I made another attempt to lucid dream, hoping to find some answers and see Chiara once more.

I cleared my mind, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I focused on my intention, but my thoughts were scattered. It just didn't work. The stress was weighing heavily on my mind, making it so hard to concentrate. I tried to push through, to force my mind to focus on the task at hand, but it was no use. My mind was too clouded.

The pressure was overwhelming. The thought of not succeeding was simply too painful to bear, and so I immediately tried to push away any negative thoughts. But as much as I tried to ignore them, they persisted, nagging at the back of my mind like an annoying mosquito.

What if I wasn't able to make it?

The weight of my whole world seemed to rest on my shoulders, and the more I thought about it, the heavier it became.

As the clock ticked away, I realized that the time was running out. It was the day of the robbery, the day when Chiara would be in danger.

I tried to calm myself down, taking deep breaths and reminding myself that everything was going to be okay. However, my efforts were in vain. The fear that gripped me was intense and overwhelming, and my hands began to shake uncontrollably. My heart felt as though it was going to burst out of my chest, beating so fast that I could feel it in my ears. I tried to focus on something positive, like a happy memory or a soothing image, but my mind was consumed with the worst-case scenario. The more I tried to calm down, the more my anxiety consumed me.

I knew that I had to do something, anything, to find her and keep her safe. However, I was at a loss as to where to begin. I was stuck in a loop of worry and fear, unable to focus or think clearly.

As I walked through the bustling streets, a million thoughts raced through my mind. What if I missed her? What if I couldn't find her in time?

What would I even do?

My mind had raced the past days with various plans to keep her safe. One idea was to take the same bus as her, so I could be there to protect her. But after analyzing the situation a bit better, I realized that this plan could put me in danger too, and might even make the situation worse for her.

I didn't have any way to contact her but, would that have even made a difference?

She had explained to me that we hadn't met yet, at least not in her dreams. And since she was going to be injured because of her phone it seemed I would just throw more fuel to the fire.

I decided to just be around the area way before it happened. I arrived at the little corner cafe close to five o'clock, right in front of where everything was destined to take place.

As I sat there, I couldn't shake the thought of whether or not I should alert the police. Would they believe me? Would they take me seriously? The minutes ticked by slowly, and the anticipation of what was coming was almost unbearable.

As I sat down with my warm cup of coffee, I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind. I opened my notebook and started to jot down some ideas, but found myself getting stuck, erasing and rewriting over and over again.

My nerves were getting the best of me and my hands were shaking slightly, but I knew I had to keep calm and focused. I took another sip of my coffee and tried to let the caffeine work its magic, hoping it would help me come up with a solid plan.

I walked to the window and looked outside, taking in the view of the busy street with cars honking and people running around trying to catch their own buses. They had no clue. I tried with all my might to envision how the situation would unfold.

I knew what she had told me, but I didn't know where to start. It was surreal, nonsensical

I couldn't stop trembling and my heart was racing at an alarming rate. It felt like it was going to burst out of my chest at any moment. Despite my best efforts to remain calm, my hands wouldn't stop shaking, and I felt like I was on the verge of losing control. I tried to stay focused on my plan, but my mind kept wandering, making it difficult to concentrate.

I felt trapped, as if my anxiety was a suffocating force that I couldn't escape from.

Every breath felt shallow and difficult, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the situation. The more I tried to calm down, the more my anxiety seemed to intensify, until it felt like a never-ending cycle that I couldn't break.

With a desperate gaze around me, trying to regain control of my body, I saw them. Two police officers having early dinner, relaxing and talking about their day probably. Finally, I couldn't help but feel that everything was lining up so perfectly, almost as if it was planned by some twisted deity in the universe.

It was at that moment when I realized that perhaps everything happens for a reason. Maybe it was fate that brought me here to this exact spot to witness this encounter. And maybe, just maybe, if I did my part right, it was all going to be okay.

Six thirty.

Six thirty-five.

Six forty-one.

I caught a glimpse of the blue bus through the window, so close I felt I could almost touch it.. It had come to a halt at a red light, and as I had anticipated, there was a lot of commotion going on inside. A couple of people that were walking on the street noticed, but I didn't have time to lose.

With all the determination I had felt in my life, I surged forward towards the table where the officers were eating their meals. As I approached them, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and my adrenaline surging through my veins.

Summoning all the courage I could muster, I let out a loud shout, hoping to get their attention and make them listen to me.

"Something is happening on the bus!" I pointed towards the window, one of them choked on his food. "Please do something!"

The police officers looked out the large window and saw the big, blue bus stopped at the traffic light. They immediately got up from their seats, grabbing their shiny guns that were resting on the table, and ran out of the cafe to help.

As I followed them closely, every step I took felt like an eternity. I couldn't help but feel my heart pounding and my mind in a whirlwind of emotions. I was trying to make sense of everything around me, but it was all happening so fast.

My eyes started to well up with tears, and as I wiped them away, I realized that this was real. Every moment, every thought, every feeling was real. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and it was then that I fully comprehended that Chiara was really dying.

The fear that had been gnawing at me all along suddenly took on a deeper, darker meaning, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by it all.

They asked me to keep my distance. The request made me feel lightheaded and faint, and I wasn't able to control my screams and babbling. A couple of very concerned people gathered around me, trying to soothe me. I couldn't help but think of the worst-case scenario. That any misstep or wrong move could spell the end of my life as I knew it.

The police officers approached the scene with caution, their hands firmly gripping their weapons. They were a blur, clouded by the tears filling my eyes.

I could hear the sounds of screams and cries emanating from inside. The driver, visibly shaken, was being berated by a man who was also on the bus. The man was screaming at the driver to run past the red light. One of the officers stood in front of the bus to prevent the driver from making a potentially fatal mistake.

It seemed they were dealing with the situation in ways I couldn't possibly have, so I forced myself to come to and did the only thing that made sense at the time.

"911, what's your emergency," said the lady at the other side of the line.

I attempted to explain everything to the operator on the other end of the line. Try to say that people were hurt, that something very bad was happening inside that bus. Despite my best efforts to remain calm and composed, I found myself struggling to hold back tears.

The sense of urgency in the woman's voice on the other end of the line was the only thing preventing me from losing consciousness altogether.

"Do you know someone inside that bus sir?" She asked, I was barely able to come up with the rights words.

"My girlfriend. She's there. We were supposed to meet here, in this café" I lied, but it didn't really feel like a lie.

I immediately gave her with the address that she needed, and I begged her to hurry. She asker me to stay on the line, I wouldn't have hung up regardless, I didn't want to be alone in that moment.

At that point, I felt like I had already failed Chiara, and I couldn't bear the thought of her dying without anyone by her side. Despite my efforts, I couldn't help but feel helpless.

As I waited for the ambulance to arrive, I felt like time was moving in slow motion. The tension was palpable, and heart pounded my chest so strongly I felt it was going to come out. I felt sick with worry and fear.

Suddenly, I heard sirens in the distance. The police backup had arrived. I watched as they cautiously approached the bus, their guns drawn. I saw people running away, screaming and crying. I felt like I was going to be sick.

Still not a glimpse of her.

The sound that filled the air was absolutely deafening, overwhelming the senses and causing a palpable sense of panic to spread through the crowds of people as they scrambled in all directions.

Amidst the chaos and confusion, I fought to make my way through the people towards the bus, my heart racing with adrenaline-fueled desperation. But one of the police officers suddenly appeared before me, blocking my path and stopping me in my tracks.

"It's not safe," he said, his voice firm. "Please stay back."

I felt overwhelming helplessness, as if I was alone in a sea of chaos. My heart sank as I watched the police officers frantically attempting to contain the situation, their radios crackling with instructions and pleas for backup. Amidst the chaos, my eyes were drawn to the horrific sight of people being carried out of the bus on stretchers, their faces twisted in pain and fear. The sound of their anguished cries still haunts me to this day.

I saw the man who had caused all this being arrested and taken away.

My eyes darted to where he was being arrested, his hands cuffed behind his back as he was led away by the police.

I saw everyone but her. I should have done something more, something better. I should have been there for her. And now, as I watched from a distance, I couldn't help but feel like it was all too little, too late.

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