Through the Ashes

Mr. Dolivo?

      The walk to school was colder than I had expected. Lucky my brain knows where I’m going when I’m on autopilot. I can’t focus. I spent the better part of the walk shivering and contemplating why that woman stopped to check on me. I’ve had visions in public before, a few that brought me to my knees even, but no one has ever seemed to care. I didn’t recognize her, but she felt so familiar somehow. I hadn’t realized it in the aftermath of the vision, I just wanted to get out of there quickly, but she seemed almost comforting despite my agitation.

           By the time I pulled myself away from my thoughts, I was walking up the large courtyard in front of the school. I jogged up the steps in front of the three-story building and kept my head down as I entered, and made my way to my locker. Swiping on my wrist band to find the app for school, I tap my wrist onto the lock pad and my locker opens. I go to toss my backpack in and grab my supplies for the first half of the day when the first bell rings loudly through the halls. Crap. Of course, I’m gonna be late for homeroom. I shut my locker and make my way to the stairs. No point in rushing now, I’m already late.

“Ah, Mr. Dolivo. How kind of you to join us”, Mr. Parks says as I enter the classroom.

I quickly rush past him and take my seat.

“Anyways, as I was saying. The school has asked us to…”

Mr. Parks voice trails on as he continues to give us the morning updates, but I can’t manage to pay attention. I’m too enveloped in my thoughts surrounding the visions. I know it’s a lot, but I have to figure out how to stop these visions from happening in the future. For weeks now it’s been the same vision. Smoke, ash, fire. The flames engulf everything, everyone. Magma flows through the streets as if the Earth's core ruptured, and began to consume the world. There are no people in my vision, no signs I’ve been able to focus on, but I know I have to try. I close my eyes and push myself to recall every detail I can, there has to be an answer somewhere. The darkness behind my eyes begins to illuminate, and this time, I am ready to face the impending vision.

Humid. It’s hot and thick in the air. I open my eyes and see the flames once more, this time consuming the desks in my homeroom class. No one is here. I look around, trying to find anything that might help me make sense of this. June 6, 2050. Why is that on the board, it’s February? What is happening? I get up and walk over to the teachers’ desk to look for any papers, books, anything that can help me figure this out. June 6th is my birthday. Nothing. There’s nothing here. I start for the hallways when I notice the shadow of a person passing the doorway.

“Wait, STOP!”

I shout as I run across the room to find the source of the shadow.

“Mr. Dolivo?”

Crap, it’s Mr. Parks. The light begins to grow brighter around me. Please, not yet, I’m so close. Who was that? HELLO. I try to shout but no sound comes out as I am blinded back into reality.

“Shadeis. Could you please tell us the answer?” Mr. Parks is frustrated, he never calls us by our first names. I looked up at him and shook my head bewildered.

“I’m sorry sir, could you repeat the question?”

“Mr. Dolivo, I would appreciate it if you could arrive to class on time from now on, and stay awake at your desk. Hm?” I nodded my head in response as he continued on.

           I put my head in my hands and try to refocus on my surroundings. When I drop my head to grab my notebook, I realize it’s already on my desk. When did I grab this? What. On the page before me is JUNE 6TH 2050 with flames and weird symbols filling every inch of the paper. When did I do this? Did I do that? Crap. I rip the page from the notebook, fold it carefully, and place it in the zip pocket of my coat. A person. There was a person this time. I will figure this out. I have to.

           The class bell rings and we’re all dismissed for the second hour. The rest of the school day seemed to fly by in a haze. I can’t focus. My brain is still a bit foggy from two visions today. Hopefully, Brandon didn’t take his migraine meds home when he left the shop yesterday. I’m gonna need some relief if I want to do my job today. I thought about the visions a lot, and how most of the time they will totally consume me. They come out of nowhere and almost floor me with their intensity. But sometimes. If I’m focused, and can get myself to relax, they’ll come more gently. When I’m lucky enough for that to happen, I can try to find details, if I’m not interrupted by someone. Mr. Parks doesn’t even know how badly he ruined that for me.

           The final bell rings and I go to the student office to ask if they can refill my bus passes. Anna, the office assistant, does some clicking and swiping on her computer before asking me to present my wristband. I hold up my arm and she scans the small device on my wrist that holds my watch, alarm clock, key codes, and basically all of my information.

“You’re all set Shadeis, make sure you take the bus today. The weather’s been horrible.”

“Thanks Anna, I will.”

           I head out of school and down to the bus stop at the corner. The bus stop has an enclosed room that is heated in the winter, with benches for waiting. I lift the access pad just inside the door and swipe my wristband across the pad. Ping’s Tech flashes on the screen and I select it as my destination. The bus had better get me there on time again. Ping is gonna be mad if I can’t finish those repairs today.

*Ting* *Ting Ting* *Ting*

No time to sit and rest, the bus is here in record time. I swipe away the alert and walk towards the road. The bus pulls up moments later and I take a seat in the very back.