I bolted upright, gasping for air. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I realized with a jolt that I remembered every detail of the dream. It was a nightmare I had since childhood, but this time, it was clear. It felt like the key that unlocked the jagged fragments of my missing memories from the accident. The ending of the dream left me trembling, but it wasn't just fear—it was a crushing wave of sorrow, a searing rage, and a dark, murderous urge that burned deeper than any terror.
I glanced at the desk clock. It was past 8:00 AM. September 1st. The first day of school. Realizing I was late, I scrambled out of bed, washed up, and threw on my uniform. Just as I finished, my mother's voice echoed from downstairs.
"Son? Are you up yet? You're going to be late for school!"
Her voice was warm, so different from the one in my dream, yet a strange unease lingered in my chest.
"Yes, Mom! I'm ready!" I called back.
"Breakfast is ready in the dining room. Make sure you eat before you leave, Framd."
"Okay, Mom."
Knowing I was short on time, I wolfed down my breakfast, grabbed my lunchbox, and dashed out the door. As I left, the faint sound of a weather report caught my attention: "Expect heavy rain today..."
Although the school was close to my house, it still required crossing two major intersections. The beauty of Hutalin at the start of summer was breathtaking, with the pink petals of Serli flowers adorning the streets like a living masterpiece.
Reaching the school gates, I hurriedly straightened my messy uniform before stepping inside. I noticed a girl my age standing alone in front of the class assignment board. Despite the ticking clock, she seemed perfectly composed, staring at the list with an air of calm. As I stood beside her to search for my own class, she spoke.
"Framd! Even though we transferred to a new school, we're in the same class again this year. I'm counting on you!"
At that moment, a wave of relief washed over me. I realized that the dream was, after all, just a dream. My returning memories from the accident must have been playing tricks on my mind.
"Geez, Mari... another year together? Looks like I'm in for a long, exhausting year," I joked.
"Hey! You make it sound like I'm a constant burden," she pouted.
"Aren't you? Whenever you ask for a favor, it's always something massive."
"Anyway, forget about that! We need to hurry to the opening ceremony before we're late."
"Oh—right! I almost forgot!"
We entered the Carlin Building for the opening ceremony. Although some minor details differed, the overall atmosphere and surroundings were eerily identical to my dream. Even before anyone showed us the way, I instinctively knew exactly where my seat was. But there was one chilling difference—instead of Emma, Mari was sitting in that spot. A cold dread washed over me; I was terrified that the tragic events would unfold exactly as they had in my nightmare. Even if it was just a dream, the thought of that ending left my heart racing with anxiety.
As the ceremony progressed, every speech and scheduled event mirrored my dream perfectly. To my growing horror, Mari was announced as the top-scoring freshman, taking the very role Emma had held in my vision. While other students cheered and Mari smiled brightly, my chest felt like it was being constricted by an invisible hand. Mari had been my best friend since we were ten—closer to me than an older sister. We had been inseparable since primary school, and now, here we were in university together.
Our parents were lifelong friends. After my father passed away in that tragic accident, Mari's family became our anchor. On the day of my father's passing, the grief had shattered my mother's mental health, leading to a year-long hospitalization. During that dark year, despite my fractured memories and confusion, Mari's family took me in, ensured I continued my education, and cared for me with endless patience. It was only after my mother recovered that we moved back into the house I once shared with my father. Even then, Mari and her family never stopped looking out for us.
I was still drowning in those old memories when Mari's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Framd! Let's go. What are you spacing out for?"
"Oh—right. Sorry about that."
"No worries, dummy," she chuckled.
We headed into the classroom for the usual self-introductions. After everyone had finished, the instructor called Mari to the front, announcing her as the new class representative. It wasn't surprising at all; in a class full of students who had barely scraped by with passing marks, someone with her top scores was the obvious choice for a leader.
The rest of the day was spent on basic orientations for each subject until the final bell rang. As we prepared to head home, we decided to take our usual route. I learned from Mari that my mother had already arranged for her to stay at our house, since her own home was quite far from the new campus.
As we walked back together, I turned to look at her, gathering my courage to speak.
"Mari... I have something to confess."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Go ahead. What is it? Did you do something wrong and finally decided to come clean?"
She clasped her hands together and tilted her head up, staring intently into my eyes, waiting for my answer.
"Mari, I've started remembering things from the past. I remember everything from when we were kids."
A bright smile lit up Mari's face as she looked at me. "That's such a relief! Does that mean you finally remember the promise you made to me? I really hope you can still keep it."
I froze. I thought my memories were complete, yet I had no recollection of any "promise" she was talking about. But seeing her eyes filled with such desperate hope, I didn't want to let her down. So, I lied.
"Of course I remember. I'll keep it. I can definitely do it, don't worry."
Mari's expression softened, but I couldn't tell if she had sensed my lie. She stared into my eyes with a lingering look of doubt. Unable to maintain eye contact, I looked away and tried to change the subject.
"Let's just get home quickly."
When we reached the main intersection, the traffic light turned red, forcing us to stop. Suddenly, Mari grabbed my hand. Her expression had shifted to one of profound sadness.
"Framd... you can't lie to me. You don't actually remember that promise, do you?"
I was paralyzed, unable to find the words or even meet her gaze. Before I could respond, Mari suddenly shoved me away with incredible force. In any other situation, she wouldn't have been strong enough to move me like that, but caught off guard and lost in my own thoughts, I was sent stumbling far away from her.
By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. A massive truck slammed into Mari at full speed, tossing her into the air like a broken doll. As she fell back onto the cold asphalt, a guttural scream tore from my throat.
"Mari... Mari!!!"
I scrambled to my feet, my body aching as I rushed toward her. I gathered Mari into my arms, pulling her close. When I looked up at the truck that had struck her, my blood ran cold. The driver's seat was empty. No one was behind the wheel. The traffic light was still red, frozen in time. In this country, heavy vehicles are never equipped with self-driving systems due to the risks involved, yet there wasn't a soul inside.
Through blurred vision, I stared in horror at the pool of blood spreading beneath her. My mind raced back to my dream, and then it hit me—something was terribly wrong. This wasn't the dream anymore. This was reality, unfolding in its most brutal form.
I clutched her tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. In the distance, I could hear the faint, wailing sirens of approaching ambulances. Mari seemed unconscious, yet her grip on my arm was iron-clad, desperate. She was struggling to form a word. I leaned in, pressing my ear close to her trembling lips.
A single, whispered word escaped her:
"Run..."
In the blink of an eye, the truck erupted into a massive fireball. The explosion was so deafening that the world went silent. I felt myself being hurled into the air by the shockwave, and then... everything faded into a crushing black void.
Next Parts_Call Of The Ghost