The Message arrived at 11:59 p.m.
Maya was already in bed when her
phone lit up.
Uaknown number: "Don't go tomorrow."
She frowned.
Tomorrow was important. Tomorrow
she was leaving her small twon forever
– new city, new university, new life, She
hed been waiting for this day for eayrs.
She typed baek:
Who is this?
Three dots appeared instantly.
You"ll regret it.
Her heart started pounding. It had to be
a prank. Maybe on of her friends trying
to csare her.
She called the numder.
It rang once.
Then twice.
Then someone picked.
But there was on breathing. no voice.
only silence – and then a whiaper:
"Stay."
The call ended.
Maya didnbt sleep that night.
The next morning, she told herself she
was being ridiculous she packed her
bags, hugged her mother, and stepped
outside toward the texi waiting by the
gate.
Her phone buzzed again.
Last chance.
Her hands trembled. Anger replaced
fear.
"This is stupid," she muttered. "I' m not
Scared."
She got into the texi.
Halfway down the highway, traffic
slowed.
Then stopped.
Sirens screamed in the distence.
The driver stepped out to check.
Minutes later, he returned, pale.
"Ther's been an accident," he said
quietly. "A bus crashed about five miles
ahead."
Maya's stomach dropped.
"That's... that's the bus I was supposed
to take," she whispered.
She quickly grabbed her phone and
dialed the unknown number.
This time, someone answered.
Her own voice spoke back.
Soft. Clam. Almost sad.
"I told you not to go."
The line went dead.
Maya stared ar her reflection in the bark
screen.
There were on more messages.
No more calls.
Only one terrifying realization–
She had just avoided the future that was
supposed to happen.
And somewhere, somehow...
another version of her hadn't.
Writer... Tasneem