Chapter 2: The Nightmare Comes True
The glow of the school fair’s lights faded in Sienna’s mind, but the unsettling images from her vision refused to let go. Even as she lay in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling, she could still see glimpses of the terror-stricken faces of Garner’s family, the violent intrusion of the men, and the sorrowful eyes of his younger sister. She closed her eyes tight, willing the images away, but they lingered, flickering like ghosts.
“It was just a stupid plastic crystal ball,” she muttered to herself.
“It’s all in my head. It wasn’t real.”
But the feeling gnawed at her, deep and insistent. What if it *was* real? The thought was absurd, but the scenes had felt so vivid—so visceral. She tossed and turned, sleep coming only in fitful bursts, haunted by snatches of her strange vision.
---
Meanwhile, miles away, Garner was oblivious to Sienna’s distress. After leaving the fair, he’d returned home to the comforting normalcy of his family’s evening routine. They’d had dinner together, and now he sat in the living room with his mom, dad, and little sister, Farrah, all gathered on the sofa, laughing at a corny sitcom on TV.
“Garner, pass the popcorn!” Farrah demanded, her small hand reaching across his lap. At thirteen, Farrah was a bundle of energy, and Garner had always been the responsible older brother, protective and supportive.
Garner tossed her a piece of popcorn, aiming it at her mouth. She missed, and the piece hit her forehead before bouncing to the floor. She laughed, smacking his arm playfully.
“Hey! Do you mind?” Farrah grinned, scooping the fallen popcorn piece off the floor.
“Waste not, want not, right?”
Garner chuckled, nudging her shoulder.
“I’ll toss you one for real this time.”
Their mother, Mrs. Levens, looked over at them, shaking her head with a smile.
“You two. Honestly, it’s like having two little kids instead of one.”
Their father joined in, laughing.
“If this keeps up, I’ll have to set some house rules—no popcorn wars in the living room!”
Farrah rolled her eyes.
“Oh please, Dad, you’re the one who started it with your popcorn juggling skills.”
They all laughed, their voices filling the room with warmth and comfort. But then, suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. The entire family paused, exchanging puzzled glances.
“Who could that be at this hour?” Mrs. Levens asked, her brow furrowed.
Garner’s father shrugged, standing up.
“Probably just a neighbor. I’ll get it.”
He made his way toward the door as Garner and the rest of the family watched. When Mr. Levens opened it, his welcoming expression faded. Standing there were four men, their faces shadowed by the dim porch light. They wore dark clothes and looked rough, their eyes cold and focused.
“Can I…help you?” Mr. Levens asked, his voice tense.
Without warning, the men pushed their way inside. Garner’s dad staggered back, trying to hold them off, but one of the intruders grabbed him by the collar and forced him down to the floor.
“Dad!” Garner shouted, jumping to his feet.
“Garner, take your sister and hide!” his father yelled, struggling against the men holding him down.
Frozen in shock, Garner felt Farrah grab his hand. Her grip was tight, her eyes wide with fear. He swallowed hard, pulling her with him as they ducked behind the kitchen counter, hearts pounding. The muffled sound of his father’s struggle mixed with his mother’s frantic pleas, echoing through the house.
Garner peeked through a small gap, watching as his parents were both subdued. One of the men growled,
“Where’s the cash? We know you’ve got it.”
“We…we don’t have anything for you!” his father stammered, his voice shaking.
The man sneered, lifting his hand threateningly.
“Wrong answer.”
Farrah gasped beside Garner, her small hand clutching his even tighter. He reached out, holding her close, trying to keep her calm.
“Shh, it’s going to be okay,” he whispered, though he wasn’t sure he believed it himself.
His mother’s cries pierced the silence as she struggled against the intruders.
“Please! Let us go! We have children—please, don’t do this!”
The men ignored her, their movements cold and efficient. Suddenly, Garner’s mother locked eyes with him, a desperate, pleading look that struck him right to his core.
“Mom…” he whispered, unable to look away.
One of the men noticed Garner’s gaze and turned, his eyes narrowing. “We’ve got company.”
“Run!” Garner’s father shouted. “Run, Garner!”
Garner didn’t think twice. He grabbed Farrah, yanking her up and pulling her with him toward the back door. But just as they reached it, one of the men grabbed Farrah’s arm, pulling her back. She screamed, twisting in his grip.
“Garner!” she cried, reaching for him.
He felt a surge of panic but couldn’t break her free. “Let her go!” he shouted, trying to pry the man’s fingers from his sister.
Another man lunged toward Garner, and he dodged, barely slipping out of the way. Desperate, he let go of Farrah, turning to run as fast as he could. He looked back only once, seeing the terrified expression on Farrah’s face as the men dragged her toward the living room.
“Garner, don’t!” his mother shouted. “Run! Get help!”
He stumbled out the back door, his heart racing, breath coming in short gasps. He heard footsteps behind him—some of the men were following him. They wouldn’t stop until he was caught, he realized.
As he bolted through the neighborhood, Garner’s mind reeled with images of his family. His parents… Farrah… the looks of fear and desperation on their faces haunted him as he ran.
---
Back at home, Sienna sat up suddenly in bed, clutching her chest as a shiver ran through her. She felt a strange, piercing pain—like an echo of fear. Garner’s face appeared in her mind, followed by the flickering images of shadowy figures and the sound of desperate shouts.
She grabbed her phone, hesitating. She didn’t even have Garner’s number. Who could she call? Should she go to his house?
“Calm down, Sienna,” she muttered. “It was just a weird vision…right?”
But deep down, she knew. It wasn’t just her imagination. The vision had been real. And somewhere out there, Garner was in danger.
---
Garner sprinted down the empty streets, barely daring to glance back. He could still hear the heavy footsteps of the men following him. His pulse thundered in his ears, each step pounding out a beat of pure terror.
“Come on, kid!” one of them called out, his voice mocking. “You’re only making this harder on yourself.”
Ignoring them, Garner ducked into a narrow alleyway, pressing himself against the wall, hoping they would pass him by. He waited, every nerve on edge, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
He could hear them, just a few yards away. They stopped, murmuring to each other.
“He’s gotta be around here somewhere,” one of the men grumbled.
“Let’s split up,” another replied. “He couldn’t have gone far.”
Garner’s heart sank. He knew it was only a matter of time before they found him. He needed a plan—fast.
His mind raced, desperately trying to remember anything that could help. Then, suddenly, he remembered Sienna’s strange fortune-telling booth. Her eyes had been filled with genuine concern when she’d told him about her vision, but he’d brushed it off, laughing. Now, her words echoed in his mind with chilling clarity.
“This can’t be happening,” he whispered. But it was. Everything Sienna had seen was coming true.
Pushing himself off the wall, Garner ran through the alley, sticking close to the shadows. He took winding routes, weaving through darkened backyards, climbing over fences, and ducking behind bushes. At last, he found himself near the edge of the neighborhood, the sounds of his pursuers fading.
He stopped to catch his breath, leaning against a fence, and glanced around. His body was shaking with exhaustion and fear, but he couldn’t stop. He didn’t know who else might be watching or where the men might reappear.
“Think, Garner,” he muttered to himself. “You need help. You can’t do this alone.”
And as he stood there, the cold night air seeping into his skin, a single name popped into his head. Sienna. She was the only person who knew. She’d seen it before it even happened, somehow. Maybe she could help him.
Gathering what little strength he had left, he began making his way in the direction of her house, hoping against hope that she’d be awake—and willing to believe him.
---
As Garner trudged on, Sienna sat by her bedroom window, still feeling a gnawing worry in her chest. She couldn’t shake the sense that something was terribly wrong.
Then, her phone vibrated with a text. It was from Kayla:
*Hey, you awake? You’re not gonna believe this, but someone just saw Garner running through the neighborhood like he’s being chased. Weird, right?*