I Don't Want To Go Back. (3)

Chapter 9

Elijah couldn't sleep that night.

His mind was racing, filled with worry about whether he could win tomorrow.

The night was silent, and as he glanced to the side, he saw his sister sleeping peacefully not far from his bed.

Breathing heavily, his heart raced, and sweat began to form on his brow.

He muttered to himself, "What's going on with me?"

Before he realized it, he was in a white, empty space.

There, he saw Alter Elijah sitting casually nearby. "Why are you afraid?" Alter Elijah asked.

Elijah clutched his chest and replied, "Is that why my heart is beating like this?"

Alter Elijah shrugged and said, "The heart beats for many reasons, and it lies. It's hard to understand it."

Elijah felt his heart pounding so loudly it seemed deafening. "Is there a way to stop this?" he asked.

Alter Elijah stood and looked directly at him. "Yeah."

"How?" Elijah pressed.

"You're the only one who can help yourself," Alter Elijah replied.

"But aren't you me?" Elijah argued. "Can't you do something to help me? This feeling—it's not good."

Alter Elijah stepped closer and looked deep into Elijah's eyes. "It's just an 'if,' not reality."

Elijah's expression turned confused as Alter Elijah explained,

"Don't live in the future. If you do, you'll see all the bad outcomes you're imagining, and they'll stop you from doing what you made Kai do."

"Yes, but what if…" Elijah started.

"Don't say 'if,'" Alter Elijah interrupted.

"'If' is for people who don't know what they want. You said it yourself—you're doing this to prove that you're not the same person you were before."

Elijah nodded slowly. Alter Elijah then asked, "What are you feeling?"

Elijah hesitated. "I don't know."

Alter Elijah repeated, "Elijah, what are you feeling?"

"I don't know," Elijah said again.

"Elijah!" Alter Elijah's voice rang out, pulling him from the white space.

He awoke to find it was already morning.

Apparently, he had fallen asleep.

With a sigh, Elijah stood and left the room.

He found Amy preparing breakfast while their mother, Lisa, sat at the table, looking over some papers.

"It's strange to see you still here, Mom," Elijah commented.

Lisa glanced up and smiled gently. "Good morning, dear."

"Good morning, Mom. Morning to you too, Amy," Elijah said as he sat down.

Amy placed the food on the table and asked, "Why were you talking in your sleep?"

Elijah's face turned red. "What did I say?" he asked, embarrassed.

"Not sure," Amy replied. "It sounded like a child trying to speak but couldn't."

Lisa chuckled and asked, "You look like you've healed up, but are you ready to go to school?"

Elijah hesitated.

He didn't want to face Kai or the others in his gang, especially knowing the fear that gnawed at him.

He thought about telling Kai to send someone else in his place.

Suddenly, a notification appeared before him:

[Ding!!]

[Mission: Fight today.]

[Reward: Understanding yourself.]

[Penalty: Reverting to your old self and losing Alter Elijah.]

Seeing this, Elijah was conflicted. He finally said, "I won't go today. Maybe tomorrow."

Lisa nodded. "Then could you take your sister to school?"

Amy protested, "I can walk on my own!"

Lisa frowned. "No, that area has been reported to have gang fights and kidnappings. Your brother will take you, and you'll come back with Elizabeth's mom's car, okay?"

Amy lowered her head. "Okay."

Elijah chuckled to himself. "It's been a while since we've all sat at the table together."

Later, after dropping Amy off at school, Elijah didn't work out as usual.

Instead, he sat on a bench in the middle of the street, lost in thought.

He watched as some men entered a store, took whatever they wanted, and even stole the shopkeeper's hard-earned money before leaving.

The shopkeeper quietly began putting everything back in its place, his face filled with sadness.

Elijah sighed, thinking, 'Those guys do whatever they want without considering how their actions affect others.'

He leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment.

Soon, someone sat beside him.

Elijah opened his eyes to see a dark-skinned man with black hair and eyes staring across the street at the store.

Suspecting he might be a gang member, Elijah ignored him, though the idea of moving away didn't cross his mind.

"Hey, kid," the man called out.

Elijah turned to him with his red eyes. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Not really. Just wondering—your mom's name is Lisa, right?" the man asked.

"Yes, it is," Elijah replied.

"That explains the hair and eyes," the man said. "But you look more like your dad, with your chocolate skin and face."

"You knew my dad?" Elijah asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I was shocked when I saw you. For a second, I thought it was your dad, like time travel or something."

"I don't think that's possible," Elijah said.

The man smirked. "Plenty of things exist in this world that shouldn't. Who knows?"

Elijah thought the man might be crazy but asked, "What do you know about my dad?"

Shaking his head, Elijah said, "Other than that he was shot, I don't know much."

The man took a drag from his cigarette and said, "Your dad was confident, heroic—and an idiot.

Not that he wasn't smart, but his actions were reckless.

He wanted to protect everyone in the neighborhood from gang violence.

He and his friends formed a group to drive out the gangs.

Your father was strong, with the potential to be even more. But he didn't want power—only peace.

He and his friends started a company and made good money.

But when they refused to pay off the gangs, trouble began.

Eventually, they pushed the gangs too far.

A larger gang came to his factory and shot him in the head.

They tried to go after your mom, but no one knew who she was married to except me and a few others.

The gang took everything your father had built. Before he died, he'd always say, 'Protect my corp.' Whatever that meant."

The man paused, taking another drag. "Your dad thought he could change this city without lifting a weapon.

But look where it got him—leaving his kids to be cared for by their mother.

You're lucky she's protected, or she might have been taken advantage of."

"She's protected?" Elijah asked.

The man didn't reply to that but asked, "Anyway, you seem down. What's on your mind?"

After a moment's hesitation, Elijah shared his worries about Jack, the gang, and the fight scheduled for today.

The man chuckled. "Like father, like son, huh?"

Elijah lowered his head. "But I don't want to be a gang leader."

"Then what do you want?" the man asked.

Elijah didn't know. He thought he did, but deep down, he wasn't sure. The same question his mother had asked echoed in his mind.

The man studied Elijah's conflicted expression and said, "You know, kid, life's risky. There's an old story about a man who came across a cave.

He couldn't see or hear anything inside, but he was told that if he crossed it, he'd find what he truly wanted.

Most people overthink and never enter the cave. How long are you going to play it safe?"

The man stood and placed $50 beside Elijah. "If you're going to sit in the same spot your whole life, then just stay.

But if you go for it, you might win or lose—but you'll gain something either way."

As the man walked away, Elijah called out, "Mister, who are you?"

"Call me Leo," the man said with a wave. "That's a gift from me."

Elijah stared at the money, deep in thought, as Leo disappeared down the street