THE CITY THAT REMEMBERED TOMORROW

At exactly 3:17 a.m., Kelechi Nwosu woke up screaming. He sat upright in bed, his heart pounding. For a few seconds, he couldn't remember where he was. Then he heard the rain. It drummed against the roof of his family's house, filling the darkness with a steady rhythm. Kelechi slowly wiped his forehead. He had been dreaming. At least, he thought he had been dreaming. But something about the dream felt different. It hadn't felt like a dream. It had felt like a memory. He looked around his bedroom. His school uniform hung from a nail beside the window. His mathematics textbook was open on the floor. His phone was charging beside his bed. Everything was exactly where he had left it. Then Kelechi noticed the smell. Smoke. He stood up. There was no smoke in his room, but he could smell something burning. He walked toward the window. Outside, the rain had stopped. Aruwa was unusually quiet. The streetlights illuminated the empty road, while the enormous clock tower at Freedom Square stood in the distance. Kelechi stared at the tower. And suddenly— He remembered tomorrow. The clock tower was burning. People were running through Freedom Square. Cars were abandoned in the streets. The sky was glowing red. Someone was screaming his name. Kelechi looked down. His hands were covered in blood. Then the vision disappeared. He stumbled backward. "What was that?" His phone vibrated. Kelechi looked at the screen. UNKNOWN NUMBER A message appeared. You saw it, didn't you? Kelechi stared at the words. Another message arrived. Don't tell your mother. Then another. Don't trust the clock. Kelechi's heart began beating faster. Someone knocked on his bedroom door. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. "Kelechi?" His mother's voice. He swallowed. "Yes, Mama?" "Are you awake?" Kelechi looked at his phone. The unknown number was typing again. Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again. Finally, another message arrived. Whatever happens, DO NOT open the door. Kelechi stared at the message. His mother knocked again. "Kelechi?" He slowly backed away from the door. Something about her voice felt strange. Then— The lights went out. The entire house fell silent. Kelechi heard something in the distance. A deep metallic sound. DONG. The clock tower had begun ringing. Kelechi counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Then— DONG. Seven. Silence. Kelechi stared at his bedroom door. The handle began turning. Slowly. The door opened. A girl stood in the doorway. She was completely soaked, even though the rain outside had stopped. Water dripped from her clothes onto the floor. Her dark hair covered part of her face. Around her neck hung a strange silver key. She looked directly at Kelechi. "You're late." Kelechi couldn't speak. Finally, he managed: "Who are you?" The girl looked at him sadly. "My name is Amara." "How did you get into my house?" She ignored the question. Instead, she stepped closer. "I've been looking for you for seventeen years." Kelechi stared at her. "I'm seventeen." "I know." "Then how have you been looking for me since I was born?" Amara's eyes filled with sadness. "Because I've been waiting for you to remember." "Remember what?" She looked toward the clock tower. Then back at Kelechi. "The future." Kelechi fe lt a chill run through him. Amara whispered: "And tomorrow..." She paused. "...you're going to die."