Chapter 3 — Something Isn't Right

  "You shouldn't be here yet."

  The voice echoed in the darkness.

  Then—

  RING! RING! RING!

  Aarav's eyes snapped open.

  He gasped and sat up suddenly.

  His heart was racing.

  His room slowly came into focus.

  His bed.

  His desk.

  His messy room.

  Morning sunlight coming through the window.

  And his phone still ringing on the table.

  "...What?"

  Aarav blinked several times.

  He looked down at his hands.

  Then touched his chest.

  Pain.

  A dull ache spread across his ribs.

  Aarav frowned.

  "Why does my chest hurt…?"

  The phone kept ringing.

  RING. RING.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Still half confused, Aarav grabbed it and put it to his ear.

  "Hello…"

  A loud voice exploded from the other side.

  "FINALLY!"

  Aarav moved the phone slightly away from his ear.

  "Dude, where are you?" his friend shouted. "We're already at the metro station!"

  Aarav slowly looked around his room again.

  "...Metro station?"

  "Yes, metro station! School? Remember that place where students suffer daily?"

  Aarav rubbed his eyes.

  "Oh… right."

  His friend groaned.

  "Don't tell me you just woke up."

  Aarav checked the time on his phone.

  "...Maybe."

  "YOU IDIOT!"

  Aarav sighed and stretched lazily.

  "Relax. I'm coming."

  His friend continued ranting.

  "You said you'd come early today! I trusted you!"

  "That was your first mistake," Aarav replied calmly.

  His friend went silent for a moment.

  "...You know what? Fair."

  The call ended.

  Aarav slowly stood up from his bed.

  The moment he straightened his back—

  Pain shot through his chest.

  "Ow!"

  He held his ribs.

  "...Why does it actually hurt?"

  Aarav walked toward the mirror.

  He lifted his shirt slightly.

  No injuries.

  No bruises.

  Nothing.

  But the pain was definitely real.

  Aarav stared at his reflection.

  "...That dream again."

  The ruined city flashed briefly in his mind.

  The monster.

  The impact.

  The voice.

  "You shouldn't be here yet."

  Aarav quickly shook his head.

  "Nope. Not dealing with this in the morning."

  He grabbed his bag and rushed out of the room.

  ---

  Later.

  At the metro station.

  His two friends were waiting.

  The moment Aarav arrived, one of them punched his shoulder lightly.

  "Finally decided to show up?"

  "Ouch!" Aarav complained. "Violence first thing in the morning?"

  His second friend crossed his arms.

  "You deserve it. We thought you died or something."

  Aarav raised an eyebrow.

  "Wow. Such caring friends."

  "Obviously," his friend said. "If you die, who will copy our homework?"

  They started walking toward school together.

  Everything felt normal.

  Almost too normal.

  Aarav tried to ignore the strange feeling in his chest.

  But the dream kept returning to his mind.

  The monster.

  The ruined world.

  And that voice.

  "You shouldn't be here yet."

  ---

  At school.

  Classes passed slowly.

  Teachers talked.

  Students complained.

  Nothing unusual.

  Yet Aarav couldn't focus.

  During lunch break, he stood near the classroom window.

  Looking outside.

  Something felt… off.

  For a brief second—

  The world outside the window flickered.

  Aarav blinked.

  The school building across the yard suddenly appeared broken.

  Ruined.

  Just like the city in his dream.

  Then it disappeared.

  Everything returned to normal.

  Aarav froze.

  "...Okay."

  He rubbed his eyes.

  "I seriously need more sleep."

  His friend walked up behind him.

  "Bro, why are you staring outside like the main character of a sad anime?"

  Aarav sighed.

  "Because my life is tragic."

  His friend snorted.

  "Your biggest problem is being single."

  Aarav looked offended.

  "That is a serious problem."

  ---

  Later that night.

  Aarav lay on his bed again.

  Staring at the ceiling.

  The room was quiet.

  But his mind wasn't.

  The dream.

  The pain.

  The strange vision at school.

  None of it made sense.

  Aarav placed his hands behind his head.

  "...What if it wasn't just a dream?"

  He immediately shook his head.

  "No way."

  Then he smirked slightly.

  "...Unless some anime god notice

  d me."

  He laughed softly.

  "Yeah right."

  He closed his eyes.

  "But if you're planning to send me to another world..."

  Aarav yawned.

  "At least give me cool powers."

  Within minutes, sleep took him again.

  And far away—

  In a ruined city—

  Something was already waiting.