10:17 AM.
The Biology exam was over.
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Voltase set his pen down slowly. His movements were mechanical, like a robot running out of battery.
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The answer sheet before him was filled with neat handwriting.
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Too neat.
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Every letter was formed with unnatural precision, as if his hand moved independently of his wandering mind.
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Outside the classroom window, the Oxford sky was still gray.
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Thick clouds hung low, holding back rain that refused to fall.
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The faint sound of St. Mary's church bells echoed in the distance.
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Ten times.
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Heavy. Resonant. The sound drifted between the old red-brick buildings that had witnessed hundreds of years of history, yet remained silent to the suffering of individuals like him.
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Voltase let out a long sigh.
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His chest felt tight. Not from pain. More from emptiness.
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Like there was a hollow space inside his ribcage. A space that should have been filled by something feeling, meaning, or simply the will to live like other children his age.
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He glanced at the wall clock.
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Still morning.
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And this morning, like the mornings before, his body and mind were on different paths.
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His body sat on the hard wooden chair, in a classroom smelling of chalk and old paper.
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His mind? His mind was still on the blood-soaked battlefield.
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Still feeling the cold hands strangling his neck.
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Still seeing the face of the pale blond man. a face frozen in surprise as the bullet pierced his skull.
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Why do I keep going back there?
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The question spun in his head like a broken record.
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Repeating. Without an answer.
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He rose from his chair slowly. Almost reluctantly.
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The other children had already scattered out, their cheerful voices flooding the hallway with laughter and chatter that felt foreign to him.
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A boy with fiery red hair ran past him, nearly bumping Voltase's thin shoulder.
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Girls in neat uniforms huddled near the window, discussing concerts and celebrities with names he'd never heard.
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They lived in a different world.
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Voltase reached for his canvas backpack. It was black, worn, with stitching beginning to unravel at the bottom.
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He slung it over his narrow right shoulder, feeling its light weight, only a few books and a pencil case.
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I don't carry much.
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I don't need much.
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Outside the classroom, the hallway stretched long and white.
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Tiled floors reflected the flickering neon light. old lamps long overdue for replacement, but never replaced.
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The walls were adorned with portraits of past headmasters, their black eyes seeming to follow his every step.
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Voltase walked without purpose.
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Or rather, he walked with one vague purpose.
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To find answers.
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He pulled his phone from his pocket.
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The screen lit up with a pale blue glow, displaying a row of app icons he'd never touched. His small fingers.
still retaining their childish roundness, not yet hardened and calloused like the ones in his dreams, began typing into the search bar.
Dreams.
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Recurring.
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Death.
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He pressed search. A list of results appeared. Scientific articles, discussion forums, psychology blogs. all offered different explanations.
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But none felt right.
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"Recurring dreams are often caused by unresolved trauma..."
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"Dreams about death can symbolize major life changes..."
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"Some experts believe dreams are the brain's way of processing information..."
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Voltase frowned.
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His black eyes like two bottomless pits scanned every word with an intensity unusual for a child his age.
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But I don't have trauma.
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I haven't experienced any major changes.
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Then why do I keep dreaming about war?
About dying?
His fingers moved again. This time, he typed.
meaning of dreams about war.
More results appeared. Some spoke of internal conflict. Others about fear of failure. Some linked it to feelings of helplessness.
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He read them all.
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None matched what he was feeling.
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He wasn't in conflict with himself.
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Not afraid of failing exams.
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He didn't feel helpless at least, not in real life.
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All he felt was utter confusion.
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Like a detective finding puzzle pieces that didn't connect. With no idea where to begin.
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He walked through the second hallway, toward the east wing.
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Here, it was quieter.
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Only a few students passed by. A girl with thick glasses sat on a bench near the window, reading a thick book. Two boys stood near the vending machine, arguing about football.
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Voltase kept walking, his eyes fixed on the screen.
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"Recurring dreams about death can be a sign of severe stress..."
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"In Jungian psychology, death dreams often relate to self-transformation..."
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"Some studies suggest highly realistic dreams can be caused by sleep disorders..."
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No. No. No.
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All those explanations felt shallow. None touched the core of what he was experiencing.
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He felt the bullet enter his chest.
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His blood flow out.
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The hands choking his own neck.
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It wasn't just a dream. It was too real.
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Like a memory.
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The thought came suddenly. Voltase stopped walking.
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Like a memory.
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Like something that actually happened to me.
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But when?
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He had no answer.
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Only deepening darkness inside his mind.
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Like a bottomless chasm.
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And then, he collided with something.
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Or rather, someone.
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The impact happened so fast that Voltase had no time to react.
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His light body for a child his age, bounced backward like a rag doll. His backpack flew off his shoulder, sailed through the air, and landed with a thud on the tiled floor.
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Voltase himself fell.
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His butt hit the hard, cold floor first.
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A jolt of pain shot from his tailbone up through his lower back.
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"Ouch..."
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He winced, his hand instinctively reaching for the sore spot.
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For a moment, the world spun. The neon lights on the ceiling seemed to flicker faster. The sounds around him echoed from afar.
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And then, he realized something else.
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His phone.
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It had slipped from his grip when he fell. Now, it lay face down on the floor.
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Voltase reached for it with trembling hands. He turned it over slowly.
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And—
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A crack.
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A thin crack spread from the upper right corner of the screen, like a spiderweb creeping across the glass.
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Not too severe still usable but enough to make his chest tighten.
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"I just replaced the screen protector last month..."
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But the complaint soon faded when he heard a voice from above.
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"What are you doing, kids?"
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The voice was deep. Resonant. With a... strange tone.
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Like someone trying to be gentle, but with tension coiled behind the words. A tension he couldn't fully hide.
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Voltase looked up.
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For the first time that morning, his onyx eyes met the face before him.
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The man was tall.
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Not extremely tall, perhaps around 180 centimeters but with an upright posture and broad shoulders, he seemed to dominate the space around him.
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His hair was light brown, almost golden, neatly combed to the side. A bit of gel gave it a professional look.
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His brows were thick and sharp, lending a serious expression to his otherwise handsome face.
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A firm chin. A strong jaw.
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And his eyes.
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Hazel green.
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They looked down at Voltase with a mixture of surprise and... something else.
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Perhaps concern. Perhaps curiosity.
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Perhaps—
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A bulge.
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Voltase's attention suddenly shifted.
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Beneath the man's white shirtsleeve, right near his right wrist, there was a strange protrusion disrupting the straight line of his arm.
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Its shape was oval.
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With a pointed front end.
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And a blunt, rounded back.
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Like—
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A bullet.
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The thought shot through Voltase's brain like a lightning strike.
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The fog that had clouded his mind all morning vanished instantly. His drowsy eyes snapped wide open. Focused. Sharp.
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He stared at the bulge. Couldn't stop staring.
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It looked exactly like what he'd seen in his dream.
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The same shape. The same size. Even the position on the right arm, near the wrist felt familiar.
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But that was impossible.
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There was no way a bullet was lodged in a teacher's arm.
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It didn't make sense.
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It—
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"What are you looking at, kid?"
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The man's voice broke his trance.
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Voltase flinched. He realized his hand unconsciously been reaching toward the man's arm. His index finger was almost touching the strange bulge beneath the fabric.
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Quickly, he pulled it back.
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His face flushed with embarrassment. Or awkwardness. He wasn't sure.
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All he knew was that he'd nearly touched a stranger's body part without permission.
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"Sorry, sir," he said quickly, his voice slightly hoarse.
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"I—I wasn't watching where I was going. I was—"
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He pointed to his cracked phone, then shook his head.
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"I was just... not paying attention."
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The man stared at him with an unreadable expression.
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Silence.
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For a few seconds that felt like an eternity, neither spoke. Only the sound of other students' footsteps in the distance, and the hum of flickering neon lights.
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Then, the man extended his hand.
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"Get up first."
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His hand was large.
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Larger than anyone's Voltase had ever seen up close. His palm was wide with long, strong-looking fingers. On the back of his hand, prominent veins stood out. physical signs of someone used to hard work.
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Voltase accepted the outstretched hand.
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The grip was firm, but not painful. With a gentle pull, the man lifted his light body from the floor.
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"Thank you, sir," said Voltase, rubbing his still sore backside.
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The man nodded. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
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A smile that felt... forced.
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Unnatural. Like someone who hadn't smiled in a long time and had to remember how.
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"Are you all right?"
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"Yes, sir. Just a little startled."
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"Good."
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The man looked down, noticing the cracked phone.
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"Your screen is cracked."
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Voltase nodded, slightly embarrassed.
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"Yes, sir. I just... fell earlier."
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"You should be more careful," said the man, his tone softening.
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Yet there was still something behind his words.
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Something that reminded Voltase of adults talking to small children, hiding things they didn't want them to know.
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"Walking while staring at your phone is dangerous. You could bump into someone, or worse, get hit by a vehicle."
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"I know, sir. I'm sorry."
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Voltase lowered his head.
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His eyes involuntarily glanced at the man's arm again.
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The bulge was still there. Still disturbing. Still like a bullet lodged beneath the skin.
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Questions crowded his head.
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Is that a bullet?
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How could a bullet be in someone's arm?
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Was he ever shot? When? Where? Why?
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But Voltase held back.
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He was still a child, but he wasn't stupid. He knew that asking such questions to a newly met adult was inappropriate. Rude. Even dangerous.
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"Kids?"
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The man's voice broke his thoughts.
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Voltase looked up, trying to put on his usual blank expression.
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"Yes, sir?"
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"You look confused. Is something wrong?"
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"No, sir. I was just..."
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He stopped. The words felt heavy on his tongue. He wanted to ask. So badly.
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But what came out was only:
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"...does it hurt?"
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The man frowned.
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"What?"
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Voltase pointed to the man's arm. To the bulge still hidden beneath the shirt.
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"The wound on your arm, sir. Does it hurt?"
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For a moment, the man's face changed.
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His neutral expression almost friendly turned rigid.
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His jaw tightened. His hazel green eyes suddenly seemed sharper. More alert.
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"How do you know there's a wound?"
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"I saw the bulge in your arm, sir," said Voltase honestly. "Its shape looks like—"
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He stopped before the word bullet escaped.
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Instinct told him that wasn't the right word to say.
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"—like something strange. I was curious."
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The man fell silent.
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For a while, he just stared at Voltase with an unreadable gaze. A gaze that made Voltase feel like he was being interrogated.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6ntR3t6Ll
Then, the man sighed. His face softened again, but his smile still felt stiff.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1xUYwsZbj
"It's not a wound, kid. It's just... an old accident scar. Nothing to worry about."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMsDHN6II2
He pulled his sleeve, covering the bulge completely.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2ExWSJrDA
"And no, it doesn't hurt. It healed a long time ago."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPauZLjnRMM
Voltase nodded.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuNEHKxKeF
But in his heart, he didn't believe him.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfERV7uHkul
An old accident scar?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFdytTF9FS
Since when did an accident scar look like a bullet?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiQLAKtm1V
Since when did an accident scar look like metal lodged beneath the skin?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCKR4SyzUV
The man seemed uncomfortable. He looked left and right, as if making sure no one had heard their conversation.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03ah2zsqrv
"You should get to class, son. Your next exam will start soon, right?"
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQspr8ec6aR
"Yes, sir. The Social Studies exam."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuDgI7Jxnn
"Well, go on then. Don't be late."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWd3aq3knB
The man patted Voltase's shoulder with an awkward motion, like someone not used to physical contact.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQ0hWForVL
"And next time, look ahead when you walk. Your phone can wait."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WWrAVaOBu
With that, the man turned and walked away.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePtKiepdMD
His steps were slightly hurried, as if he wanted to get away from Voltase as quickly as possible.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITtgD9K8f2
Voltase stood there.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz6mYXmiCI
Staring at the man's retreating back.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlGjAutwsT
He lied.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSM4GySaCs
That's not an accident scar.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4G5bWXznb
That's a bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Y2pMPmPO6
I know it's a bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldjuwSXvhZ
I just saw a bullet just like that in my dream.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1eIagGzlv
New questions began to crowd his head.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡli2bDianOU
Who is he? Where did he come from? How could he have a bullet in his arm?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jWGnL89B6
And more importantly...
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYdHJdyWns
Why did I dream about the exact same bullet last night?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxkdGKhw9V
Voltase bit his lower lip, tasting a hint of metal on his tongue.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uVsOQ8pzq
Something is happening here.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTzZYNHoia
Something is wrong.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXg1IAMCR2L
And I have to find out what it is.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGm03Xa5G40
He looked down at his cracked phone.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwbEUbsKaq
The screen was still on, displaying his last search results: images of bullets of various calibers and sizes.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwv94zcPl4F
With slightly trembling fingers, Voltase began typing a new keyword.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdi4hoHR2P
"Bullet in arm."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPGTrP2bA6
Search results appeared. Most were medical articles about projectiles remaining in shooting victims' bodies.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUsvZAm1x4
Some discussed removal surgery. Others about infection risks. Others about long term effects.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwGr8AemfO
Voltase read them all quickly, his eyes scanning every word with razor-sharp focus.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkdFxzzZNc
Then, he found something.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8hUcKagfP
An image.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpQF8RfMzT
A bullet with specific dimensions: 9x19 mm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uQmkCB6ZV
Voltase stopped his finger. His heart beat faster.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreOQSk4swY
This is it.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirRSF5uRIx
The shape is exactly what I saw on that teacher's arm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNc1XMOTxja
The size is the same. Everything is the same.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfViTGXPR7Y
He compared the image on the screen with his memory of the bulge.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk23czJGGDK
No doubt. No difference.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKjRePB2Ez
This is the same bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxunWEr2juS
He closed his phone quickly, slipping it back into his pocket.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvBGSbrPvt
In the distance, a bell rang. Break was over. The next exam would begin soon.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllnjfzefNB
Voltase walked toward his classroom with quicker steps than usual.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvSj1aTw8j
His mind swirled like a whirlpool, trying to connect seemingly unrelated dots.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77qpVmoYxg
Dreams about war.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ycp3OXFeu
Dreams about death.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5enes8kKk
A bullet in a teacher's arm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8Fi1admRd
I dreamed about the exact same bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlz7lkZBiW
This can't be coincidence.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVtAgS6rqk
But how?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcURnyPR5hP
How does my dream connect to a teacher I've never even seen before?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmswRwIA3Bz
Or... have I seen him before?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw17sujpkK4
The question stopped him for a moment.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QqYYUVj0g
He tried to remember. Had he ever met that man before? Perhaps in the school hallway? In the cafeteria? In the library?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCglI8o48CO
No. His face wasn't familiar. He was sure he'd never seen that man before.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyrHQgayHj
But how could I dream about the bullet in his arm before seeing him?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEmiCXHlsv
This doesn't make sense.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloaX50MKxW
This is impossible.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZIKorKhu5
He entered the classroom, his head still full of questions.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkV76ywACD
The room was already half full. Other students sat in their seats, speaking in hushed voices or reading last-minute notes.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdhGWSxzJ6
Voltase walked to the desk in the back corner. The same desk he always chose.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFllueloJL
A place where he could observe everyone without being noticed.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1QbJEV2Rd
He sat down. Placed his backpack on the floor. Took out his pencil case.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wL5VEv4W4
And on the desk, he spread out a blank sheet of paper.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX2VRWDh2w
He didn't intend to write anything on it. No.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmAg10uVND
All he wanted was to think. Process all the new information.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQoyj98HCo
A 9x19 mm bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQ5LGPYdem
In a teacher's arm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTpZK5dHfe
I dreamed about the same bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD4nWkJkyj
about war and death.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE03lKQaihp
I died in that dream not once, but twice.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHG8dR0HEC
And every time, I felt everything.
Every pain, fear, the last second before darkness came.
Voltase closed his eyes.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6rfsJnaBe
His head felt heavy, as if an invisible weight pressed down on his skull.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97uMZvyOAt
Should I tell someone?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUvo9k2Ibz
But who?
Who would believe a child who claims to dream about the same bullet in a teacher's arm?
They'll think I'm crazy.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMthNXlgdwj
Or worse, they'll think it's a joke.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FVfrgFbf8
And I don't want to be thought of as crazy.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJYH5Y2s18
Not here. In this school.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5bZFW6MGl
Voltase opened his eyes. He stared at the white, cracked ceiling.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPPtboDdY5
The neon light flickered again, this time longer.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPt0dRrHi9
In front of him, exam papers began to be distributed by the supervising teacher a middle-aged woman with gray hair and half moon glasses that always slipped to the tip of her nose.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnAZkDrWJi
"The Social Studies exam will begin in five minutes. Please prepare your writing tools."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMzelUmPfC
Voltase picked up his pen. His hand moved mechanically, as usual.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHdTpvorll
But his mind wasn't here.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3q1FNs4Ak
Not in this classroom. Not among questions about history and geography.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFs1Y4tNjTQ
His mind was still in the school hallway.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl8Qrq3aN6
Still seeing the bulge on that man's arm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoaWnSFYqO
Still comparing it to the image on his phone.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrMK9248Gh
9x19 mm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2MtVNgXl8
The same bullet.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBURC7ED0W
How? Why?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstimZ01e4V
And in his still-innocent heart still too young to understand the complexity of the world a seed of new fear began to grow.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOsSxbQDdH
Not fear of exams.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlVtZTijCo
Not fear of angry teachers.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpNjqts8rT
Not even fear of the nightmare that would come tonight.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9VGMpy2i6
But fear of something deeper. Something he couldn't name.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SDiQdon6s
Fear that all of this the dreams, the deaths, the bullet, that man were all connected in ways he didn't understand.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqqIkm0SHr
And that the connection might be more dangerous than anything he could imagine.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHLRO37xW7
The exam began.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfppoBCoNq
Voltase stared at the paper before him.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIeI7mMtMd
"Explain the causes of World War I and its impact on the European political order."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd3dx56I2V
He knew the answer. He knew history well probably better than most children his age.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBxZr7dUj7
But his hand didn't move.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfORzD6S814
All he could think about was the war in his dreams.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK8dPzHc5H
The battlefield full of corpses. Blood flowing on muddy ground.
The blond-haired man dying with a bullet in his head.
That war wasn't like what was taught in history books.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFY6M3v7Lnl
The war in his dreams felt real.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWg7qY5rOzw
Too real.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFojBj2wa9
He bit the end of his pen a bad habit he could never break.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eQbXiNPYw
Think about the exam, Voltase. Concentrate. This is important.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLUpqEj8BZ
But his mind refused to cooperate.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpdx87xwc4
What he saw behind his eyelids was a 9x19 mm bullet. The wound on that man's arm. The strange bulge hiding beneath the white shirt.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ry8xarRvN
What happened to him?
Was he ever shot?
Is that bullet still in his arm?
Why didn't he have surgery?
The questions kept spinning. Like a wheel that wouldn't stop.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBdAJ3BNIy
He let out a long sigh. Tried to calm himself.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIwZfyRw4D
It's not important now. What matters is the exam. Finish this. Afterward, I can find out more.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gPX9LuHgv
He began writing. His hand moved across the paper, forming words about military alliances, rising nationalism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvoDuVBxoF
But in his heart, a small voice kept whispering.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNgHWUWrDe
You know it's not a coincidence.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAOhfHkLGI
You know there's a connection.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZobC7IWf7k
And you know you have to find out.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rTWNUs11q
But how? Where to begin?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHA0QQvKFL
Thirty minutes later, Voltase finished his exam.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhEFtoPvYw
He set his pen down calmly, staring at the paper with a flat expression. His answers were complete perhaps not perfect, but good enough.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtlli9Epjf
But he didn't feel satisfied.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37l1LLZDsb
He felt empty.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cHFRDw5f3
Like a part of him was missing. Left behind in the school hallway when he bumped into that man. Left behind in the dreams that kept haunting his sleep.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIYyHyAAp4
He glanced at the wall clock.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXvzsremFU
There was still time left before the exam ended.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6t3VAuULi
Nothing to do but sit and wait.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5Vbwe0tSC
He let his gaze drift out the window. The sky was still gray. Trees in the schoolyard swayed gently in the cold morning breeze.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6vvT2oFnL
In the distance, he saw a group of students playing football. They ran, shouted, laughed living in a way he never had.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sonSW1kTy
He envied them.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDf2oXa4qG
Envied how easily they enjoyed life. Envied their indifference to unimportant things.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvUbuc7XAl
They never wake up in the middle of the night feeling like they're being strangled.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxSkvPuGDq
Never feel a bullet enter their chest.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCWpnoANZH
Never see corpses scattered around them.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49Dv3qYd6Q
They don't know how lucky they are.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGEeuX1uwO
Voltase closed his eyes for a moment, trying to rest his weary mind.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqa6g0LEvzH
But rest didn't come.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtI2qyB0WQ
What came was the memory of the dream.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzFulvPAlB
His final moments. The pain spreading from his neck throughout his body. The darkness slowly creeping in, swallowing his consciousness.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQmKSH6O8r
Bang.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATyDA9ibUB
He opened his eyes suddenly, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndKGEcXGu0
No. Don't think about that.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1qD75PAe8
Now is not the time.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmeR65FxfT
You have to focus.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQTPg8UsXy
But his mind wouldn't listen.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSEHHUHwA7
And in the darkness, the whisper began again.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxIj8GJkSL
You'll go back. Tonight.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFdwMdtyX1
You'll go back to that place.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KgN7Urm67
And you'll die again.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvm14cBlq7S
The bell rang.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2E9WLspfD
The exam was over.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKiTPVCoHi
Other students began collecting their papers with rustling sounds and quiet conversations. Some looked relieved, others anxious.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wv1jAcUso
Voltase remained seated. Not moving.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4chNmd9LGE
The supervising teacher walked past his desk.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw45ngc4Fji
"Are you finished, Watt?"
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbaXL3XCui
"Yes, ma'am."
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwn5ilvD1Jt
He handed over his paper slowly.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyhv4P5zKx
The teacher nodded and walked to the next desk.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZ8ZNNoQzo
Voltase let his gaze go blank for a moment. Then, he stood up.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4FgmQhDEa
He picked up his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the classroom.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nlJmROOkr
The hallway was already crowded.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxAFdW7GR4
Students scattered everywhere, talking loudly about the exam. Some laughed, some complained, some walked silently while staring at their phones.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChympFuEZb
Voltase walked past them all, paying attention to no one.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfv0VzzRas
All he could think about was one thing.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLi3sSOaxTo
I have to find out who that man is.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57QFlrJ699
Find out what happened to him.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVgPUec3nL
Find out why I dreamed about the bullet in his arm.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoAOLDMZgm
And I have to do it before night falls.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXBQFUvVKE
He stopped in front of the bulletin board at the end of the hallway.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hUQHijdBy
There, hanging, was a list of teachers and school staff. Their photos were neatly displayed in plastic frames, with names and positions beneath.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGB0nqwRZZ6
Voltase scanned the list with his eyes.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QCI7JLy1e
Searching for the face he'd just met.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhw1RqwbFil
Mr. Anderson—Mathematics.
Mrs. Bennett—English.
Mr. Clarke—History.
Mrs. Davis—Art.
Mr. Evans—Science.
Nothing.
No face of a man with light brown hair and hazel green eyes.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY2xoaAdwW
No name matching his description.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4Yg6yw8HD
Maybe he's a new teacher?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXzY8SsJ4U
Maybe his photo hasn't been put up yet?
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmcgyw5dcd
Or maybe...
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkugE6Xrd4m
The thought made his skin crawl.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgW1m3nIjCY
Maybe he's not a teacher.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Pezxnl2Eg
Maybe he's someone else.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOhwR6Re42
Maybe he—
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif2w4FDfoe
He shook his head, trying to banish those thoughts.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEII8aRyHV
Don't be too paranoid, Voltase.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UaEOGdUsz
Maybe his photo just hasn't been put up yet. Or he's a substitute teacher. That's a reasonable explanation.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSu1GslGPo
But even as he thought that, a part of him didn't believe it.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBabFNwrL7w
Nothing made sense anymore. Not since he started dreaming about war. Not since he felt a bullet enter his chest.
Not since he saw that man.
He walked to the school library.
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The room was silent, as usual. Only a few students sat at the long tables, reading or working on assignments.
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The librarian an old woman with white hair and thick glasses sat behind the front desk, reading a novel.
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Voltase walked between the bookshelves. Searching for something anything that could help him understand.
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He stopped in the psychology section.
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Books about dreams. About the subconscious. About trauma and memory.
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He took a thick book titled "The Psychology of Dreams: A Clinical Approach."
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He opened it to the first page and began reading.
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"Dreams are a universal phenomenon that have fascinated humans since ancient times..."
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He read further, looking for sections about recurring dreams. About dreams that felt real. About dreams involving death.
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"Recurring dreams are often associated with unresolved traumatic experiences. The brain attempts to process the trauma through dreams, but because the trauma is too heavy to process all at once, the brain repeats it over and over..."
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Voltase frowned.
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I don't have trauma. Nothing happened to me. My life is ordinary. Boring, even.
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Then why do I keep dreaming about war?
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He read further.
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"Some researchers argue that highly realistic dreams could be manifestations of genetic memory. memories inherited from our ancestors through DNA. This theory is controversial and not scientifically proven, but interesting to consider..."
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Genetic memory?
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Could I have inherited memories of war from someone in the past? From my grandfather? Or my great-grandfather?
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But my family was never involved in war. At least, not that I know of.
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He closed the book in frustration. No satisfying answers. Only unprovable theories.
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He put it back on the shelf, then walked to another section.
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This time, he stopped in the medicine section.
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"Projectiles and Gunshot Trauma: Medical and Psychological Management"
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He pulled the book from the shelf, opening it to the page about bullet types.
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Detailed images of various calibers. Descriptions of size, weight, and effects on the human body.
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Voltase scanned the pages quickly, looking for something that matched what he'd seen.
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And then, he found it.
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"9x19 mm Parabellum. also known as 9mm Luger. One of the most common bullet calibers in the world. Widely used by military and police forces. This projectile has a diameter of 9 mm and a casing length of 19 mm..."
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This is it.
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This is exactly what I saw.
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I'm sure of it.
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He read further about its effects.
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"The 9x19 mm bullet has significant penetrating power. At close range, it can penetrate bone and cause severe tissue damage. Bullets that lodge in the body without hitting vital organs are often left in place because removal surgery can pose greater risks than benefits..."
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So the bullet might have been deliberately left in his arm.
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Because removing it was too dangerous.
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But how did he get shot?
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The questions continued spinning. Without answers.
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Voltase returned to his dormitory at 3 PM.
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His room felt quiet and cold, as usual. The window curtains were tightly drawn, leaving only a small gap for gray light to seep in.
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He took off his shoes. Placed his backpack beside the wardrobe. Sat on the edge of his bed.
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The room felt smaller than usual. More cramped. More suffocating.
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He stared at his cracked phone, still displaying his last search results.
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9x19 mm.
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The same bullet.
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On that man's arm.
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In my dream.
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He gripped his phone tightly, feeling the cold plastic and glass in his palm.
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Something is happening.
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Something is wrong.
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And I have to find out.
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Before night falls.
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Before I go back to that dream.
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Before I die again.
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Outside the window, the sky began to darken.
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Gray clouds moved slowly, covering the remnants of sunlight trying to break through.
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Rain would fall again tonight.
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Voltase could feel it in the air. The rising humidity. The scent of damp earth beginning to seep in.
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He lay on his bed, staring at the cracked ceiling.
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In his head, one question kept repeating.
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Who is that man?
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And what does he have to do with my dreams?
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He had no answers.
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All he had was a bad feeling. A feeling that everything was about to change. A feeling that his ordinary, boring life was about to end.
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And a feeling that tonight, he would return to that battlefield.
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For the third time.
ns216.73.216.217da2 
and then Add to home screen.