Chapter 1: Awakening in the unknown

"I was dead today. Or at least, I thought I was."

The first thing I felt was warmth—my blanket wrapped around me, my pillow soft beneath my head. My room looked exactly as I had left it. The faint glow of the streetlight outside filtered through the curtains, casting familiar shadows on the walls.

I lifted my hands, staring at them as if they weren't my own. My fingers trembled as I touched my face, my arms, my chest—solid, warm, real. Was it all just a dream?

A shaky breath left my lips, followed by a quiet, nervous laugh. I sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

Everything was normal. I'm okay.

Moving toward the window, I pushed it open. The night air rushed in, cool and refreshing, brushing against my skin like a whisper of reassurance. I closed my eyes, letting the breeze wash over me.

And then—

A flash of light tore through the sky.

Something bright—blinding—crashed onto the rooftop of the abandoned museum across the street. The impact sent a tremor through the air. A deafening bam! echoed through the night.

And then—nothing.

Darkness swallowed me whole.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the hospital.

What the hell is happening?

I tried to move—but I couldn't.

Panic swelled inside me, and for the first time, I felt completely helpless. I wanted to scream, to call for help, but my lips wouldn't move. My body refused to obey me.

Tears slipped silently down my cheeks, the only sign of my distress.

Suddenly, the heart monitor beside me started beeping erratically. The sound must have alerted the doctors and nurses because, within seconds, they rushed into the room in a panic.

Beyond them, through the small window in the door, I saw my parents.

They were crying.

Mom. I tried to shout. Dad. But no words came out. Only silent tears.

I watched helplessly as a nurse grabbed a syringe, preparing to inject something into my IV.

And then it hit me.

This exact moment… I've seen this before.

The way the nurse moved, the frantic murmurs of the doctors, my parents sobbing outside—every single detail felt identical.

Was that really just a dream?

The nurse inserted the syringe into the IV line.

No.

I had seen this before. I had lived this before.

A sharp chill ran down my spine.

Am I getting déjà vu?

Before I could think any further, my vision blurred again. The world faded to black.

I woke up with a start.

Panic clawed at my chest as I bolted upright, my body trembling. My hands flew to my face, my arms—everything felt real, but how? Wasn't I just in the hospital? Was this some sort of sick joke?

I staggered to my feet, my heart pounding, and stumbled to the mirror.

Am I dreaming?

The reflection staring back at me was mine. My face. My body. But something about it felt... off. A lie.

I forced myself to take deep breaths, my thoughts racing. No. I won't go out this time. I won't open that window again.

But then I noticed it—my room.

Something was wrong.

I walked over, running my fingers along the walls, searching for the changes.

Where is my cupboard? Where are my stickers?

A sudden noise made me freeze.

Footsteps.

Mom? Dad?

I rushed into the hallway, my pulse quickening. But instead of my parents, an elderly man and woman stood there, staring at me.

They looked at me with skepticism, their expressions unreadable.

The old woman squinted. "Who are you?"

I let out a nervous laugh, though it sounded hollow in my throat. "Wait, I should be asking you that. Where are my mom and dad?"

The man and woman exchanged glances, their suspicion growing. The old man pulled out his phone and started dialing.

Wait. Are you calling the cops?

Panic flared in my chest.

"This is my house!" I protested.

But they didn't believe me.

The woman leaned closer, her puzzled expression deepening. "Kiddo, where are you from? What are you doing here?"

I stared at her, my mind spinning.

Something about her voice felt… familiar. I had heard it before. But how? I couldn't place it.

A sharp wail of sirens cut through the night, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Cops.

Shit.

Without thinking, I turned and ran.

My feet pounded against the floor as I darted toward the window. The old man and woman called after me, but I was too fast. Without hesitation, I leaped out into the night air.

I landed awkwardly, pain jolting up my leg, but I didn't stop. Fueled by sheer panic, I sprinted down the street, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Then, I saw it.

Hanging on my neighbor's gate was a calendar.

The date glared at me like a cruel joke: April 15, 2000.

I blinked, my head spinning.

2000? What?

No. That was impossible.

I took a deep breath, my mind spiraling as fragments of what had just happened flashed before me.

But how? How was this possible?

I didn't have time to figure it out. The distant roar of sirens grew louder. The cops were getting closer.

My body moved before my brain could catch up.

I bolted toward the old, abandoned museum across the street. Slipping inside, I locked the door behind me, pressing my back against it as I gasped for air.

Through a crack in the window, I watched the police cars roll past.

I was safe. For now.

But as I stood there, heart hammering in my chest, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

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