Story

**Title: The Tomorrow Journal** Ava Benson was sixteen and not exactly thrilled about it. She lived in the quiet town of Maplewood, where everybody knew everybody else's business, and life felt like it moved at a snail's pace. School was a cycle of endless classes and unending routines, and Ava felt like she was swimming in a sea of monotony. That was until she stumbled upon the journal. It happened on an unusually rainy Tuesday afternoon. Ava was helping her grandmother, Nana June, clean out the attic, which was more of a treasure trove than a storage space. Dust floated in the beams of light that pierced the slanted roof, and the wooden floor creaked underfoot. Ava had just opened an old trunk filled with faded photographs and vintage dresses when something peculiar caught her eye—a journal with a dark leather cover, worn at the edges. Curiosity piqued, Ava opened it. The first few pages were filled with dates and scribbles that seemed like ordinary entries. But as she flipped further, she noticed something strange. The dates were for the next few days, and they described events that hadn't happened yet. Skeptical, Ava decided to keep the journal a secret, curious to see if any of the predictions would come true. The next morning, Ava sat at her usual breakfast spot, the kitchen table, with the journal hidden in her backpack. She couldn't help but sneak a peek at the day's entry: "Wednesday: A thunderstorm will knock out the power at school, and there will be an impromptu talent show in the gym." "A talent show?" Ava muttered to herself. Maplewood High School was as predictable as a clock, and there was no announcement of any such event. She shrugged it off and went about her morning. By third period, dark clouds had gathered, and a low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Ava's heart skipped a beat as she watched raindrops begin to splatter against the classroom windows. Then, with a sudden, loud clap, the power went out. Gasps and excited chatter filled the classroom as the emergency lights flickered on. During lunch, Principal Evans made an unexpected announcement over the battery-powered PA system: "Due to the power outage, we will be gathering in the gym. Any students who would like to perform in a talent show are welcome to do so." Ava's mind raced. The journal was right. She couldn't believe it, but there it was. Her skepticism crumbled, replaced by a mix of excitement and apprehension. What was this journal? How did it know? Her best friend, Emily, nudged her. “Hey, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s up?” Ava hesitated but decided to share the secret. “Okay, don’t freak out, but I found this journal in Nana June’s attic. It’s been predicting things. Like, today’s power outage and this talent show.” Emily raised an eyebrow. “No way. Let me see.” After lunch, the two of them huddled in the corner of the gym. Ava pulled out the journal, and Emily scanned the entry, wide-eyed. “This is wild! Do you think it’ll keep coming true?” “I don’t know,” Ava admitted. “But I’m going to keep reading it.” The talent show turned out to be surprisingly fun. Students volunteered for impromptu acts, from magic tricks to silly dances. Ava watched, half-engrossed in the performances and half-distracted by the implications of the journal. That night, as she lay in bed, Ava read the next entry: “Thursday: A stray dog will wander into the schoolyard. It will be up to Ava to find it a home.” Ava closed the journal and placed it on her nightstand. Her thoughts swirled, a mix of anticipation and responsibility. What did it mean that the journal mentioned her by name? Sleep came slowly, filled with dreams of cryptic journals and mysterious futures. Thursday morning dawned with a sense of electric anticipation. Ava arrived at school early, the journal snug in her bag. She couldn’t help but watch the schoolyard, eyes scanning for any sign of a stray dog. Her concentration in classes wavered, her mind consumed by what might unfold. During lunch, she and Emily sat by the window in the cafeteria, overlooking the school grounds. And then she saw it—a small, scruffy dog trotting along the fence. “Ava, look!” Emily exclaimed, pointing. Heart pounding, Ava shot up from her seat. “I have to see if it’s okay.” Emily followed as Ava made her way outside. The dog, a little brown mutt with floppy ears, wagged its tail as they approached. It seemed friendly and lost, sniffing curiously at the grass. “Hey there, buddy,” Ava cooed,