I found you

[27] The past always comes back

Akk woke up drenched in sweat, panting heavily, as he relived his nightmares. Panic immediately wash over him and his heart was racing like crazy, making him feel like he was going to faint again. Everything around him was spinning and Akk couldn't recognise his surroundings. The only thing he could remember was that he was supposed to be in Gumpa's living room but he couldn't see or hear him anywhere. Akk couldn't breathe and the room seemed to get smaller and smaller, making him feel more trapped and suffocated. Akk had to get out of here. He had to leave immediately.

Driven by fear, Akk quickly stood up and almost fell because his legs were numb from panic. He pulled himself together and began to stumble towards the door. With his trembling hands, Akk managed to open the door with great difficulty and ran without knowing where, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Akk only noticed that he was back in his apartment when he was already back in his destroyed kitchen. But there was something that caught Akk's attention that hadn't been there before. On the broken table - a small picture. Akk's eyes widened in shock as he picked it up and took a closer look.

The image was so dark that it was almost unrecognizable. Only a dim light illuminated the back of a boy lying on a dirty stone floor. The boy's long hair seemed to have been dirty and unkempt for a long time. His back and ankles were so unhealthily thin that the bones were visible beneath the skin. The boy was wearing a shirt with cut-off sleeves that was far too large for his raw bone frame, easily revealing several tattoos that Akk immediately recognized.

Inked in black, three flying birds.

Time suddenly stopped and Akk's surroundings became blurry again. His ears were ringing irritatingly.

No, this couldn't be...

No...Yok...

Too many thoughts were running through Akk's mind, pushing him more and more to insanity. His legs began to feel weak again and Akk had to sit down on the floor before breaking down for the third time today. He turned the picture around to find more clues what this all meant and indeed there was a short message written in thick black marker.

We know everything you've been doing behind our backs. If you still want your brother to be alive, stop this nonsense right now. Or the next time you will see of him are his head and body parts delivered in a box. Just a friendly reminder if you haven't noticed that we know where you live: We know everything about you and the rest of your family. Have a nice day.
- Owl :>

Reading the message over and over again was like crushing every hope and enthusiamnism Akk ever had. He was beyond devastated. How could've he been so reckless? Now everything was backfiring to him. He was so fucked. It was over now for him. The emoticon next to the signature seemed to mock him for his sad attempts to expose the school. As if a desperate, vengeful boy could do something against an entire school gang, backed up by the teachers... It was just a wishful, even delusional thought that would never come true.

And the worst thing: Akk had dragged his parents in his total mess. His parents were in danger and it was all his fault.

Akk didn't know how long he had been sitting on the ground while regretting all his actions and feeling hopeless, when he heard someone calling out to him in the distance. But Akk didn't respond to the call and stayed in his hiding place, making himself even smaller to avoid being found. He closed his eyes, blocking out the cruel reality. Everything became too overwhelming for him.

Suddenly Akk was forcefully brought back to reality as he was shaken firmly, yet gently. He slowly looked up and blinked a few times to clear his vision, only to discover Ayan's worried face in front of him. What was Aye doing here? Didn't he close his door?