Scarred Awakening

Warmth.

That was the first thing Ethan felt. Not the kind of warmth that comforts. This was sharp, stinging heat that crawled across his skin like static under the surface, racing through his nerves and refusing to let go.

His eyes snapped open.

He sucked in a breath like it was his first, his lungs expanding in a rush that hurt more than it healed. The air tasted too clean, too light, too wrong. Gone was the blood in his mouth, the stink of asphalt and rage. Gone was the pressure of fists pounding into his ribs and the pain radiating from every joint.

What replaced it was silence.

Ethan sat up fast.

The world spun around him, a dizzying blur of color and movement. He gripped the sheets beneath his fingers, heart pounding, eyes wide.

Sheets?

He blinked again, trying to process the scene before him. A bedroom. His bedroom.

Posters clung to the walls, some peeling at the corners. A cracked mirror leaned against the closet, still smudged like he remembered. The same desk in the corner stacked with notebooks. The same creaky fan spinning lazily on the ceiling.

No pain. No blood. No Bones. No Malik. No Jaylen.

This was… wrong.

His legs swung over the edge of the bed, feet touching the old wooden floor. His heartbeat hadn't slowed. It was racing faster now, each thud shaking something loose in his chest. His fingers trembled as he reached for his phone on the nightstand.

It was there. Old. Scratched. He hadn't seen that model in years.

He pressed the power button.

It lit up instantly, and the lock screen punched the air from his lungs.

July 5th. Five years ago.

His thumb hovered over the screen as his mind fought the truth in front of him. This wasn't a dream. It couldn't be. He knew the weight of dreams. This was too sharp. Too vivid. Too real.

The door creaked open.

A voice floated in.

"You're gonna be late, Ethan! If you miss the bus again, you're walking!"

His mother's voice.

Alive. Warm. Tired, but still strong.

He stumbled to his feet and crossed the room before he even realized what he was doing. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. The smell hit him instantly. Eggs. Toast. Cheap coffee. A scent that had long since disappeared from his memory, buried beneath years of cold nights and colder mornings.

He moved to the kitchen like a ghost retracing the steps of a life he thought he lost.

There she was.

Back to him. Hair tied in a messy bun. Her uniform half-buttoned. Still wearing those worn sneakers with the tear near the toe. She turned slightly, catching sight of him from the corner of her eye.

"Well, look who's finally up."

Ethan stared at her. His throat tightened. The same woman who had been taken from him not long after this day. The same woman he'd watched grow weaker as life got harder. But here, now, she was alive.

He wanted to say something. Anything.

But his lips wouldn't move.

She noticed.

Her brows furrowed. "You okay, baby?"

That broke something in him.

He stepped forward and hugged her. Not a casual hug. Not a greeting. It was tight, desperate, like if he let go, she'd vanish again.

She froze for a second. Then laughed softly. "What's this about? You feeling sentimental today or something?"

He couldn't answer. His jaw clenched as he fought the tremble in his chest.

She rubbed his back and pulled away gently. "Go get ready. Bus comes in ten."

He nodded, barely finding his footing as he turned away.

The moment he shut the bathroom door behind him, his knees nearly gave out. He leaned against the sink, gripping the counter to steady himself.

Five years.

He was back.

And this time, he had everything he needed.

Not power. Not magic. But knowledge. Memory. Pain. And the will to burn everything down if he had to.

He looked in the mirror.

The face staring back was younger, softer. No bruises. No scar above his eyebrow. No fire in his eyes.

Not yet.

But that would change.

His fists tightened.

He splashed cold water on his face and stared harder.

This time, he wouldn't freeze.

This time, Bones wouldn't put him on the ground.

This time, he'd see them coming.

The bus ride was a blur. Familiar faces. Loud conversations. Music leaking from cheap earbuds. Nothing had changed yet. But Ethan had.

He didn't sit in the back like he used to. He chose the middle, near the aisle, where he could see everyone. Hear everything. He scanned the kids around him. Most were harmless. Loud but harmless.

Then he saw them.

Troy "Bones" Daniels, sitting near the back with his usual posse. Malik and Jaylen. They were laughing, tossing jokes between each other, acting like kings in a kingdom that no one had dared to challenge.

Ethan's fingers curled around the strap of his bag.

They didn't even notice him.

Not yet.

He turned back to the front, heart steady.

Let them laugh.

Let them believe nothing changed.

Soon, they would see.

School felt like walking into the past with his eyes wide open. Every corner, every hallway held a memory. Whispers from classmates. The sharp sting of insults. That locker by the science wing where he'd once been slammed hard enough to bruise a rib. The classroom he used to hide in during lunch just to avoid a beating.

But this time, he didn't walk like prey.

He stood taller.

He walked slower.

And his eyes didn't drop to the floor. They scanned. Watched. Calculated.

He found his old locker. Still dented. Still stubborn to open.

He twisted the combination.

Click.

Inside was a mess of notes, old books, and a photo of him and his mom from years back. He stared at it for a moment, his expression unreadable.

Then came the voice.

"Yo, Blackwell. You lookin' lost or just stupid?"

He turned around.

Bones was there.

Right on time.

Same smirk. Same cocky strut. Malik and Jaylen stood just behind him, always two steps back.

Ethan didn't flinch. Didn't smile. Didn't speak.

Bones tilted his head. "Damn. You forget how to speak again?"

Jaylen chuckled. "Must've left his voice at home."

Ethan didn't move.

Bones stepped closer, inches from his face now. "You better not be thinking you got bold all of a sudden."

Ethan stared into his eyes. Calm. Focused.

"You're not worth the energy," he said quietly.

Bones blinked. The smirk faltered.

"What?"

Ethan shut the locker. "Not today."

Then he walked away.

Left them standing there in silence.

Jaylen looked confused. Malik raised an eyebrow.

Bones just stared.

He didn't say a word.

But Ethan felt it.

The moment had changed everything.

For the first time, the ghost talked back.

And the wolves didn't know what to do.