April 20, 2030
The first rays of the morning sun slipped gently through the curtains of a quiet house, casting a warm golden glow across the room.
Everything was still.
The only sound breaking the silence was the soft hum of electronic devices.
A young man slept soundly with his phone resting beside his pillow.
Suddenly, the screen lit up.
A notification from his calendar app appeared.
“My Birthday.”
The lock screen also displayed the time.
07:00 A.M.
Beneath it were several messages that had arrived throughout the night.
“Happy birthday, idiot.”
“Hope you’re ready for today.
I planned the whole day.”
“Happy Birthday, Algeni.”
Algeni slowly opened his eyes as the morning light partially illuminated his room.
He rubbed his face tiredly before letting out a quiet groan.
“Eh…
is it morning already?
I feel like I barely slept…
and that dream again…
mmm…”
Another notification drew his attention.
“Who could that be?” he wondered as he reached for his phone.
He silently read through the messages for a few seconds.
“Right…
today’s my birthday,” he sighed.
Leaning back against the headboard, he let out another long breath.
“Maybe the guys have something planned for me.”
His gaze drifted toward a framed photograph resting on a small table against the wall.
The moment he saw it, his expression softened.
“Mom…
Dad…
your son is finally a grown man.
I really wish you could see me,” he said quietly, his voice filled with nostalgia.
For several long moments, he simply stared at the picture as melancholy settled over him.
“But…
you can’t have everything you want in this world.”
Another notification echoed from his phone, pulling him away from his thoughts.
“Right…
I need to wake him up,” he muttered.
He climbed out of bed and walked down the hallway.
The wooden floorboards creaked softly beneath his footsteps as he approached another bedroom.
Without hesitation, he threw the door open and shouted,
“How long are you planning to sleep?
Don’t forget we’re meeting up with the guys!”
Alejandro shifted beneath his blankets before answering in a sleepy voice.
“Huh…?
It’s morning already?
That fast?”
“Come on, get up before I have to throw a bucket of water on you,” Algeni warned with a smirk.
“I’m getting up…
Geez, sometimes you’re more annoying than my parents,” Alejandro replied, pulling a pillow over his face.
“You know I don’t like waking up early either, but we’re meeting the guys, and they’ve been planning this for an entire week,” Algeni explained as he crossed his arms.
Alejandro let out a long yawn before slowly sitting up.
“Alright, I’ll go take a shower…
but I hope we do something like this on my birthday too.”
“Sure, I’ll see what we can do.
But go shower now—you take forever once you get in there.”
Alejandro stuck out his tongue like a child and shot back,
“I’ll stay in the bathroom as long as I want.”
Algeni simply shook his head and sighed once more.
“God…
give me patience with this idiot,” he muttered before leaving the room.
Two Hours Later
The city streets were alive with people moving in every direction.
Engines rumbled, conversations filled the air, and the sounds of everyday life blended into a constant buzz.
Amid all the activity, Algeni sprinted down the sidewalk as fast as he could.
“We’re late!
Why did you spend so long in the shower?” he shouted without slowing down.
Running beside him with far less urgency, Alejandro answered between breaths,
“I like taking showers…
the water’s what actually wakes me up.
Besides, why are we even running?
It’s your birthday.
The party doesn’t start until you get there.”
“You idiot!
Have you looked at the time?
We’re already two hours late!
What do you think?” Algeni exclaimed.
“We’re almost there.
Just one more corner,” Alejandro assured him.
A few moments later, the two of them reached the shopping mall.
Its massive glass entrance reflected the morning sunlight while dozens of people streamed in and out of the building, filling the place with energy.
“We finally made it,” Algeni said, exhausted, bending over slightly as he tried to catch his breath.
“I haven’t run this much since Ivan’s insane training sessions,” Alejandro joked with a laugh.
As his breathing slowly returned to normal, Algeni scanned the bustling crowd, searching for his friends among the sea of people.
His birthday had only just begun, and although none of them realized it yet, this ordinary day was about to change their lives forever.
The city streets were alive with people moving in every direction.
The constant roar of passing cars blended with countless conversations, creating the familiar rhythm of a busy morning.
Amid all the activity, Algeni sprinted down the sidewalk at full speed, weaving through pedestrians with visible urgency.
“We’re already late!
Why did you take so long in the bathroom?” he shouted over his shoulder without slowing down.
Running beside him at a much more relaxed pace, Alejandro answered between breaths,
“I like taking showers…
the feeling of the water is what really wakes me up.
Besides, why are we even running?
It’s your birthday.
Nothing’s going to start until you get there.”
“You idiot!
Haven’t you looked at the time?
We’re already two hours late!
Why do you think we’re running?” Algeni exclaimed in disbelief.
“We’re almost there.
Just one more corner,” Alejandro replied confidently.
A few seconds later, the two of them arrived at the shopping mall.
Its towering glass entrance reflected the bright daylight while dozens of shoppers streamed in and out of the building.
Laughter, chatter, and the sounds of automatic doors filled the bustling entrance.
“We finally made it,” Algeni said, exhausted, bending forward as he tried to catch his breath.
“I haven’t run this much since Ivan’s insane training sessions,” Alejandro joked with a tired grin.
While recovering from the sprint, Algeni scanned the crowd, searching for his friends among the sea of people.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind them.
“The birthday boy finally decided to show up.”
Algeni and Alejandro turned around at the same time.
“Hahaha, Pearn!
It’s you!
Sorry we’re late.
Someone spent way too long in the shower,” Algeni said with a smile.
As he spoke, he discreetly glanced at Polar, who simply looked up at the ceiling as if he hadn’t heard a single word.
“You and Polar never change, do you?” Pearn said with an amused smile.
“Come on, Ivan and Yeremi are waiting for us.”
“Ivan and Yeremi?
How long have they been here?” Algeni asked.
“A lot longer than you two.
Hahaha.”
“Yeah, yeah.
Very funny.”
“Well, you practically handed me that joke,” Pearn replied, laughing.
The three of them made their way through the mall’s wide corridors.
Bright storefronts lined both sides of the hallway, colorful signs competed for attention, and the delicious aroma of food drifting from the food court filled the air.
As they walked, Algeni noticed a young boy holding both of his parents’ hands.
The simple image caused a faint sadness to appear in his eyes.
Pearn caught the change in his friend’s expression almost immediately.
Realizing exactly what Algeni was thinking, he quickly changed the subject before the mood could become awkward.
“Well, we’ve got a pretty packed schedule today, so we’d better get started.”
Algeni quietly looked away from the family and nodded.
“You’re right.
Let’s go before Ivan decides to punish us.”
Just then, another voice echoed from the opposite side of the shopping mall.
“Wouldn’t you happen to be the ones who took forever?”
Algeni looked up and immediately recognized Ivan.
“Hey, Ivan!
Long time no see!
How’ve you been?” he greeted enthusiastically.
“I’m doing fine, but let’s get moving.
Yeremi’s been waiting for us in the car for an hour already.
He’s going to kill us,” Ivan replied.
“Let’s just hope his inner devil doesn’t come out,” Algeni joked.
Everyone burst into laughter.
None of them noticed the unseen presence watching them silently from afar.
“Holy crap!
Yeremi fell asleep in the car,” Ivan suddenly exclaimed.
“So…
how do we wake him up?” Algeni asked.
“What if we scare him?” Polar suggested.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“One!” Algeni counted.
“Two!” Ivan continued.
“Three!” Pearn finished.
All of them shouted at the top of their lungs.
Yeremi didn’t move an inch.
“Wow…
that’s what you call a heavy sleeper,” Algeni commented.
Everyone started laughing.
Eventually, the sound of their laughter finally woke him up.
“Huh…?
You guys are here already?” Yeremi asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes.
“Just got here,” Algeni replied.
A few moments later, everyone climbed into the car.
“So, where are we going first?” Algeni asked.
Pearn gave him a mysterious smile.
“The real question is…
where aren’t we going?”
“But that’s not even what I as—”
“Let’s go!” everyone shouted at the same time.
For the rest of the day, they traveled across much of the city together.
They visited an amusement park, where Algeni and Pearn nearly threw up after riding several extreme attractions.
Meanwhile, Yeremi and Ivan sat peacefully on a bench enjoying ice cream, while Polar spent his time dominating the shooting gallery games.
Later, they visited a museum, where they struck ridiculous poses for pictures and ended up drawing the attention of several amused visitors.
By the end of the day, they found themselves at a bar, eating, laughing, and drinking until they were completely drunk.
9:00 P.M.
Night had fallen completely.
Darkness stretched across the landscape as Ivan’s car cruised down a strangely deserted highway.
The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the empty asphalt ahead while towering mountains stood silently on both sides of the road, their shadows swallowing everything beyond the reach of the light.
Inside the vehicle, Polar, Ivan, and Pearn were completely drunk after having far too many beers.
The laughter from earlier had faded, leaving behind the peaceful silence of the long drive home.
“I’m glad you didn’t drink,” Algeni remarked as he looked over at Yeremi.
“You know my mom never let me drink, so I’m used to it,” Yeremi replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the dark highway ahead.
“And…
how’s your mom doing?”
The atmosphere inside the car immediately grew heavier.
The cheerful mood from earlier faded, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.
“The doctor told us to prepare for the worst.”
Algeni lowered his gaze.
“I’m…
sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t worry about it right now,” Yeremi said with a faint smile.
“Today’s your birthday.”
“Alright…
but remember, if anything happens, you can talk to any of us.”
Yeremi smiled warmly.
“Of course.
I know I can count on you guys no matter what.”
Silence settled over the car once again.
The only sounds were the steady hum of the engine and the tires rolling across the empty highway.
Outside, darkness stretched endlessly beyond the headlights, swallowing everything beyond their reach.
After several quiet minutes, Yeremi glanced at Algeni, who was staring absentmindedly through the passenger-side window.
“You still haven’t gotten over what happened to your parents…
have you?” he asked softly.
A freezing sensation ran through Algeni’s body.
His breathing caught.
A blurry memory suddenly flashed through his mind.
“Algeni…
run…
ru—”
“Are you okay?” Yeremi asked immediately after noticing his expression.
“Sorry…
I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
“Don’t worry…” Algeni replied in a quiet voice.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?
You know we—…
Wait…
what’s that?”
Yeremi’s tone changed instantly.
Algeni looked up and followed the direction Yeremi was staring.
A lone figure stood perfectly still in the middle of the road.
“Yeremi…
hit the brakes.”
Yeremi slammed his foot onto the brake pedal.
“I can’t…
the brakes aren’t working!”
The sudden panic immediately woke Pearn, Polar, and Ivan.
“What the hell’s going on?!” Ivan shouted.
Algeni’s eyes darted across their surroundings, searching desperately for another option.
On one side of the road was a massive cliff.
On the other stood the opposite lane, a steep mountainside…
…and a single tree.
They had almost no options left.
“Yeremi!
Crash into that tree!” Algeni shouted.
“That’s in the opposite lane!
It could be even more dangerous!” Yeremi replied, panic filling his voice.
“Does it matter?!
We can’t stop, and there’s someone standing right in front of us!”
Yeremi clenched his teeth until his jaw hurt.
“Everyone…
brace yourselves!
This is going to hurt!”
He yanked the steering wheel.
BANG!
The car slammed violently into the tree.
The trunk split apart under the tremendous impact as the vehicle came to a smoking stop in the middle of the highway.
For a brief moment…
Everything was silent.
“Is everyone okay?” Algeni asked while quickly checking himself for injuries.
“I’m okay,” Yeremi answered.
“I’m fine too.
Just a small bump,” Ivan said as he rubbed the back of his head.
“I’m alright,” Polar added while taking a deep breath through the open window.
Pearn was also unharmed, although he looked noticeably dizzy.
Then Algeni remembered the person standing in the middle of the road.
He turned toward the windshield.
But before anyone could react…
A gigantic truck burst into view at terrifying speed.
It was moving far beyond the legal speed limit.
Algeni saw it perfectly.
And, for him…
Time stopped.
The world lost all of its color.
Everything became black and white, as though reality itself had been drained of life.
An icy chill flowed through his veins.
Breathing suddenly became difficult.
Heavy.
Slow.
For the first time in his life, a single breath felt as though it lasted forever.
The truck continued racing toward them.
Despite its unbelievable speed, it seemed to move in slow motion through Algeni’s eyes.
He tried to warn the others.
He tried to speak.
He tried to scream.
But…
Nothing came out.
The collision…
…was inevitable.
The truck crashed into the car.
A deafening explosion echoed across the deserted highway, bouncing from mountain to mountain before disappearing into the vast forest beyond.
Flocks of crows burst from the trees, their frantic cries shattering the silence of the night as they scattered into the dark sky.
High atop one of the surrounding mountains, hidden beneath the cover of darkness…
A shadowy figure watched the entire scene without saying a single word.
A slow smile spread across its face.