Scarred - Luke Hemmings (completed)

Thirty Eight

Luke's POV

I shot up in bed with a start, a strangled cry forming in my throat, struggling to escape as I saw the bed I was in, the room I was in.

My room from my family home two years ago.

I reached out blindly for Ellie, frowning once I saw an empty space beside me, but then again she never saw this house, she wouldn't know this house so why would she be here?

This house no longer exists, so why and more importantly how am I here? Is this a dream?

I stepped out of the bed hesitating once I saw my favourite Star Wars pyjama pants and dark blue carpet beneath my feet, I don't understand?

"Luke, are you awake?" A voice I had yearned to hear again for almost two years, called out.

I shot out of bed, trying not to trip over the covers as they fell to the ground and ran out of my bedroom, colliding with my dad and Jack who were stood just outside my door, throwing my arms around them instantly.

"Woah Luke, why so clingy, it's like you've not seen us for years," Jack chuckled, patting my shoulder.

"I-I-I haven't well, I mean it is?" I babbled, my eyes filling with tears once I saw their matching expressions of confusion.

"Yeah, you missed us that much already bro?" Ben laughed, appearing beside them both, watching me curiously, "You were sat with us not even an hour ago eating dinner,"

"You ok son? I'll stay here tonight with you and not go to your parents evening if you like, I know Ben and Jack are out tonight but your mum can go alone if need must," I shook my head, not wanting for her to go alone.

"I'll be fine, just a dream that shook me up a little, you all go ahead," I nodded smiling as they went back downstairs slowly

I don't understand what the hell is going on, how am I back here? My family are all here, they're attending my parents evening yet I haven't been to a public school in two years, "Wait Jack, where's Ellie?"

"I don't know who Ellie is Luke," he shook his head, clearly not following, "She your girlfriend or something?"

"No, ummm a girl I tutor, never mind," I mumbled, and satisfied with my answer they nodded.

The confusion on Jack and Bens face was evident.

But so was the shock realisation on my fathers.

•••

"Luke, before I go, can I ask who Ellie is?" My fathers face was one of concern, for me but clearly also for himself.

"You don't need to ask a question when you already know the answer dad," I sighed, glancing at the floor before casting one to the side where the rest of my family sat in the car waiting for him. Ben and Jack being dropped off at their college party before mum and dad went to my school.

"I want to know how you know though, how do you know about Ellie? Or more specifically Lucas and Mrs Matthews?" He lowered his voice, cautious about speaking too loudly of his past. We moved away from the car and toward the front lawn.

"I- I don't know, it's just one minute I'm living this life, that had pretty much all gone wrong from this night actually and then I was dreaming up things where I'm eighteen and Ellie is there and now I've woken up and it's all a dream and I'm back to here but your reaction to what I'm saying tells me some parts were real so I'm very confused and-"

"Luke, if what you're saying is you've lived two years of your life in a dream, it wasn't a dream son. I can tell you that for sure," he bit his lip, glancing around in deep thought before facing me again, "Look, it was a vision, you've foresaw your life, one that if you've met Ellie in, you've shared with her," he coughed before continuing, "Let's say it's a gift you've inherited from both me and your mother,"

"Wait what? What am I? A fucking superhero?" I laughed, not believing it at all but also not being able to not to at the same time, "So all that's going to happen?" I frowned, not following. "Cause I've seen some awful things. I've experienced some awful things,"

"Yes," my dad watched me sadly, his eyes told a story I'd never fully understand, just like he'd never understand what I've been through or apparently, was going to soon.

"Can I change some of them?" My voice was unsteady, "Can I stop some of it from happening?"

"Most of the time no, why what things have you experienced that you wish to change?" My dad scrunched his eyebrows together, clearly seeing my distress at everything I was learning. That everything I'd lived since I was sixteen, I hadn't actually lived. Well I had but in my subconscious dreams or something, I didn't understand at all.

"Well, Ellie," I sighed, just saying her name bought me unmeasurable pain because I didn't know her in this life, everything we've experienced together. Hasn't even happened yet. Our escape den wasn't ours, our education and friendships were built on future events that wouldn't even occur for years. The Ellie I loved, wasn't mine to live in the reality we faced. "You see, she lost Lucas, well loses him I guess, in a car accident. Tragically and she saw the whole thing and Mr Matthews upon planning his funeral finds out the truth about Lucas's paternity and in- in a jealous rage, he kills you all. Burns you all in this very house I don't want to lose you all again," I began crying, everything suddenly becoming too much, seeing my family again after not having them for two years, then having them here again because in reality, they were never dead. All of this odd subconscious living that seems too unrealistic but is somehow real? I hit my limit.

"We need to find Ellie then son," my dad soothed, patting me on the back as I cried, "I need to call Natalie, make sure Lucas is okay,"

"Dad, what's the date?" I asked, realising that if I were still sixteen, and they were going to my parents evening. It was August. August was the month that everyone we love, dies.

"It's the twentieth son why?" My dad frowned as he saw my panic arise, my breathing hitched and my heart slammed in my chest, as I was demanding to know the time, right down to the minute, "It's eight thirty Luke why? What's happening?"

"Lucas dies today, he dies at nine fifteen dad we need to leave now!"

Please make it, please.