I rushed back to the police station the moment I saw the birthmark on the kid. It was identical. My heart pounded as I pushed the speed limit, swerving through traffic like a madman. This was the fastest I had ever driven.
"Excuse me, officer!" I called out, barely stepping into the station.
The officer at the desk groaned and looked up. "Ugh, this tosser again," he muttered, visibly annoyed. "What do you want now?"
His thick British accent was a little hard to follow, but thanks to all the Karl Urban movies I'd watched, I managed.
"Sir, I have something important to show you." I yanked a crumpled photograph from my pocket and held it out.
The officer squinted at it. "What've you got there?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"It's the missing kid's photo, and ther—"
"Wait, wait, wait." He snatched the photograph from me like I was some kind of criminal. "What's your deal with this kid? Why are you playin' detective? This ain't your bloody job."
I noticed the vein on his forehead twitch. "Sir, please, you need to listen to me. It's really import—"
Before I could finish, he grabbed me by the collar and yanked me close. His breath reeked of coffee and frustration.
"Listen here, you little cunt," he hissed. "We've been workin' our asses off on these two cases. If you show your face here again, I swear, I'll break your fucking nose."
It was clear he wasn't going to listen, which meant I had to figure this out on my own.
I went straight to the kid's house. The door creaked open, and his mother stood there, her eyes still red and puffy from crying.
"Did you find something?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.
"Not yet, ma'am. I just need more information about Kevin."
She nodded and disappeared inside, returning with an old trunk. "This box has everything. I hope it helps."
"Can I take it with me?"
"Yes, just... please, bring my son back."
I promised her I'd return the box. But what she really wanted was her son.
Back at my apartment, I carried the box to my room. Vick, my roommate, lay sprawled on the couch, scrolling through his phone.
"What's that?" he asked, eyeing the trunk suspiciously.
"Something personal."
I shut my door before he could pry further.
Inside the box, the first thing I noticed was a Polaroid—Kevin and his mother. Karen and Kevin was scrawled in black ink. That's when I realized something ridiculous—I never even asked for her name.
As I flipped through the photos, I kept getting déjà vu. But then again, I got that feeling a lot.
One thing stood out: in multiple pictures, Kevin's birthmark was visible. It was exactly the same as mine. Not just similar. Identical.
"Peter! Hey, Pete!" Vick called out.
I opened the door.
The arrogant British officer stood outside. "Come with me."
"Officer, what's going on?"
"Get in the car. I'll tell ya on the way."
I hesitated, but followed. The moment he started driving, he dropped the bombshell.
"The kid's dead."
His words hit like a sledgehammer.
"W-What? When? How do you know?"
"Found 'im near the old factory. Neck snapped. Left eye missing."
A lump formed in my throat. "I… I don't understand..."
The officer stole a glance at me. "Now tell me, why are you so obsessed with this kid?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you! You need to see this."
We drove back to my apartment, and I laid out the photographs, showing him the birthmarks. Then, hesitantly, I pulled my sleeve up, revealing my own.
His face paled. "Holy fuck." He leaned in, eyes darting between the pictures and my arm. "This is so fucked up. The old wanker, the kid that went missing years ago, the kid who disappeared a day ago, and now you… all with the same fucking birthmark. And you're the only one alive."
I swallowed hard. He was right. That was creepy as hell.
"Listen, kid. You ain't goin' anywhere without my say-so. You're comin' with me. You're stayin' at the station."
I didn't know if he was protecting me or suspecting me.
After four hours of waiting at the station, he finally took me to see the bodies. The stench of death clung to the air.
I looked closely at their birthmarks. Exact match.
"Did you inform the kid's mom?" I asked, worried about Karen.
"No. I want you to do it."
"What? That's your job! I'm not doing it."
He grabbed my shoulder. "Listen, I ain't good at this shit. You've met her. It'll be easier coming from you."
Reluctantly, I agreed. He handed me his car keys. "Don't stop anywhere. Come straight back."
The drive to Karen's house felt like an eternity. My palms were slick with sweat. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. I knocked.
A kid opened the door.
I froze. It was Kevin.
Alive. Smiling.
"Who are you?" Karen asked, cheerful, like nothing had ever happened.
My brain short-circuited. I turned and ran to the car, gasping for air. My hands shook as I gripped the steering wheel. When I looked down, my stomach dropped.
The car was different.
I raced back to the station. Bursting through the doors, I ran straight to the chief's office.
He looked up, confused. "What's wrong, kid? Who are you?"
"Sir, it's me! I'm Pet—"
My eyes flicked to the calendar behind him.
June 12, 2024.
But I remembered today as June 19, 2024.
I pointed at the date. "That… that's wrong, isn't it?"
The chief scowled. "You barge in here like your arse is on fire, just to ask about a bloody calendar? Are you outta your mind, wanker? Get the fuck out!"
He shoved me out the door.
I stumbled outside, gasping. My phone, the radio, the news—everything confirmed the date: June 12.
But I remembered it as the 19th.
I pulled over at the exact spot where I first noticed the birthmark. I stepped out, clutching Kevin's photograph, staring at it like it held the answers.
Everything had changed. The kid was alive. The officer didn't remember me. The date was different.
I whispered to myself, voice trembling.
"Did I just… time travel?"