothing.

"Right," he muttered, brushing dust from his ripped jeans. "That was…unpleasant."

He looked around the lab, expecting to see something drastically different. Maybe the walls would be glowing, or the equipment would be humming with residual energy. But everything seemed…normal. Disappointingly so. He’d risked a hefty fine and a stern talking-to from his mum for this?

He glanced at Mark, his friend, still cowering near the doorway, pale as a ghost. "You alright, mate?"

Mark just nodded, speechless, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. Clearly, he hadn't fared any better.

"Come on," Leo said, nudging him. "Let's get out of here before someone actually notices we were here."

They stumbled out of the lab, the evening air a welcome balm against their frazzled nerves. As they walked, Leo felt a strange buzzing sensation behind his eyes, a subtle pressure he couldn't quite place. He dismissed it as lingering effects of the shock.

The next morning, the headache was gone, replaced by a restless energy he couldn't shake. He couldn't focus on his history textbook, the Battle of Stirling Bridge feeling utterly insignificant compared to the electric storm he’d experienced. During lunch, he found himself staring at the brick wall of the school cafeteria, an odd fascination gripping him. He could practically feel the texture of the bricks, the roughness of the mortar.

It wasn't until he was back in his room, procrastinating on homework as usual, that things took a truly bizarre turn. His eyes landed on an old grandfather clock that had belonged to his great-grandfather, a heavy, ornate piece of furniture that dominated one corner of the room. He’d never paid it much attention, beyond the occasional glance to check the time.

But today, something was different. He stared at the clock, and the world seemed to…shift. The polished wood faded slightly, becoming almost translucent. He could see inside.

He gasped, taking a step back. The pendulum swung back and forth with a slow, deliberate rhythm, the brass gleaming even through the wooden casing. He saw the intricate arrangement of gears, each one turning in perfect synchronicity, driving the clock forward. He saw the delicate weights, hanging suspended by thin chains, patiently pulling the mechanism.

It was a symphony of engineering, a hidden world operating just behind the facade of the clock face. And he was seeing it.

He blinked rapidly, convinced he was hallucinating. Maybe the electricity had fried something in his brain. He closed his eyes tight, then opened them again. The clock remained transparent.

He walked closer, his heart pounding in his chest. He reached out a trembling hand and touched the smooth surface of the clock. The wood felt solid, real. But his eyes… his eyes were seeing something else entirely.

He took a deep breath, trying to rationalise what was happening. Maybe it was a trick of the light? A reflection? But no, that couldn’t be it. He was seeing the inner workings, the parts that were completely hidden from view.

He spent the next hour in a state of bewildered fascination, staring at the clock, marveling at the invisible world it contained. He cautiously extended his vision, trying to see through other objects in his room. He saw the wiring inside his bedside lamp, the pipes running behind his bedroom wall, even the intricate network of blood vessels in his own hand.

It was terrifying, exhilarating, and utterly unbelievable.

The realization dawned slowly, creeping into his consciousness like a sunrise. He hadn't just experienced a freak accident. He'd gained something. Something extraordinary.

He had x-ray vision.

The initial shock gave way to a frantic curiosity. He began to experiment, pushing the boundaries of his newfound ability. He focused on the wall, trying to see through to the neighbour's flat. At first, he saw only a blurred mess of plaster and wiring. But then, with a conscious effort, he concentrated, focusing his mind like a magnifying glass focusing sunlight.

The wall seemed to thin, to dissolve, and suddenly he could see into Mrs. Henderson's living room. She was sitting in her armchair, knitting, her cat curled up on her lap. He could see the skeletal structure of the armchair, the metal springs supporting the cushions. He even saw the fillings in her teeth when she yawned.

He recoiled, feeling a surge of guilt and a touch of nausea. It felt…wrong. Intrusive. He was invading someone's privacy, seeing things he wasn't meant to see.

But the thrill was undeniable.

He experimented further, discovering that he could control the intensity of his vision. He could make objects appear almost completely transparent, or he could focus on specific details, magnifying them to an incredible degree. He could also control the range. He could see through a few inches of solid material, or he could see through several feet.

The possibilities were endless.

He spent the rest of the day locked in his room, lost in this strange, new reality. He saw the world in a completely different way, stripped bare of its superficial coverings. He saw the hidden structures, the intricate mechanisms, the secrets that lay just beneath the surface.

He knew, instinctively, that this power could change his life. He could use it to cheat on exams, to win at cards, to find lost objects. He could use it to get rich, to become powerful.

But there was also a darker side to this ability. He could use it to spy on people, to blackmail them, to manipulate them. He could use it to exploit their weaknesses, to uncover their deepest secrets.

The temptation was almost overwhelming.

As the evening wore on, a new thought crept into his mind. He remembered the rumours he’d heard at school about Mr. Abernathy, the headmaster. Whispers of a secret gambling debt, a clandestine affair. What if he could see? What if he could find proof? The power to see through walls, to see the unseen... it was a loaded weapon, and he was just beginning to learn how to wield it.

He looked out the window at the city of Edinburgh, spread out before him like a glittering tapestry. He saw the ancient castles, the winding streets, the hidden courtyards. He saw the lives of thousands of people, each one with their own secrets, their own hopes, and their own fears.

And he knew, with a chilling certainty, that his life would never be the same again. He was no longer just Leo Maxwell, a mediocre student with a penchant for getting into trouble. He was something more. Something different. Something… dangerous.

He was the one who could see through everything.

He closed his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face. The world had just become a whole lot more interesting.