Leo's eyes snapped open, his chest heaving as though he had just surfaced from drowning. The air around him felt thick, suffocating. Sweat dripped down his face in rivulets, his clothes clinging to his clammy skin. His wide, terrified eyes darted around the dimly lit bus. It was as if he was still trapped in the nightmare that had just seized him.
And then, he screamed.
"Surya!"
The sound tore through the bus like a siren, freezing everyone in place. Even the driver, gripping the wheel, flinched and glanced nervously in the rearview mirror.
A girl with sharp eyes behind black-framed glasses stood abruptly from her seat. Her long black hair swayed as she turned to face the source of the commotion. She adjusted her glasses, her expression equal parts irritation and concern. This was Sansa Naidu, the ever-dutiful class representative of Section A, second grade.
"What's going on back there?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the students. Her authoritative tone made heads turn, but Leo didn't respond.
He sat frozen, his breaths coming in uneven gasps, his face pale and drenched in sweat. His mind was still locked in the vivid, haunting images he'd seen just moments ago.
"Hey, I'm talking to you," Sansa said, walking briskly down the aisle toward him. Her tone softened slightly as she asked, "Are you okay? Do you need help?"
Leo blinked, the fog in his mind lifting just enough for her words to register.
"Huh?" he muttered, looking up at her. His eyes, bloodshot and hollow, met hers.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said, crouching slightly to meet his eye level. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I inform the teachers on the first bus?"
Her voice was steady, but a trace of worry crept into her expression.
"No… I'm fine," Leo stammered. He wiped his face with trembling hands and forced himself to stand. "It was just… a bad dream. I'm sorry for alarming everyone."
The other students exchanged amused looks, some whispering, others chuckling openly.
"Seriously? Screaming over a dream? Grow up," someone muttered.
"What a drama queen," another snickered.
Sansa's frown deepened, but she only sighed. "Alright, if you say so. But don't let it happen again." Her tone was firm as she returned to her seat, her piercing gaze lingering on Leo for a moment longer.
"Yes… I'm sorry," Leo repeated, bowing his head as he sank back into his seat.
Arthur, who had been sitting quietly a few rows back, finally stirred. His sharp, angular features were framed by messy dark hair, and his expression was unreadable. He glanced at Leo with mild disdain, a corner of his mouth curling in contempt.
"Pathetic," Arthur muttered, loud enough for Leo to hear.
Leo didn't react. He barely even noticed. His mind was a storm of questions and doubts, his thoughts racing faster than he could keep up.
"What was that? A dream? No, it felt too real. Too vivid. I wasn't even asleep. I just… closed my eyes."
The images replayed in his mind were relentless and unforgiving. The bus—the one carrying Surya—hurtling toward disaster. The sound of the tire bursting, the bus breaking through the guardrail, the screams…
His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He tried to shake it off.
" It was just a dream. A terrible, awful dream. That's all."
He turned his head to the window, seeking solace in the scenery outside. The winding mountain road, the dense forest, the occasional burst of sunlight through the trees…
But then he saw it.
The cliff.
The same cliff from his vision.
His heart stopped.
"No…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. His body stiffened, his eyes widening in horror.
He recognized every jagged rock, every slope leading to the abyss below. It was unmistakable.
"H-how…?" he stammered, his voice trembling.
The students around him noticed his reaction.
"What's wrong with him now?" one of them sneered.
"Probably freaking out over another dream," another joked, snickering.
But Leo didn't hear them. His gaze was fixed on the cliff as the bus sped past.
This can't be happening.
A thought struck him, chilling him to the bone. 'What if I close my eyes again? Will I see it again? Will it show me… more?'
Despite the fear coiling in his stomach, he squeezed his eyes shut.
And just like that, the vision returned.
The sixth bus—the one carrying Surya—hurtling down the road. The tire bursting. The bus swerving violently before crashing through the guardrail. It teetered precariously on the edge of the cliff, the screams of the passengers echoing in his ears.
And then, he saw Surya. His younger brother was hanging from the bus, gripping a seat handle with all his strength. His knuckles were white, his face twisted in terror.
"Hyung!" Surya screamed, his voice breaking.
Leo's eyes snapped open.
"It's real," he whispered, his breath catching. He glanced around the bus, his mind racing.
" I need to stop it. But how? What can I do?"
Desperate, he closed his eyes again, hoping for some clues, some answers.
This time, the vision lingered longer. He saw Surya's wristwatch as he clung to the handle. The hands on the watch pointed to 4:29 PM.
When the vision finally faded, Leo opened his eyes and turned to Arthur. His gaze fell on the boy's wristwatch. Without thinking, he grabbed Arthur's hand.
"Hey, what the hell?" Arthur snapped, trying to pull his hand back.
"What time is it?" Leo demanded, his voice shaking.
Arthur glared at him, then glanced at his watch. "It's 4:15," he said, his tone icy.
Leo's heart sank. Fourteen minutes. That's all I have.
He shot out of his seat and stumbled toward the front of the bus.
"Stop the bus!" he shouted at the driver.
The driver glanced at him in the mirror, his brow furrowed. "What's your problem, kid? Sit down."
"Please, you have to stop!" Leo pleaded, his voice cracking. "Turn the bus around! There's going to be an accident!"
The driver shook his head. "If you're sick or something, you'll have to wait. Sit down, or I'll report you."
"What are you doing?" Sansa's voice rang out. She stormed down the aisle, her glare sharp enough to cut glass. "Stop bothering the driver and sit down!"
"Please," Leo begged, ignoring her. "You have to listen to me!"
"Enough!" the driver barked, slamming on the brakes. The bus lurched to a stop, and the students gasped, clutching their seats.
The gate hissed open, but just as Leo was about to bolt through, a hand shot out, gripping his arm tightly.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sansa snapped, her voice a mix of irritation and authority. She tightened her hold, her sharp gaze boring into him. "Sit back down in the bus, or I'll report you to the teachers!"
Leo didn't even spare her a glance. His mind was racing, his body trembling with urgency.
"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, twisting his arm free with more strength than she anticipated. He leapt off the bus and started running.
"Hey! Wait! Where are you going?" she shouted, her voice rising with frustration.
"Leave him be," Arthur interjected, his calm, steady tone cutting through the tension.
Sansa spun toward him, incredulous. "What? Are you serious? He's acting crazy!"
Arthur shrugged, his eyes fixed on the spot where Leo had vanished.
Leo ran as if his life depended on it. His heart pounded in his chest, every breath coming in ragged gasps as his feet pounded against the pavement.
"I have to make it," he whispered to himself. "Please… let me make it in time."
The road twisted and turned, the trees lining the edge of the cliff blurring as he raced forward. His vision flashed before him again—the bus, the tire burst, the crash.
As he rounded a sharp bend, his stomach dropped.
It was happening.
The sixth bus was in front of him, its massive frame swerving uncontrollably. He saw it all, just as he had envisioned: the front-right tire burst with a deafening bang, and the bus careened into the divider.
"No, no, no!" Leo cried, his voice raw with desperation.
The metal barrier crumpled under the weight of the bus, and the front half tipped precariously over the cliff. The rear wheels clung to the road, but just barely.
People inside screamed, their terrified faces pressed against the windows.
"I'm here!" Leo yelled, pushing his legs harder, his lungs burning. "Hold on!"
---
Back to Leo's bus.
Arthur sat in his seat, his sharp gaze fixed on the empty space next to him. His usually calm mind was churning, replaying Leo's frantic expression over and over.
"What's he so desperate about?" he muttered under his breath.
At the front of the bus, Sansa was pacing, her earlier irritation replaced with unease. "This is absurd," she said, shaking her head.
The driver glanced at her briefly, then returned his focus to the road, saying nothing.
Suddenly, the radio on the dashboard crackled to life, filling the bus with static.
"Joshua, come in. Joshua, do you copy?"
The driver leaned forward, his expression hardening. "This is Joshua. What's going on?"
The reply came through fragmented but unmistakably urgent.
"Bus Six… tire blowout… accident… Code Red. Repeat, Code Red!"
The words hit the bus like a shockwave. Gasps erupted from the students as they turned to each other in fear.
"An accident?" Sansa whispered, her hand covering her mouth.
Arthur's body stiffened, his hands clenching the edge of his seat. His heart sank as a single name escaped his lips, barely audible.
"Lyla."