Chapter Nine: What You Don’t Remember
962 Words
The school felt… normal.
Too normal.
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Students laughed.
Teachers taught.
Voices filled the hallways like nothing had happened.
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But Amara knew better.
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She stood by the window, her arms folded tightly, her mind racing.
The lockers.
The noise.
The fear.
Bisi’s face.
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It had all been real.
So why—
“…why is everyone acting like nothing happened?”
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“Because they don’t remember.”
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Amara turned sharply.
Tunde.
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He stood by the door, calm as ever.
Like this was nothing new.
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“What do you mean… they don’t remember?” she asked, her voice low but tense.
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Tunde stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
“They can’t remember,” he said simply.
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Amara frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense. Everyone was there. They saw everything.”
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Tunde held her gaze.
“I know.”
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A pause.
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“…Then what happened?” she asked.
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Silence.
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Tunde exhaled slowly.
“I made them forget.”
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The words landed heavily.
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Amara blinked.
“You… what?”
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“I erased it,” he said calmly. “Every second of what happened yesterday.”
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Her heart skipped.
“That’s not possible.”
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Tunde didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he stepped closer.
“Do you remember what you did?” he asked.
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Amara hesitated.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
“I… I lost control,” she admitted.
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“You didn’t just lose control,” Tunde said quietly. “You almost exposed everything.”
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Amara’s chest tightened.
“Exposed… what?”
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Tunde’s expression darkened slightly.
“You.”
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Silence.
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Amara shook her head.
“I don’t understand any of this. The voices, the power, what I saw… none of it makes sense.”
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Tunde studied her carefully.
Then—
“Of course it doesn’t,” he said. “You weren’t supposed to remember yet.”
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“…What?” she whispered.
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Tunde looked away briefly, like he was choosing his words carefully.
“People like us…” he began slowly, “…we don’t just exist.”
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Amara’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“People like us?”
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He looked back at her.
“You’re not the only one with abilities.”
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Her breath caught.
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“I’ve had mine since I was a child,” he continued. “Visions. Warnings. I see things before they happen. I feel things others can’t.”
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Amara stared at him.
“…So you knew?”
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“Yes.”
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“About me?”
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Tunde nodded once.
“I didn’t know everything,” he said. “But I knew you were different.”
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Amara took a step back, overwhelmed.
“And yesterday… what I did…”
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“You awakened something,” Tunde said.
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Silence.
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Amara looked down at her hands.
“They were all looking at me like I was a monster…”
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Tunde’s voice softened slightly.
“You’re not a monster.”
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She didn’t look convinced.
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“You’re something they don’t understand,” he added.
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A pause.
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“…And you?” she asked quietly. “Do you understand me?”
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Tunde didn’t answer immediately.
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“Not completely,” he admitted. “But I understand enough to know one thing.”
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Amara looked up.
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“You’re in danger.”
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Her chest tightened.
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“What do you mean?”
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Tunde’s gaze grew serious.
“When power like yours appears, it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
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The room suddenly felt colder.
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“There are things out there,” he continued, “that have been waiting for someone like you.”
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Amara’s mind flashed back—
The shadows.
The voice.
They are coming.
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Her breathing slowed.
“…I saw them,” she whispered.
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Tunde’s eyes sharpened.
“What did you see?”
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“Dark figures… watching me,” she said. “And a voice… it said they’re coming.”
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Silence filled the room.
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Tunde exhaled slowly.
“Then we’re already out of time.”
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Amara’s heart skipped.
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“What does that mean?”
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“It means,” he said, “whatever is connected to your past… has started to wake up.”
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Her fingers moved to her bracelet.
Warm.
Alive.
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“And yesterday?” she asked. “How did you stop it?”
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Tunde hesitated.
Then—
“I didn’t stop it,” he said.
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Amara frowned.
“Then how—?”
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“I redirected it,” he replied. “And then I erased what people saw.”
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She stared at him.
“…How can you even do that?”
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Tunde’s expression remained calm.
“It’s part of what I am.”
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Silence.
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Amara shook her head slightly.
“This is too much…”
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“I know,” he said. “But you don’t have a choice anymore.”
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Her eyes lifted slowly.
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“You have to learn control,” he continued. “Because next time…”
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A pause.
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“I might not be able to cover it up.”
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The weight of his words settled heavily.
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Amara exhaled slowly.
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“…Then teach me.”
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Tunde’s eyes met hers.
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For a brief moment—
Something unspoken passed between them.
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A connection.
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Then he nodded.
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“I will.”
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Outside, the school carried on like nothing had happened.
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But inside that room—
Everything had changed.
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Because now—
Amara wasn’t alone.
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And whatever was coming—
They would face it together.
- Writer
