A/N: This was originally written for a short story contest, but I decided to post it here as well. (I won first place :D)

From the Future

"Finally. I can go home," Sixteen-year-old Katie Parker muttered as she pushed open the huge doors of her high school after another exhausting day. Running down the steps outside, she swung her backpack over her shoulder and pulled her tangled earphones from it. Eventually, she managed to untangle them and plug the cord into her phone.

"Wait!" Someone shouted behind her. Katie turned around to find a girl about her age running toward her. She slowed down, brushing a loose strand of her light brown hair behind her ear.

"M- I mean Katie?" The girl asked, a little awkwardly.

"Yes? That's me," Katie replied. The girl standing in front of her seemed to only be a little younger, with light brown hair, nearly the same color as Katie's, just falling slightly past her shoulders. She looked almost exactly like Katie, except for the fact that she had bright blue eyes, while Katie's were a dark brown color. She stared down at the concrete sidewalk, hesitating to answer.

"I- I'm... uh, never mind," She shook her head, turning away and walking in the opposite direction. Katie was confused, but continued to walk down the sidewalk and toward her house while listening and humming along to her music. Luckily for her, Katie's house was within walking distance from her school, so there was no need to ride the crowded and loud bus every day.

After walking for a few minutes, Katie had a strange feeling that someone was watching, or even following, her. She ignored this feeling until she passed a small building with large glass windows. Along with her own reflection, Katie saw something else. Someone was following her. Katie quickened her pace, hoping to lose the person behind her, who happened to be the same girl from earlier that day. She turned sharply around the corner of a small shop, taking a different route home. Katie stopped, waiting for a grey pickup truck to pass by before she could cross the narrow road. She glanced over her shoulder quickly, trying to see if the girl was still following her. Katie sighed in relief upon discovering that the girl was nowhere in sight and continued on her way, still slightly confused. She arrived at her home in only a few minutes, since she lived near the neighborhood's entrance.

"You're finally home," Katie's brother, Nathan Parker, said as she closed the front door behind her. Katie's mom walked into the room, holding Nathan's baseball bat and glove.

"I'm bringing Nathan to baseball practice soon. I'll be back before dinner," She told Katie. She nodded, kicking her shoes off. She purposely kicked one at Nathan, hitting his leg.

"Hey!" Nathan turned, pushing Katie's shoulder. She hardly noticed, but walked through the living room, past their large front window before she froze in her tracks. Katie crept toward the window, telling herself she had only imagined what she saw.

"No way," Katie whispered to herself, pulling back the curtains as she stared out the window. Standing on her own driveway was that strange brown-haired girl from school, looking around for something. "That's just creepy," Katie muttered, pushing the curtains back before the girl could see her. She watched as the girl turned and walked away from their house.

"I'm leaving now," Katie's mom shouted before closing the door. Katie stood up, waiting for her mom and brother to drive away before she quickly slipped her shoes on and ran down the street, hoping to catch up with the girl. After running past a few houses, Katie paused to catch her breath. As she looked up, she noticed the girl walking across the street from her. Katie quickly ran across the street and slowed down, staying a good distance behind the girl without letting her out of her sight.

"Looks like I'm the one following you now," Katie whispered to herself. With Katie following her, the girl wandered around with no particular destination, occasionally slowing down to stare at a house before continuing. Finally, she stopped and turned around, facing Katie with a smile. Katie froze, trying to come up with a convincing excuse.

"I uh... I was just...," Katie bit her lip, but gave up. "How come you followed me home?" Katie asked nervously. The strange girl in front of her took a few steps toward Katie.

"You wouldn't believe me," She answered with a little smile. Katie was extremely confused.

"No, I will. Please tell me," Katie insisted.

"Alright. I'm your daughter," She replied simply.

"What?" Katie asked, tilting her head a little. "I... I don't have a daughter."

"Not yet," The girl responded, forcing herself not to laugh.

"What are you talking about?" Katie asked, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"I came here from the future," She answered. Katie crossed her arms in disbelief, thinking this was some silly prank.

"That's not possible," Katie replied with a straight face.

"It isn't to you. You'd be surprised at what exists- or will exist," She explained. Katie was beginning to believe her.

"How can you prove it?" Katie asked. In response, she unzipped her backpack, pulling a white folder out. She handed a small photograph of two people to Katie.

"That's both of us on Christmas last year- or should I say in twenty-three years," She explained, pointing to the photo. Katie let her mouth hang open, trying to understand what this girl was telling her.

"Twenty-three years?" Katie gasped. "That seems like such a long time."

"I guess it would," The girl, apparently Katie's daughter, replied.

"Why did you come back here?" Katie asked, handing the photo back to the girl, whose smile disappeared immediately. Her eyes filled with tears as she tried to explain.

"I... you... I just wanted," She began, but her tears prevented her from explaining. Katie laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"What's wrong?" Katie asked, pulling the girl closer to her. She hugged back willingly before finally calming down and answering.

"T-There was a car crash one day... You... Y-You didn't make it," She managed to reply before bursting out into tears again. Katie's eyes widened as she hugged the girl again, understanding how upset she was. Knowing that she would not live much longer than twenty-three years scared Katie. She brushed it off, deciding that this crying girl in her arms needed her help more than anything right now.

"Shh, it'll be okay," Katie whispered, brushing the girl's hair with her hand.

"But you're," She began.

"Don't worry about that. You're going to be alright," Katie interrupted. The girl pulled away, wiping her eyes. She looked over her shoulder at the setting sun, realizing how late it was.

"I have to go... I can only stay here for a certain amount of time," She explained, giving Katie one last hug. "Thank you...Mom," Katie smiled warmly, hugging her back before letting go. The girl smiled at Katie before walking away, happy to have seen her one last time.

Written by: @-Pass_The_Suga-

1,226 words

Please do not steal my work. Thank you

Hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading this story! <3