FRACTURED VISION

**Fractured Visions**

The morning sun filtered through the classroom window, casting a golden glow over the rows of desks. The chatter of students filled the room, blending with the occasional scrape of chairs and the rustling of papers. Kyoshi sat at his usual desk, feeling a sense of calm wash over him as he rested his chin in his hand, staring absently at the clock ticking away on the wall.

It had been an eventful week, between the school festival and the time he’d spent with his friends. The memories of those moments brought a faint smile to his lips. Each of the girls—Yumi, Hana, Reina, Keiko, Mayumi, and Aiko—had a unique presence in his life, and he valued the connections he had built with them. His thoughts meandered through the laughs, the friendly teasing, and the shared experiences, grounding him in a sense of contentment.

But then, something shifted. His gaze landed on the clock again. The second hand, which had been moving steadily, began to slow... and then stopped.

Kyoshi blinked, his smile faltering. The ticking of the clock ceased entirely. The sound of the classroom faded into silence. He looked around, and a cold chill crawled up his spine. Every single person in the room—his classmates, the teacher, even the faint breeze that had been moving the curtains—was frozen in place. The world had come to a standstill, as if someone had pressed pause on time itself.

Panic gnawed at the edges of Kyoshi’s mind. He stood up from his desk, the sound of the chair scraping against the floor breaking the oppressive silence, but no one reacted. No one moved. It was like they were all statues, locked in place by an unseen force.

“What... what is this?” he whispered, his voice barely audible in the dead air.

His heart raced, pounding against his chest as he made his way toward the door. As he stepped into the hallway, the sight outside the window caught his eye. There, in the schoolyard, was the same car he had seen before—the one that had been haunting his dreams. The door was open, as if it were inviting him, waiting for him.

And then, the shadow appeared.

It was standing by the car, its outline dark and indistinct, like a void that absorbed all light. The figure raised its head as if it was aware of Kyoshi’s presence, though no eyes could be seen.

Kyoshi’s breath caught in his throat. He knew he should run, but something compelled him forward. His legs moved on their own, carrying him closer to the figure, toward the open car door. He tried to stop himself, to turn back, but his body wouldn’t listen. His mind screamed at him, yet his feet kept moving.

As he approached the car, the shadow’s hand gestured toward the seat inside. There was no turning back now. Trembling, Kyoshi climbed into the car, his movements stiff and reluctant. He glanced at the shadow, which had settled into the driver’s seat, its face still hidden.

The car roared to life, and Kyoshi felt the jolt of it speeding forward. He gripped the seatbelt, knuckles white, as the world outside blurred into streaks of light and color. The shadow beside him remained silent, its hands gripping the wheel, guiding them through the twisting roads.

"Who are you?" Kyoshi asked, his voice shaky but determined to understand. He needed to know what was happening, why this was happening.

The shadow didn’t answer.

Frustration and fear warred within him, but before he could demand an answer, something in the distance caught his eye. Far ahead, barely visible through the speeding landscape, was another car. The closer they got, the more familiar it became. His heart dropped into his stomach as recognition dawned.

It was his father’s car.

A cold wave of dread washed over Kyoshi, his hands gripping the seat tighter. “No... this can’t be happening,” he muttered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the engine.

As they approached his father’s car, the shadow beside him began to change. Slowly, its dark, indistinct form started to fade, as if it were losing its grip on reality. The shadow gave way to a figure—a boy, not much older than Kyoshi himself. The details of his face became clearer with every passing second. His features were familiar—hauntingly familiar.

“Noya?” Kyoshi’s voice cracked, disbelief flooding him. It was his friend, Noya, though younger than Kyoshi had ever seen him. But how? Noya, from the future? What was happening?

Noya’s expression was solemn, his eyes dark with a sadness that Kyoshi couldn’t comprehend. He glanced at Kyoshi briefly, but said nothing, focusing on the road ahead.

“Why are you here?” Kyoshi’s voice rose, his panic growing. “What’s going on? Why—”

Before he could finish his sentence, his father’s car came into full view. The headlights gleamed in the distance, growing larger and larger as they closed in on it. Kyoshi’s breath caught in his throat as the scene before him began to unfold in agonizing slow motion.

The two cars were on a collision course. His father’s car was driving straight toward them, and Kyoshi was powerless to stop it. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move. His body felt heavy, frozen by the terror that gripped him. This was it. The accident. The one he had tried to forget, the one that had taken everything from him.

He wanted to scream, to shout at Noya, to do something to stop this from happening. But no sound came from his throat. His limbs refused to move. All he could do was watch as the cars sped toward each other.

Just before the inevitable collision, a bright flash of light filled Kyoshi’s vision, blinding him completely. He gasped, his heart hammering in his chest. When the light faded, he found himself lying in a bed.

His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. His body felt heavy, weighed down by the lingering fear and confusion. He sat up slowly, his mind racing to piece together what had just happened.

Was it a dream? A vision? Something else entirely?

His heart pounded in his chest, the image of the crash burned into his mind. And then he remembered Noya—his friend, who had been driving the car. Why had Noya been there? What did it mean? What was real, and what was a nightmare?

Kyoshi’s hands shook as he clutched the bedsheets. He glanced around the room, trying to get his bearings, but the sense of dread clung to him like a shadow.

The truth was out there, but it was just out of his reach. And whatever it was, it was coming for him.

**End of Chapter**

Chapter end