“Eli, hey, Eli! Wake up, it’s about to start!”

Once again, Eli jolted awake at Leo’s call, blinking in disoriented frustration. His heart was pounding, the familiar weight of confusion settling over him. His gaze darted around the room, the walls and faces all too familiar, yet the sense of déjà vu gnawed at him. Everything was the same as the last time...and the time before that.

“What now?” Eli muttered under his breath, his voice tight with irritation. He clenched his fists beneath the table, trying to keep his emotions in check. His fingers trembled slightly.

The classroom felt oppressive, even more so than usual. The sunlight filtering through the large, arched windows seemed harsh today, its golden warmth doing nothing to soothe Eli's growing frustration. The old wooden desks, the faint creak of the floorboards beneath the weight of the students’ shifting bodies, the indistinct hum of conversation—all of it was suffocating. It was as if the world itself was mocking him, trapping him in this never-ending cycle.

Again, Eli thought bitterly. The loop has started again. But why?

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in an effort to steady himself. He needed to stay calm, to think clearly, but the weight of the loop’s repetition was beginning to wear on him. How many times had it been now? The faces around him blurred, their idle chatter fading into white noise as his mind raced, searching for answers that continued to elude him.

In the corner of his eye, Eli noticed Leo watching him, brow furrowed in mild confusion. Eli realized his reaction must have been more intense than he’d intended, and Leo, as usual, was quick to pick up on it.

“Sorry,” Eli said quickly, rubbing his temple as though that would ease the storm brewing in his mind. “Didn’t sleep well last night. Had a... bad dream.”

Leo raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh? Couldn't sleep, huh? Let me guess, thinking about someone special?” His tone was teasing, lighthearted, but it barely registered in Eli’s chaotic thoughts.

Eli rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to snap. He had to remind himself that Leo, despite his carefree demeanor, was still his friend. Leo was always in the mood for banter, always trying to lighten the mood. Eli supposed that in some way, it was helping. The familiar back-and-forth with Leo was grounding him, calming him more than he cared to admit.

Eli sighed and shook his head, brushing off Leo’s question. “Not even close.”

But as Leo chuckled to himself, Eli’s mind drifted back to the problem at hand. The loop. The nauseating, all-consuming repetition of events. But this time, something was different, something subtle yet significant. His mind raced to connect the dots, to figure out what had triggered the reset this time.

Why did it start again? He clenched his jaw, the frustration bubbling up again. The loop only restarted after I mentioned Rose’s disappearance to Mia. But when I told Miss Hela the same thing, nothing happened. What’s the difference?

His eyes darted to Mia, sitting near the back, her usual calm and collected self. Mia didn't seem to have any clue about the loop. She carried on as if nothing was wrong, not even a flicker of recognition in her eyes. But then why had the loop triggered when he spoke to her? Was it something in his words? Or perhaps...the evidence?

Did the proof I provided make her believe me? Eli wondered, watching Mia with a mix of curiosity and admiration. She wasn’t someone easily swayed, and if she had truly believed him—well, that was saying something. If I were in her position, I wouldn’t have believed me either. Yet she did.

For a fleeting moment, admiration flickered in Eli’s eyes. Mia was sharp, far more perceptive than most people gave her credit for. But he quickly looked away, not wanting to draw attention to himself or his thoughts. No one else seemed to notice anything unusual about her.

Still, this realization made everything more complicated. If Mia believed him, then it confirmed something Eli had dreaded—he could tell people about the loop, but only as long as they didn’t believe him. If they did...

Damn it, Eli thought, rubbing his temple in frustration. That means I have to be careful not to convince anyone of the truth. But if they don’t believe me, how can I stop this?

Before Eli could finish his train of thought, Leo’s hand clapped down on his shoulder, pulling him out of his reverie.

“Hey, man, snap out of it. Miss Lena’s here,” Leo said, nodding toward the front of the room where their teacher was walking in, a stack of papers in hand.

Eli straightened, standing up quickly with the rest of the class to greet her. His body moved on autopilot, the motions all too familiar now. How many times had he greeted like this? His voice sounded hollow, even to his own ears.

“Good morning, Miss Lena,” the class chimed in unison.

Miss Lena, tall and graceful as ever, smiled slightly at her students, her presence commanding the room effortlessly. Her dark hair was pulled into a sleek bun, and her pristine white blouse seemed to glow under the sunlight. She was one of the few teachers Eli respected, though today, like every other time, the weight of knowing this day would repeat made her kindness feel... distant.

“Good morning, everyone. Please, sit down,” she said, her voice soft yet authoritative.

Eli sank back into his seat, his thoughts still churning despite the calm classroom atmosphere. Miss Lena began speaking, telling the class about today's quiz, but Eli's mind was elsewhere, unable to fully focus. How am I supposed to get out of this? The ticking of the clock felt louder than ever, each second a reminder that time was no longer his ally but his jailer.

What’s the next move? Eli’s thoughts spiraled as he tried to grasp the situation. As he was grappling with this suffocating loop, a sudden realization hit him—a cold, dreadful thought that snaked its way into his mind.

Someone else has disappeared.

His eyes widened in alarm as he quickly scanned the room. He swept his gaze across the familiar faces—Leo, Lisa, Mia—until his attention snapped to the empty seat in front of Kyle. The absence hit him hard. That seat belonged to Roland, Kyle’s best friend, who was always there, usually complaining about getting dragged into trouble by Kyle. But now, Roland was... gone.

Roland... The realization was a punch to the gut, the knot of guilt tightening in Eli’s chest. Another one gone. And this time, it’s Roland.

Eli’s heart sank as he stared at the empty chair, his frustration mounting alongside a deepening sadness. How many more people? He clenched his fists under the desk, feeling the weight of his helplessness. Roland wasn’t just another classmate—he was part of the fabric of the class, constantly bickering with Kyle, his voice filling the room with sarcastic complaints. And now... he had vanished like the others, erased from everyone’s memory except Eli's.

This is my fault, Eli thought, guilt gnawing at him. If I had been more careful, if I had figured out the loop earlier, maybe I could’ve prevented this... But before Eli could fully dive into his self-reproach, a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

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“Hey, Eli, take the question sheet! You’re acting really weird today. What’s up? Did you have a wet dream or something?” Lisa teased, nudging his shoulder playfully as she handed him the worksheet.

Eli blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her lighthearted tone. He forced a smile, though it came out strained and awkward. “No way, I’m not like you,” he shot back, trying to keep the conversation casual, not wanting to trigger anything that might reset the loop again. Inside, though, his mind was racing, struggling to keep his emotions under control.

Lisa gasped dramatically, her eyes widening in mock outrage. “Me? A wet dream? Are you insane?” she retorted, flipping her hair as if offended, but the amusement in her eyes betrayed her. Before she could escalate her teasing any further, Miss Lena’s voice cut through the classroom, sharp and stern.

“Lisa, stop talking,” Miss Lena commanded, her authoritative tone bringing an abrupt halt to the playful banter. Lisa shot Eli a quick look, raising her eyebrows as if to say we’ll talk about this later, before turning her attention to the front of the room.

Eli let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the temporary reprieve. His heart was still pounding, but at least the tension in his chest had loosened a little. He looked down at the worksheet Lisa had handed him—familiar questions, ones he had seen countless times before. Maybe one of these days, I’ll get all the right answers, he mused, trying to distract himself from the crushing reality of the loop.

As the classroom settled into the quiet hum of scribbling pencils and shuffling papers, Eli’s mind once again returned to the loop. There’s a pattern. There has to be. He’d lived through it five times now, and each time, someone had disappeared. First, it was Mr. Hans, the janitor. Then Rose, followed by Mr. Hart, the homeroom teacher. After that, someone from a different class had vanished, and now, Roland.

Five disappearances. Five lives erased.

Eli’s stomach twisted as he tried to piece it all together. Out of the five, two were from his class, and Mr. Hart was their homeroom teacher. Why is it that people from this class are disappearing the most? he wondered, tapping his pen against the desk in thought. His pulse quickened, a growing sense of dread creeping up his spine as another possibility began to take shape in his mind.

It’s not random. It can’t be. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as the pieces slowly clicked into place. It’s not just that people from this class are disappearing. It’s the people I’m familiar with. His breath caught in his throat. The people I know are the ones vanishing.

The realization hit him like a truck, cold and unforgiving. He could feel his chest tighten, the weight of it all settling on his shoulders like lead. Mr. Hans... Rose... Mr. Hart... Roland. They weren’t just random faces—they were people Eli had known, had spoken to, had interacted with. And now they were all gone, as if they had never existed.

Why is it happening like this? Eli’s mind raced, trying to find the logic in this madness. Was it because he was the only one who remembered? Was that why they were disappearing? Am I the center of the loop? Is it all connected to me? The thought sent a chill down his spine, his pulse pounding in his ears.

Eli rubbed his temples, trying to push away the rising panic. The idea that he was somehow at the center of this horrifying cycle was too much to fully grasp. But as the thought took root in his mind, the dread only grew stronger. If I’m the reason people are disappearing... how can I stop it?

Miss Lena’s voice drifted in and out of his consciousness as she continued with the test, her words barely registering as Eli struggled to keep himself grounded. The clock on the wall ticked on relentlessly, each second dragging him further into the abyss of uncertainty.

He looked around the room again, at the familiar faces that still remained. How many more would disappear before he could figure this out? How long before someone else—Leo, Alex, Mia, Lisa—vanished, leaving him alone in this nightmare?

Eli closed his eyes, taking a slow, deliberate breath. He had to stay calm. He had to think. There had to be a way out of this. There had to be.

There had to be... there had to be... there... Eli's lips moved, repeating the words like a mantra, a desperate attempt to calm his fraying nerves. Each repetition was softer, slower, until it became little more than a whisper, barely audible over the scratching of pencils on paper and the soft murmurs around the room.

His mind, however, refused to calm down. The tightness in his chest hadn’t loosened—it felt like the air around him had grown heavier, thick with an invisible pressure he couldn’t escape. Eli sighed, long and deep, pressing his fingers against his temples. He just wanted to stop thinking for a moment, to rest, to breathe without feeling like the world around him was crumbling. But the loop didn’t allow for breaks. It was relentless, and so was his racing mind.

I need to find that girl... somehow. The thought echoed, sharp and insistent. His mind was a storm of questions, none of which had answers. Who is she? Why did she choose me? What makes me special?

The idea that she had singled him out, out of everyone else, gnawed at him. Why him? He wasn’t the most popular guy in class, wasn’t the smartest, the fastest, or even the most well-connected. Yet, here he was, trapped in a nightmare where people disappeared one by one, and he was the only one who remembered. Why am I the only one left with this cursed memory? He clenched his fists under the desk, the nails biting into his palms.

Most of all, Eli thought, I need to know how to end the loop. And if it’s possible to bring back the people who have disappeared.

His gaze drifted to Roland’s empty seat again, and a sharp pang of guilt surged through him. Is there even a way? The hopelessness of it made his head spin. The weight of everything seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, pressing down on his chest like a boulder. Is Roland gone for good?

Eli’s thoughts raced back to the girl—the one who had started his nightmare . If she had been trapped in this before, does that mean even more people had already disappeared? His heart sank at the thought. How many more lives had already been erased, wiped from existence like they never even mattered? But no—he remembered clearly. There had been 20 people in the class when the loop started. No more, no less. So why did it feel like the losses were just beginning?

His mind spun, trying to latch onto any semblance of logic in the chaos. Does that mean when I became the looper, all the people who disappeared before were somehow restored? Is this the only way to reset things?

The idea hit him like a cold wave, freezing him in place. But I don’t remember her. If she’s the previous looper, why can’t I recall her? His mind darted through memories, trying to picture her face, her voice, anything, but it was like chasing shadows. I know a lot of people. I should have known her... unless she was the quiet type. Maybe she’d been someone who kept to herself, invisible to most. Maybe only people from her class disappeared? Or... A darker, more terrifying thought crept into his mind, one that sent chills down his spine.

Maybe it’s the loop’s effect. The idea slithered into his thoughts, wrapping around them like a snake. Once you pass the ability, no one remembers you. His pulse quickened, his breath catching in his throat. The concept was horrifying in a way he hadn’t anticipated. More than the fear of others disappearing, more than the guilt gnawing at him, this idea—of being utterly forgotten—struck a deep, primal fear within him.

What if I disappear too? What if everyone forgets me?

The thought was so heavy, so overwhelming, that Eli had to take a long, shaky breath to steady himself. No, no, he told himself, trying to shove the fear aside. There has to be another reason. There must be. But as much as he tried to convince himself, the dread lingered like a shadow at the edge of his mind, refusing to be banished.

The questions just kept piling up. What happens when all the people I know disappear? Will I vanish too? His mind felt clouded, weighed down by the sheer enormity of what he was facing. No matter how much he tried to push the thoughts away, they refused to leave. They stuck to him, like a dark fog enveloping his senses.

Right. Class D. The thought struck him suddenly, like a flash of light in the darkness. Mr. Hart, his homeroom teacher, was a math teacher yet upon his disappearance the one that took over was miss Lena who is the English teacher Mr hart wasn’t the only math teacher. Is the reason miss Lena took over is because the other math teacher also dissapeared. The other math teacher had been the homeroom teacher for Class D. Was she from Class D? Eli’s mind raced, trying to connect the dots. The class rep from Class D—what was her name?

Quickly, Eli turned to Leo, who was sitting next to him, absorbed in his test. “Hey,” Eli whispered, his voice low and tense. “Do you know Michelle from Class D?”

Leo glanced up from his paper, blinking at Eli in confusion. “Class D? Michelle? What are you talking about?” He frowned, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of Eli’s words. “There is no Class D.”

The words hit Eli like a slap, the breath leaving his lungs in a sharp gasp. There is no Class D?

He had to bite back a hiss, his eyes wide as his mind reeled. He quickly composed himself, forcing a weak smile onto his face to hide the growing panic bubbling up inside him. “Of course, I know,” he said, his voice strained and shaky. “I was just messing around.”

Leo gave him a strange look, raising an eyebrow. “You do know a test is going on, right? What, you don’t know the answers so you’re trying to mess with me?”

Eli managed a half-hearted laugh, trying to sound casual. “Who said I don’t know? I know better than you,” he replied, though the words felt hollow on his tongue.

Leo rolled his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, sure. I believe you.” Then, with a dismissive shake of his head, he turned back to his paper, his focus shifting back to the test.

Eli let out a quiet sigh, his heart still pounding in his chest. He stared down at his own test sheet, but the questions blurred before his eyes. He wasn’t really seeing them. His mind was still stuck on what Leo had said. There is no Class D.

The realization hit him like a cold wave, sweeping over him in a rush of terror. That entire class... they’re gone. He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. Everyone in Class D has disappeared. The implications were staggering. It wasn’t just individuals disappearing—whole groups were being erased from existence. Even if the center of the loop shifts, the ones who disappear don’t come back.

His mind flashed to the faces of the friends he had in Class D. He could picture them, laughing, joking, living. And now they were... gone. A deep sadness weighed heavy in his chest, but at the same time, there was a small, almost guilty sense of relief. At least I won’t have to face that specific scenario... The one he had dreaded more than anything.

Eli shook his head, trying to clear away the spiraling thoughts. Why did she choose me? His mind returned to the girl—the one who had passed this terrible burden onto him. She must have known that Eli was well-acquainted with people, that his connections meant more people would disappear. Did she choose me out of spite? He immediately dismissed the idea—it didn’t fit. If she had wanted to make things worse, she would have chosen someone like Leo instead.

Leo... Eli’s mind circled back. Leo knew almost everyone in school. Is that why she didn’t choose him? If Leo had been the one trapped in the loop, he would have had the most connections, the most people to lose. But that also meant he’d have the most time to fix things. She’s making sure there’s still a chance, even if Leo fails? Eli’s eyes widened slightly as the realization dawned on him. I’m the safest option. I know a lot of people, but not as many as Leo. And since I’m his best friend, I can indirectly use his connections.

She hadn’t chosen Alex either, probably because Alex was the type to do everything alone. I’m just the most convenient one, Eli thought bitterly, a small, mocking smile playing on his lips. The easiest piece to move in this twisted game.

He shook his head, trying to clear away the growing frustration. But if I can’t solve this alone, then I’ll need more people. The thought settled in his mind like a stone dropping into water. I can’t make them believe me, or else the loop will reset. But I’lneed help to meet the requirements to end this.

Suddenly, another thought hit him—one that brought a glimmer of hope. She planned this meticulously. She must have left me with a way to end it. There has to be a way to bring everyone back. Eli clung to that hope, his chest feeling lighter than it had in what felt like an eternity.

There’s still hope, he told himself, clinging to the possibility. I just have to figure it out.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Eli stood up, feeling a strange mixture of relief and determination. He had a plan, however fragile, and a faint sense of hope to guide him through the labyrinth of uncertainty.

But as he gathered his things and glanced once more at Leo’s carefree face, a cold truth lingered in the back of his mind.

The clock is still ticking.