Broken

The vision comes true

We didn’t stop running until Kade pulled me into a back alley behind a closed shop.

He pressed a hand to the brick wall. Gold light flickered, and a door that wasn’t there before slid open.

“Inside. Fast.”

I followed. The door shut behind us and the world went quiet.

It was small. One bed, one table, wards carved into the walls glowing faintly.

Kade turned to me. Chest still rising and falling.

“Give me the book.”

“No.” I hugged it tighter. “Not until you tell me what that thing was.”

He dragged a hand through his hair, frustrated. “A Reaper. They hunt people with the book. People like you.”

“People like me?”

“People who can see how others die.” His gold eyes flicked to the book. “And then make it happen.”

My blood went cold.

“That’s not true. I didn’t—”

The book pulsed. Hot.

White light cracked across the cover and flooded the room.

Not again.

I tried to drop it. Couldn’t. My fingers were locked.

*THE VISION:*

Tayo. On his bike. Black hoodie. Earphones in.

Same street from before.

A black SUV. No plates.

Tires screeching.

Impact.

And over it all, a timestamp burning in the air: *3:17 AM*

Current time on my phone: *3:14 AM*

“Move,” I choked out. I shoved past Kade.

“Where are you going?!”

“To save him!”

Kade cursed and grabbed my wrist. “You can’t change it. If you interfere—”

“Then I’ll die trying!” I yanked free.

He stared at me for half a second. Then his jaw ticked.

“Fine. But we go together. And you listen to me.”

We tore out of the safehouse and onto his bike.

He threw me a helmet. “Hold on.”

The city blurred. 3:15... 3:16...

My heart was in my throat. The book was burning my hands.

We skidded to a stop at the intersection two blocks from Tayo’s hostel.

And there he was.

Tayo. My baby brother. Headphones in, laughing at something on his phone, about to cross.

The black SUV came out of nowhere. No headlights.

“*TAYO!*” I screamed.

He looked up. Too late.

Kade moved.

He launched off the bike, gold light exploding from him, and slammed into Tayo a second before the SUV hit.

Metal crunched. Glass shattered.

The SUV swerved and vanished down the road.

Silence.

Then sirens in the distance.

I ran. “TAYO! Kade!”

Tayo was on the ground, dazed but breathing. Kade was under him, shielding him. Blood on Kade’s temple. His eyes were dim.

Kade coughed, looked up at me and managed a crooked grin.

“Told you... to listen to me.”

Tayo blinked at both of us. “Ada? Who is—”

The book in my hands pulsed one last time.

And in the puddle of broken glass, I saw another shadow.

Watching. Waiting.

It had seen us save him.

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