"I need to tell you something," I said, both my hands fisted so tight that my knuckles were turning a shade of white. My face was pale and cold, and I could feel the chill iciness of fear flow through each and every extremity of mine. How would I start? How could I explain this? Something like this is the type of thing you read in a book or watch in a movie, it doesn't and shouldn't happen in everyday life. "Uhm..."
Before I could start, I heard Kori scribbling on the same sheet of paper. When I looked over, a sense of calm started to ease me. He could probably tell just how scared and anxious I was, and he was always a kind and caring soul. He never opposed me.
"Hey, you can tell me anything. I'm here for you. Always will be :)"
He gazed at me with a charming smile. A comforting one. Out of all people, I could tell him, right? Surely. "So... I don't know if you're gonna believe this... You probably wont. But- yesterday-... er-... Today?" How was I supposed to explain something that never even historically happened? I took a deep sigh and readjusted my seat on the bed, trying to restart. "Yesterday was Tuesday for me. Like- It was today. The same things happened today as it did yesterday. Every event, every word. Even you wrote me the same exact note that you did earlier in class." To this, I got no response. Obviously I wasn't expecting words, but Kori didn't even look at his notebook. He just... Stared at me with a frustratingly confused look. I knew that it would be extremely hard to believe, but it was frustrating nonetheless. "Like- I'm having Deja Vu but its not even just a mental thing. Everything was exactly the same. Same date, same time, everything."
Kori blinked a few times, seemingly trying to form a response. I knew he doubted me and my sanity in that moment, I just knew it. But soon he wrote down "Maybe it was just a dream? Some people have prophecy dreams and they can be super realistic." At least he was taking me half seriously. "No, it wasn't a dream. It was real. It actually happened, I swear. I've had realistic dreams before, but this wasn't anything like that, Kor. It ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I was THERE." He then gave me a long sigh in return. He definitely didn't believe it. I knew it... Nobody would. I probably sounded like a lunatic. I probably was a lunatic at this point.
"Okay, fine. Suppose you did happen to relive the same day twice. What happened 'yesterday'?"
He was doubting me, but at least he was trying to listen. No one else ever would. If I started spewing this nonsense to my mother or my teachers they'd just call me crazy. "I woke up at the exact same time, my mother said the exact same thing and so did Mr. Hart*. You wrote the exact same note to me when I walked into class, too. And... also..." My eyes couldn't look into his anymore. I hadn't physically said anything about that accident until now... it felt almost insouciant, but I also had this weird tug of dread in my chest that spread throughout my limbs.
"I saw... something."
"What did you see?"
"I saw.... Someone get murdered."
Kori's behavior instantly shifted. It was stricken with shock, and his lip quivered ever so slightly. I could tell that fear had just tied a knot in his throat, and that the weight of the situation kicked in for him, too. He took a minute... Maybe more, I wasn't really counting. We just stared at each other for a while before he was able to write again.
"What do you mean you saw someone get murdered."
"I mean I watched someone murder a girl, man! I was walking to school and she ran out into the road and this dude ran her over!! And it wasn't an accident because he didn't even stop! It's like he wanted to!!" Kori then put his hand on mine, and with the other he brought a finger to his lips. I didn't know that I was basically yelling until I stopped talking, and there were tears building up in my eyes.
"Does my dad need to call the police?"
I wished he could... But- I knew that that wasn't really possible. "I... He cant. It's like everything vanished without a trace. It happened at that crosswalk that leads into our neighborhood. You saw it, it's completely normal. It's almost as if the guy came back and-" Kori heaved a disbelieving sigh that made my heart drop instantly. Almost as if I had been betrayed. He ran his fingers through his auburn hair and shook his head. "Kor, I swear I'm telling you the god-honest truth. Please, you have to believe me. I saw that same girl die twice. It fucking happened man, I'm telling you, you've gotta believe me." Little did I know that tears were now streaming down my face. I felt numb. Like-... Like I was alone. The only one in the world. He didn't believe me, not one bit. Kori wrote once again when he saw just how desperate I was. He still pitied me even though I could see the doubt behind his eyes.
"Listen man, tomorrow after school, lets go check out the crosswalk and see if there's anything we can find. If not, we can just go to the police station and see if the girl is missing or not, okay? I'm really worried about you, Rae. I'm willing to go with you if it's scaring you this much, but I think you just had a really weird dream or nightmare and it's messing with your head."
All I could do was read it and nod... I had nothing left to say. There was nothing I could do to convince him of the shit I was experiencing. So-.. Maybe he was right.
"Rae! Kori! Dinner's done! Come eat!"
Kori's dad yelled out down the hall, and it kind of snapped my senses back into reality. I could see the pity and worry in my friend's eyes, but as much as he didn't mean to hurt me, it was painful. He was the only person I could ever tell, and obviously he wasn't going to believe me. So- I just... surrendered. We both stood and walked down the hall to eat. It was a silent dinner. Neither of us spoke, and Kori's dad felt the awkward tension and therefore he didn't talk either. It was uncomfortable, but preferable than if he were to ask me any questions.
Evening turned to night quickly, and I said goodbye to the Solomons*, making my way to my own house. There was a nocturnal buzz that was haunting me the entire way back, crawling through my ears. All I could hear was silence, and it was unbearably loud. I was scared to fall asleep, and scared to stay awake. I hadn't even thought about it, but what if tomorrow never came?
When I returned home, the house was dark and eerie. Mother was probably sleeping on the couch, so I made sure to step very quietly to my bedroom. I set my things down, got changed and got in bed. I had no motivation or care to shower or brush my teeth, I was just scared. I felt like I was living a nightmare. Maybe... it was just a dream. Eventually after staring at my ceiling for an hour curled up in a ball of uselessness, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
^That next morning^
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I squinted my groggy eyes open to the acute ringing of the alarm. But I didn't even have time to sit up before my door creaked open to reveal my mother with an angered face, and hands planted on her hips. My confusion turned to utter horror in seconds.
"Rae Haskins! Wake up this instant! You're late for school!"
"What...? Huh..? Huh?!" My face turned numb and my heartbeat pounded loudly throughout my eardrums. I could feel my lungs tighten and beg for air, but all I could do was stare at my mother's fake face covered with plastic makeup and cheap perfume. "It's... This- This cant be happening... You cant be serious.." She snorted in retort and turned around. "Oh I'm serious as a heart attack. I'm gone for one day and you think it's okay to sleep in as long as you want? Ha! Get your scrawny ass out of bed right now, and get ready for school. It's Tuesday so I have a business meeting and your damn alarm isn't even doing the job so I have to wake you up myself!! Talk about useless!!"
She soon left and started the car, driving away soon after. I couldn't feel myself breathe, or think, or feel. All I could hear was my heartbeat palpitating faster and faster and faster. I quickly pulled my phone from underneath my pillow and....
Tuesday, May 25th
It was happening. Again. It was fucking happening all over again!! It wasn't just a nightmare or Deja Vu, I was literally reliving the same day!!
"What the fuck what the fuck WHAT THE FUCKKK!?" I couldn't think of anything else to say. Did Kori even remember a single thing I told him?! More importantly, was Mary going to....
I rushed out of my room having not even packed my bag or brushed my hair. I just threw on some clothes and ran outside, knowing that I had to get to that crosswalk. I couldn't just witness this again like it was nothing. I just couldn't. The humid thick air felt burdening, but the breeze felt like someone was breathing down my back.
When I got there, my legs locked up and my teeth grinded together. I could hear a muffler in the distance. I flicked my glance to my surroundings, looking for Mary and the boy who chased her. Soon enough, that beautiful girl ran around the corner of a house with a golden smile on her face. Her features were undeniably beautiful, like that of an angel. I had never gotten a good look at her until then. Finally, my mouth gaped open and I mumbled, "H-Hey... Wait-" but at first she didn't hear me. She just giggled with that familiar voice once again. "H...Hey!!" When I said it louder, she looked and me and slowed to a stop. Her deep blue eyes looked into mine, and she lightly moved her hair out of her face.
"Yeah..?"
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I MISSED WRITING SO MUCH. I'm actually so happy to write again it's been years. And thank you friends for reading this and supporting it. It genuinely makes me so glad that you like my story, and you're eager to read more!! (Special thanks to Dei again for supporting it even more than me)
Also! * asterisks are here to symbolize information that I just- slid in there. They'll be like footnotes in a book almost :)
* 'Mr. Hart' is the teacher that confronts Rae about being late.
* 'Solomon' is Kori and his father's surname.
