Suddenly, they encountered a hoard of zombies. And like what happened before, Alex drove the car fiercely as he ran over the mutants. Amidst the chaos, Arin directed her thoughts towards the familiarity of the scene. It was like she had played this game before.

I have felt this feeling before...

Just as a drama, the car crashed and she heard Alex shouting, "Get out. Get out now"

The car was now in flames as she screamed her life out. Panic surged through her veins as the searing heat of the growing flames pressed against her skin. Amid the screams, Arin felt a profound sense of dread, realizing she was trapped in a nightmare she couldn't escape. She died again.

A sudden, searing pain pierced through Arin's head. She instinctively placed a hand on her forehead and rubbed her eyes. She felt this pain before.

"Hey, are you okay?" Alex's voice reached her. His concerned eyes met hers.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a small headache"

"Okay. Don't stress yourself"

She heard these words again.

Just like an orchestrated play, the events turned out the same and they died again.

And again the loop repeated over.

Arin's heart sank as the familiar events played out before her, a cruel repetition that mocked her attempts to break free.

In each loop, Arin's suspicions grew. And now she ended up in the 10th loop.

But this was different she had confirmed her suspicions. As the same scene was about to unfold, she grabbed Alex's hand and shouted furiously,

"STOP THE CAR!"

Suddenly, Alex stopped the car and looked at Arin angrily, "What's wrong with you? Why did you pull my hand!"

Arin's dad, Dave said concerningly, "It was dangerous. Why did you do it?"

"Dad, I think we are stuck in a loop"

She said as she turned back to look at her dad.

"Honey, you must be mistaken. I think we are fine", pointed out Arin's mom.

At that moment, everyone looked at her with concern. Alex, looking at her, asked, "Are you okay"

Arin in disbelief, got very angry, no one trusted her. They thought she was crazy. She banged open the car door and ran to the nearest building. She evaded the zombies around her and went to the terrace.

Wait. If I follow the same scene everyone will die and the loop will repeat. So what if, I die unnaturally? I might be able to escape his loop and find what caused it.

A desperate idea came into Arin's mind — what if she let the zombies bite her flickered, but a horrifying thought extinguished it.

NO

As she looked around the terrace, a familiar scene came to her mind. There was a time when Arin wanted to kill herself. Then it struck her.

What if I jumped from the building, I might be able to escape.

She mustered up all her courage and went towards the edge of the terrace. As she closed her eyes and was about to jump, she heard her parents and Alex's voice. They were screaming.

Arin's mom, Lisa, shouted in panic, "Arin, don't do it! Come back!"

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Her dad, Dave, said with desperation, "Sweetheart, we can figure this out together. Don't take such a drastic step!"

Alex, his voice filled with urgency, yelled, "Arin, stop! We can find another way. Suicide is not the answer!"

As she looked back, she said grimly, "We will meet again soon."

The wind howled around her as she took that leap of uncertainty, leaving behind the repeating nightmare that had gripped them all.

In a jolt, Arin's eyes flew open, her body felt an unfamiliar ache. As she looked around, it was still nighttime, and everyone was sleeping soundly in the car. The remnants of a vivid nightmare lingered, but this time, something felt different. She had broken free from the loop.

The car was still at the place where they had saved some survivors. It was weird, to find out the cause she got out of the car and went towards the survivor camp. She heard the survivors speaking.

Sam's Follower 1: (whispering) Did you see their faces? Priceless.

Sam's Follower 2: (laughing) Yeah, those fools never saw it coming. The drug worked perfectly.

Arin's eyes widened, and she strained to catch every word.

Sam's Follower 1: (whispering) And did you hear? Sam said he was going to have some fun with the family. That guy, Alex, is his favorite.

Sam's Follower 2: (chuckles) I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they wake up.

Sam. Alex talked about him.

Sam's Follower 3: (whispering) Did you know? This drug messes with people's heads. It creates vivid nightmares, blurring the line between reality and terror. They're trapped in their fears and the things they experienced before

Sam's Follower 4: (chuckles) Ingenious. Sam outdid himself this time.

Arin's fists clenched as she listened, the sinister plot against her family becoming clearer.

Sam's Follower 1: (whispering) The best part is the antidote. We have it, but they don't. They'll do anything to get it.

Sam's Follower 2: (laughs) It's like playing with dolls. I love it.

Arin's anger burned hotter, but she pressed on, determined to gather more information.

Sam's Follower 4: (whispering) Where did you keep the antidote?

Sam's Follower 2: (whispering) Oh it is in the tent behind us.

Retreating from her hiding spot, Arin contemplated her next move. The revelation weighed heavily on her, and a plan formed in her mind. They needed to escape this twisted game, and Sam's followers held the key.

The moon cast shadows as Arin stealthily moved through the survivor camp. She kept to the edges, using the darkness to conceal her movements. The tent containing the antidote was her target, and every step brought her closer to exposing the truth.

As she approached the tent, voices grew louder, laughter echoing through the night. Sam's followers seemed oblivious to her presence, lost in their conversation. Arin's heart raced as she neared the entrance.

Sam's Follower 1: (chuckling) This plan of Sam is pure genius. The survivors won't even know what hit them.

Sam's Follower 2: (snickering) Especially that guy, Alex. Sam has a soft spot for him.

Arin's determination solidified. She had to succeed for her family. Silently, she slipped into the tent, eyes scanning for the antidote.

The tent's interior was dimly lit by a lantern. Arin spotted a small vial, carefully labeled "Antidote," on a makeshift table. Just as her fingers grazed the glass, a sudden creaking sound caught her attention.

The flap of the tent rustled, and Arin's heart skipped a beat. She ducked behind some crates just in time, concealing herself in the shadows. Sam's Follower 1 entered the tent, glancing around suspiciously.

Sam's Follower 1: (muttering) Thought I heard something. Must be my imagination.

Arin held her breath, praying he wouldn't discover her. The follower lingered for a moment before exiting the tent. As the flap fell back into place, Arin sighed in relief.

With the antidote in hand, she retraced her steps, careful not to attract attention. The camp was alive with the sounds of laughter and conversation, providing cover for her covert mission.

As she emerged from the shadows, a voice called out from behind, "Hey! What are you doing there?"

Panic surged through Arin as she broke into a sprint, narrowly avoiding capture. She zigzagged through the camp, the followers giving chase. Her nimble movements allowed her to outmaneuver them, and she vanished into the night with the precious antidote.

Arin's heart pounded in her chest as she reunited with her family, the vial of antidote a beacon of hope.

She gave the antidote to all the people in the car and then filled the vail with water again. She then ran in the opposite direction. She had to deceive the followers.

All of a sudden, someone grabbed her from behind, and as she turned back, it was Sam's follower 4.