Sixteen-year-old Aiden Cole lived an ordinary life. School, gaming, and hanging out with his foxhole buddies. He never imagined anything abnormal could ever happen to him. But one night, at exactly 11:11 PM, his old phone buzzed. 1 New Message from an Unknown shone among the notifications of various social media apps.
"Oh! No, don't go to the bridge tomorrow. Trust me."
Aiden stared at the screen, pondering, “Who would send such a message?” Before he could respond, another message appeared.
"I…I…I’m exactly you. I can’t explain now, but cancelling the bridge walk will save your life."
His breath stuck in mid-air as he read the texts in the last message. “Me? It sounded like a sick prank.” He tried to call the number, but it didn’t exist.
The next day, curiosity won. Instead of avoiding the bridge… he walked towards it. Though the morning was cloudy, he was lost in curiosity’s boiling heat. Everything seemed normal. He leaned on the railing, shaking his head, at how foolish he had felt then.
Then, the world around him became topsy-turvy. A loud screech echoed across the bustling road. A truck lost control due to the slippery surface, smashing towards the exact spot where Aiden was standing. He jumped back instinctively. The truck smashed the railing—splinters burst everywhere. Aiden fell to the ground, heart pounding like a racing train. If he had been two steps forward… he would have gone over the edge.
Shaking, he grabbed his phone and texted: “Who are you?”
A reply came instantly.
"Someone who couldn’t save you the first time."
His blood turned cold as he gazed at the message. However, Aiden’s blue eyes filled with tears. Someone had reached across time… just to save him. But still his mind was in a loop, trying to find out who he was.
Striking his smoking mind, the final message arrived:
"Live differently now. Don’t hide. Don’t be afraid. The future is yours to rewrite."
When he looked for the phone number from which it came, the phone number space just showed “Hidden”, sharpening his curiosity as well as confusion.
At last, he just looked once again into the empty sky, while his eyes mirrored the stains of both surprise and relief. Once again, the phone buzzed.
1 New Message from an Unknown:
“I’m you”.
