Chapter 7: The Falling Scaffold
The day after her session with Madame Zephyra, Sienna found herself in her room, staring at the crystal ball as if it held all the secrets of the universe. Since the vision of Farrah, she could feel the crystal’s energy more clearly, a faint hum at the edge of her thoughts. Madame Zephyra had told her the visions would come when they chose, but Sienna couldn’t shake the feeling that something was just on the horizon.
She sighed, pushing the crystal away.
“Nothing,” she muttered. “Guess I can’t force it.”
Just then, her phone buzzed with a text from Garner.
How are you holding up? No more weird visions?
Sienna quickly replied.
Not yet. Just hoping one will come soon, though. 
Garner: You know, "hoping" for visions isn’t exactly normal, Sienna. But if it helps, I’m here.
Sienna couldn’t help but smile. Garner was steady, always ready to support her, even as they ventured further into this strange world of visions and danger. She was typing her reply when a strange sensation washed over her—a tingling that started in her fingertips and spread through her entire body.
Her hand stopped mid-text as her eyes glazed over. The room seemed to melt away, and an image took its place—a construction site, tall scaffolding rising into the air, and a man in a hard hat, high up, balancing carefully on a narrow platform.
Suddenly, a metal bar came loose from the structure, shifting dangerously. The worker didn’t notice, his focus on his task as he leaned forward, his hand reaching out just as the scaffold began to sway…
“No!” Sienna gasped, jolting out of the vision. She blinked, heart racing, the image seared into her mind. She had to do something.
She quickly dialed Garner’s number, her voice urgent when he picked up.
“Garner! I had another vision. A construction worker is going to fall from a scaffold—it’s loose, and he doesn’t see it!”
Garner was silent for a beat before his voice steadied.
“Okay. Where is this happening? Did you see anything that could tell us the location?”
Sienna took a deep breath, trying to recall every detail.
“It was a high-rise construction site. There was a banner in the background… it said ‘Oakwood Towers’—I think that’s downtown.”
“That site is just a few blocks away from here,” Garner said, already moving.
“I’ll meet you there. Let’s go now.”
---
Ten minutes later, Sienna and Garner were racing through the bustling city streets. Sienna’s heart pounded, the urgency in her vision driving her forward. They turned a corner, and the massive construction site loomed in the distance, scaffolding stretching skyward like a metal skeleton against the sky.
“There!” Sienna pointed, her voice shaky.
They hurried past the yellow caution tape, rushing toward the nearest worker they could find, who looked surprised to see two teenagers running onto the site.
“Hey, you two!” the worker called, blocking their path.
“You’re not allowed here—this area’s restricted!”
Garner stepped forward, his voice calm but urgent.
“Please, listen. One of your men is in danger. There’s a loose scaffold, and someone’s going to fall if we don’t warn them.”
The worker looked at them skeptically, hands on his hips.
“A loose scaffold? Look, kids, we have safety checks here—”
Sienna interrupted, her voice trembling. “Please, just check! I saw him in my—” She stopped herself. “I mean, I just know he’s up there, and he’s in danger. He doesn’t see it.”
The man looked at them, clearly unsure, but something in Sienna’s eyes seemed to convince him. He grabbed his radio and spoke urgently into it. “Tom, do you copy?”
A crackle of static followed, then a voice replied,
“This is Tom. Go ahead.”
“We’ve got a report of a loose scaffold on your level. Can you check it out, just to be safe?”
A pause, then Tom replied,
“Will do, though I haven’t noticed anything yet.”
Sienna felt her pulse racing as they watched the exchange. In the distance, she could see a figure near the top of the scaffold, cautiously stepping around to inspect it.
“Tom, you see anything?” the worker called.
Another pause. Then Tom’s voice came through, tense. “Actually… you might be right. There’s a loose bar here, looks like it’s about to—”
A loud creak filled the air, and the scaffold shifted dangerously, the bar sliding from its place.
“Oh no,” Sienna whispered, eyes wide.
They could see Tom struggling to keep his balance, his arms flailing as he reached for the edge of the scaffold. He managed to catch onto a nearby rail, but his grip was slipping.
“Help! I’m losing my grip!” Tom’s voice came through the radio, filled with panic.
The worker who had stopped them sprinted toward the ladder, shouting into his radio. “Hold on, Tom! We’re coming!”
Another worker on the lower level scrambled up to assist, but they were still several feet below Tom. Garner watched with wide eyes, his hands clenched into fists.
“We have to do something,” Sienna whispered, feeling helpless.
Just then, another worker appeared with a safety harness and tossed it up to Tom, who managed to latch it onto the railing with trembling hands. His grip slipped just as the harness snapped into place, preventing a deadly fall. With help from his colleagues, he was carefully lowered to the ground, his face pale and his breathing ragged.
Sienna and Garner watched as Tom, shaken but unharmed, was helped down from the platform. The worker who had stopped them earlier turned to Sienna and Garner, his expression a mix of gratitude and amazement.
“I don’t know how you two knew, but you might’ve just saved his life,” he said, nodding in respect.
Sienna swallowed hard, still reeling from the vision. “I—I just had a feeling, that’s all.”
Tom approached them, his face still pale but grateful. “You kids are something else. Thank you… thank you for warning us.”
Garner stepped forward, patting Tom on the shoulder. “Just glad you’re okay.”
Tom nodded, visibly shaken. “I didn’t think it could happen. I mean, I checked everything this morning.”
Sienna glanced at Garner, who gave her a reassuring smile. “Sometimes,” Garner said, looking back at Tom, “it’s just better to listen to gut feelings… or, in Sienna’s case, something even stronger.”
They spent a few more minutes talking with the workers, who thanked them again before directing them to leave the construction site for safety reasons.
As they stepped back onto the city street, Garner turned to Sienna, his eyes serious. “That was incredible. I mean, you just saved a man’s life, Sienna.”
Sienna bit her lip, her hands still trembling. “I don’t know how I’m doing this, Garner. It’s… it’s overwhelming.”
Garner placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Whatever it is, you’re using it to help people. That’s what matters.”
They started walking back, but Sienna’s mind was still racing with questions. “What if I hadn’t been able to stop it in time? What if next time, I don’t get there fast enough?”
Garner stopped, turning her to face him. “Sienna, you’re doing everything you can. You can’t control everything, but today, you saved someone. That’s huge.”
Sienna nodded, taking a deep breath. Garner’s words helped calm her, and she felt a flicker of confidence.
“Maybe you’re right,” she said with a faint smile. “But there’s so much I don’t understand. Madame Zephyra said I could learn to control these visions, but… it’s like every time, they come out of nowhere.”
Garner shrugged, his usual relaxed smile returning. “Then we’ll just keep figuring it out as we go. I’m with you, Sienna. Whatever happens.”
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment before Garner nudged her gently. “Come on, future-seer. Let’s grab a bite. Saving lives probably works up an appetite.”
Sienna laughed, finally feeling some of the tension lift. “All right, but you’re buying. I think I’ve earned it.” 
As they walked down the street, Sienna felt a strange sense of peace, knowing she’d made a difference today. Whatever these visions meant, she wasn’t facing them alone. And with Garner by her side, she felt ready to face whatever came next.