It Will Come Back

Acorn

The room is dimly lit, heavy with the scent of damp wood and faint cologne. I blink, disoriented, realizing I’m in a boy’s bedroom. The walls are adorned with posters, their edges curling, and a collection of books is scattered haphazardly on the desk. My chest tightens as I hear faint sobs.

“Jake…” I whisper, the name slipping out as if carried by instinct, echoing from the voice I heard moments before.

My gaze shifts to the bed, where a boy—Jake—is hunched over, his face buried in his hands. His shoulders shake with raw, gut-wrenching sobs. A woman stands over him, her posture rigid, her hand trembling as she aims a gun directly at his chest. My breath catches in my throat.

“Mum! Don’t do this, please!” Jake’s voice cracks with desperation. “Mum, stop!”

Time slows as the trigger clicks. The gunshot rings out, shattering the stillness.

“Lux, Lux! Are you okay?” Levi’s voice jolts me back. My eyes fly open, and I’m no longer in the boy’s room. I’m back in the shed, the cold air biting my skin. Levi is crouched beside me, his hands gripping my arms.

“Get off me!” I snap, shoving him away. My voice trembles, and I push myself upright, the vision still vivid in my mind.

“What did you see?” Levi demands, his tone sharp and searching. “Where did you go?”

“Nowhere. I just felt a little faint, that’s all.” I lie, crossing my arms and glaring at him, hoping to deflect his suspicion.

“You’re lying,” he accuses, narrowing his eyes. “I felt it too—someone got shot. It’s like a burning in my chest.”

“How is that even possible?” I ask, the words spilling out before I can stop them. I meet his gaze, searching for answers in his expression. “How do you feel it?”

“How is any of this possible?” Levi shoots back, exasperated. “All I know is that if we don’t figure this out soon, my brother is going to prison. There’s a murderer out there.”

I clench my fists, resisting the urge to lash out. Deep down, I still suspect Levi. But I can’t afford to push him away—not yet. Keep your enemies close, they always say.

“Fine,” I mutter. “But I don’t even know where Jake lives.”

Levi smirks, his arrogance infuriating. “Then we wait. It’ll be on the news.”

“No!” I snap. “We could still save him! We’re wasting time.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Levi says, his voice rising. “You only feel these things when someone is about to die. We’re already too late.”

The heat in my chest flares again, sharp and unbearable. I grimace, clutching my side.

“I don’t care how I feel these things!” I yell, my voice breaking. “I’m going to save him!”

“79 Acorn,” a voice whispers faintly in my ear. My head snaps up.

“79 Acorn Street,” Levi says at the same time, his voice low, as if he’s repeating what he just heard.

I stare at him. “You… heard it too?”

He nods, his expression unreadable.

“I’m not the only one?” I whisper, trying to piece everything together.

“We don’t have time for this,” Levi says, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the door. “You want to save him? Let’s go.”

“Ravi took the car. How are we supposed to get there?” I ask, following him out of the shed.

Levi points to a sleek black motorcycle parked near the edge of the lot.

“That’s yours?” I ask incredulously.

He nods, a smug smile tugging at his lips.

“Of course it is,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Figures.”

“Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there complaining?” Levi snaps, mounting the bike.

“Fine,” I grumble, climbing onto the back. I lose my footing and nearly topple off, catching myself at the last second.

“Don’t laugh,” I warn, hearing Levi chuckle under his breath.

As the engine roars to life, pain tears through my chest, so sharp and sudden that I cry out.

“Lux?” Levi turns to me, concern flickering in his eyes.

“I can’t… it hurts. Make it stop!” I gasp, clutching my chest.

“Unzip your jacket,” Levi orders, his tone urgent.

“What? Are you insane?” I glare at him. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, perv?”

“Just do it!” He grabs the zipper and pulls it down before I can protest, placing his hand over my chest.

The contact burns. “It feels like you’re holding a match to my heart! Stop it!” I hiss, swatting his hand away.

Levi sighs, exasperated. “I was checking your pulse. You could be a little more grateful!”

Asshole.

“I’m fine. Let’s just go,” I snap, climbing back onto the bike.

“There’s no reason to be rude,” Levi mutters, revving the engine. “Remember, I’m helping you.”

“And slowing us down!” I shoot back. “A life is in danger, and your ego is making it worse!”

Before Levi can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the night.

“Stop it! Someone is dying, Lux!”

I turn to see Ravi standing behind us, his face pale, his eyes dark as coal. I flinch at the sight.

“Ravi…?” I stammer.

“Go. Now!” he growls, his voice guttural and alien. My breath catches as his eyes seem to shift, shadows pooling in their depths.

I don’t wait for an explanation. Levi takes off, the motorcycle speeding down the road. I hold on tight, my arms wrapped around his waist as we race toward 79 Acorn Street.

As we approach, a chilling sense of dread washes over me. “It’s too late,” I murmur, the vision flashing through my mind again—Jake’s lifeless body, his mother standing over him.

“Don’t say that!” Levi barks, gripping the handlebars tightly.

“Levi, I can see it. He’s gone.” Tears sting my eyes as I choke on the words. “He’s already gone.”

The bike skids to a stop in front of the house. The lights are out, the silence oppressive. I can’t move, frozen by the weight of knowing I was too late.

“It’s too late,” I whisper again, the pain in my chest fading to a hollow ache. Tears spill down my cheeks as the image of Jake’s body replays in my mind.

Some battles are lost before they even begin.