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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxJomkloS4
Then, the man sighed. His face softened again, but his smile still felt stiff.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7W8IAfWsc
"It's not a wound, kid. It's just... an old accident scar. Nothing to worry about."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4x7fps8LCw
He pulled his sleeve, covering the bulge completely.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEb1apeuRC
"And no, it doesn't hurt. It healed a long time ago."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom1lQVL4se
Voltase nodded.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZW8WUqJxy
But in his heart, he didn't believe him.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhseZS416Z
An old accident scar?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiloKG4kkJJ
Since when did an accident scar look like a bullet?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmzeMJqAUq
Since when did an accident scar look like metal lodged beneath the skin?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdQUi074Yg
The man seemed uncomfortable. He looked left and right, as if making sure no one had heard their conversation.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzOKgU9gGC
"You should get to class, son. Your next exam will start soon, right?"
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BsGxYCkWA
"Yes, sir. The Social Studies exam."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0W8mIhAqN
"Well, go on then. Don't be late."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0JJzh6iql
The man patted Voltase's shoulder with an awkward motion, like someone not used to physical contact.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQM5moXUMbk
"And next time, look ahead when you walk. Your phone can wait."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtQ99Nn3MO
With that, the man turned and walked away.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Gn0QwuNbH
His steps were slightly hurried, as if he wanted to get away from Voltase as quickly as possible.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdpzmTfAmt
Voltase stood there.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3rzJpdKJd
Staring at the man's retreating back.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqFasbGwEO
He lied.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlohXGigPr
That's not an accident scar.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfMjEXw00t
That's a bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssNTuwvwuL
I know it's a bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVF88JeXmq
I just saw a bullet just like that in my dream.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiwdJ9beff
New questions began to crowd his head.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvreN0ArfQZ
Who is he? Where did he come from? How could he have a bullet in his arm?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpSdbAh5gF
And more importantly...
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtPDuP6bSR
Why did I dream about the exact same bullet last night?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhAJi0RWdX
Voltase bit his lower lip, tasting a hint of metal on his tongue.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDdXEfBF1c
Something is happening here.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f8NY61yod
Something is wrong.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCF3Rb2cz8
And I have to find out what it is.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MTtmkI51A
He looked down at his cracked phone.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLo4nrJMCw
The screen was still on, displaying his last search results: images of bullets of various calibers and sizes.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCHm23yfoq
With slightly trembling fingers, Voltase began typing a new keyword.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfIceqp2jB
"Bullet in arm."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGYs6C1uAQ
Search results appeared. Most were medical articles about projectiles remaining in shooting victims' bodies.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiy11PYPaz
Some discussed removal surgery. Others about infection risks. Others about long term effects.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjgLJQwuMT
Voltase read them all quickly, his eyes scanning every word with razor-sharp focus.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs9ogeYx8A
Then, he found something.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhDRLljSMm
An image.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI5rNDKveS
A bullet with specific dimensions: 9x19 mm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciGlktHFxQ
Voltase stopped his finger. His heart beat faster.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Te3MVJL33
This is it.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmqq7kmeM6
The shape is exactly what I saw on that teacher's arm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwY5KsdOOb
The size is the same. Everything is the same.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YKmFqeSpn
He compared the image on the screen with his memory of the bulge.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMewSrLL6q
No doubt. No difference.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkahGNa6zZ
This is the same bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSqKYoFn7q
He closed his phone quickly, slipping it back into his pocket.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hoxsSVuQu
In the distance, a bell rang. Break was over. The next exam would begin soon.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7egkFlMtQ
Voltase walked toward his classroom with quicker steps than usual.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMz41gh7E3t
His mind swirled like a whirlpool, trying to connect seemingly unrelated dots.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OwbuY416C
Dreams about war.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUFn99TYUc
Dreams about death.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqA27rWSW2
A bullet in a teacher's arm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ta04wNpEb
I dreamed about the exact same bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3KeuW4lNS
This can't be coincidence.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmshXQaKIb
But how?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxrvlAIA5l
How does my dream connect to a teacher I've never even seen before?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8ejujv4Fn
Or... have I seen him before?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEGSXjwDmC
The question stopped him for a moment.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWsJd3xv4Z
He tried to remember. Had he ever met that man before? Perhaps in the school hallway? In the cafeteria? In the library?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYfq6seRc7
No. His face wasn't familiar. He was sure he'd never seen that man before.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CY7Yd2oyf
But how could I dream about the bullet in his arm before seeing him?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3byYOMrFL
This doesn't make sense.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFhuUf95pe
This is impossible.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5qF6lAp0r
He entered the classroom, his head still full of questions.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ipCSkGyMI
The room was already half full. Other students sat in their seats, speaking in hushed voices or reading last-minute notes.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSf2DlrVbC
Voltase walked to the desk in the back corner. The same desk he always chose.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oPvu9WR6B
A place where he could observe everyone without being noticed.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIrAD0BTt3
He sat down. Placed his backpack on the floor. Took out his pencil case.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicf47ppLyV
And on the desk, he spread out a blank sheet of paper.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiWLZOWtUx
He didn't intend to write anything on it. No.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36nwVMOP53
All he wanted was to think. Process all the new information.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMB7uhqqMD
A 9x19 mm bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbubg1hS8lG
In a teacher's arm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMjr4Ihj38
I dreamed about the same bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp3DS0Auxp
about war and death.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoT5umHkcC
I died in that dream not once, but twice.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEGoI2q1Xg
And every time, I felt everything.
Every pain, fear, the last second before darkness came.
Voltase closed his eyes.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGXaa8dq9V
His head felt heavy, as if an invisible weight pressed down on his skull.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRkK0zDoMI
Should I tell someone?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKzfD7da7s
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lz0MCg09N
Or worse, they'll think it's a joke.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwy204m7RN
And I don't want to be thought of as crazy.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2EFdTdABk
Not here. In this school.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzAfCp41CR
Voltase opened his eyes. He stared at the white, cracked ceiling.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFUS6sIWcC
The neon light flickered again, this time longer.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbuI2fwZPe
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjcnSD1uaN
"The Social Studies exam will begin in five minutes. Please prepare your writing tools."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6VI7iTC5L
Voltase picked up his pen. His hand moved mechanically, as usual.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2BytlClzW
But his mind wasn't here.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSFl29BNZV
Not in this classroom. Not among questions about history and geography.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBXhJfjsmF
His mind was still in the school hallway.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ug6I7PNDU
Still seeing the bulge on that man's arm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRp1TyLDrt
Still comparing it to the image on his phone.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlKlpKkkH8
9x19 mm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrQkfcdvkn
The same bullet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ILg6phjrq
How? Why?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67Alf3oTly
And in his still-innocent heart still too young to understand the complexity of the world a seed of new fear began to grow.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aC1EZGWyz
Not fear of exams.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlhQRet40z
Not fear of angry teachers.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChb0Elykox
Not even fear of the nightmare that would come tonight.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgmiHtR6JX
But fear of something deeper. Something he couldn't name.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lQpbPi1P7
Fear that all of this the dreams, the deaths, the bullet, that man were all connected in ways he didn't understand.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBWeIsllf0
And that the connection might be more dangerous than anything he could imagine.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWc9sfArnRT
The exam began.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPb17lRKZW
Voltase stared at the paper before him.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNmuUH5naA
"Explain the causes of World War I and its impact on the European political order."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAScT1IjJ7
He knew the answer. He knew history well probably better than most children his age.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZHiUCqSb2
But his hand didn't move.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPR1DvEmBw
All he could think about was the war in his dreams.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLlaQp70rl
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGJB1mKHuo
The war in his dreams felt real.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRjoK1mHk9
Too real.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlGKxdeZLw
He bit the end of his pen a bad habit he could never break.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrffPgtmIi
Think about the exam, Voltase. Concentrate. This is important.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNngpB30dK
But his mind refused to cooperate.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscibheEMMD
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1q6liAkn65
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvONyPaOEYh
He let out a long sigh. Tried to calm himself.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKYG87irVY
It's not important now. What matters is the exam. Finish this. Afterward, I can find out more.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA4S7SCyqN
He began writing. His hand moved across the paper, forming words about military alliances, rising nationalism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxR4F2vP0C
But in his heart, a small voice kept whispering.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5724QEIX5X
You know it's not a coincidence.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaYyPEHtjU
You know there's a connection.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xFuCpZWaM
And you know you have to find out.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A866DpWQB
But how? Where to begin?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6Y351tSTc
Thirty minutes later, Voltase finished his exam.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMLFlONaM1
He set his pen down calmly, staring at the paper with a flat expression. His answers were complete perhaps not perfect, but good enough.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yamlQ9vXh
But he didn't feel satisfied.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AnNsW4STt
He felt empty.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbHNOkzLfa
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsL6dOXhwGV
He glanced at the wall clock.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qeK5SXZQt
There was still time left before the exam ended.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXGRprGljP
Nothing to do but sit and wait.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfG0qKFoCI
He let his gaze drift out the window. The sky was still gray. Trees in the schoolyard swayed gently in the cold morning breeze.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkcucVaMve
In the distance, he saw a group of students playing football. They ran, shouted, laughed living in a way he never had.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrjxIYBNXK
He envied them.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGz1UeCs5vz
Envied how easily they enjoyed life. Envied their indifference to unimportant things.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD15vK3Z8KG
They never wake up in the middle of the night feeling like they're being strangled.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaUdcnCJjd
Never feel a bullet enter their chest.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7R1WU9MUS
Never see corpses scattered around them.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIuAfcpN4x
They don't know how lucky they are.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09eKdyauKb
Voltase closed his eyes for a moment, trying to rest his weary mind.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMBbllA5iI
But rest didn't come.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WveboiMMo
What came was the memory of the dream.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadH59L43nm
His final moments. The pain spreading from his neck throughout his body. The darkness slowly creeping in, swallowing his consciousness.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SI2D3qCU6
Bang.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUP5dpghzQ
He opened his eyes suddenly, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVlN2nuVvE
No. Don't think about that.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImlRkkA6HU
Now is not the time.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRDHnrohCf
You have to focus.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyEVJgzPuH
But his mind wouldn't listen.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPchmwjT10
And in the darkness, the whisper began again.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZhAmRJmsm
You'll go back. Tonight.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yvz7U7TD0
You'll go back to that place.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJmYqjasuA
And you'll die again.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPPJvSmX39
The bell rang.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsqZsSriod
The exam was over.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDwax08hRS
Other students began collecting their papers with rustling sounds and quiet conversations. Some looked relieved, others anxious.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpfYg1yUdY
Voltase remained seated. Not moving.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kKj0f9CUj
The supervising teacher walked past his desk.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn0DXa8Oll
"Are you finished, Watt?"
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7puH9hUBrs
"Yes, ma'am."
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRl8iZb3IRc
He handed over his paper slowly.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEBEkNxFoH
The teacher nodded and walked to the next desk.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwS4MLCI7G
Voltase let his gaze go blank for a moment. Then, he stood up.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb509PPixdM
He picked up his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the classroom.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9Ea8yoK5c
The hallway was already crowded.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDAP4YozCL
Students scattered everywhere, talking loudly about the exam. Some laughed, some complained, some walked silently while staring at their phones.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGeO7ZETBm
Voltase walked past them all, paying attention to no one.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5fGuvBZO6
All he could think about was one thing.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDbnOGmQnm
I have to find out who that man is.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWqCSlj9ih
Find out what happened to him.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0v2ffDmAU
Find out why I dreamed about the bullet in his arm.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMObYIYUr1P
And I have to do it before night falls.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGfgNCsP4u
He stopped in front of the bulletin board at the end of the hallway.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuZpXN5oVB
There, hanging, was a list of teachers and school staff. Their photos were neatly displayed in plastic frames, with names and positions beneath.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7vWERr7AS
Voltase scanned the list with his eyes.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDl4zHtaaQ
Searching for the face he'd just met.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGrpbSuTtY
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.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWuzBQW2Tp
No name matching his description.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrtpTqWnyX
Maybe he's a new teacher?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HOf2dbMnl
Maybe his photo hasn't been put up yet?
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVZ3qLHqBL
Or maybe...
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8w0FUqAPz
The thought made his skin crawl.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCypl426pK
Maybe he's not a teacher.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzIPFHPpgW
Maybe he's someone else.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAd3V245y2
Maybe he—
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmdNOq22We
He shook his head, trying to banish those thoughts.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswPZ5tqDFs
Don't be too paranoid, Voltase.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0T1pDU8uA
Maybe his photo just hasn't been put up yet. Or he's a substitute teacher. That's a reasonable explanation.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTTRTXiJQM
But even as he thought that, a part of him didn't believe it.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLs9O5l0EZ
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.