A warm sensation caressed my cheek, and the orange hue of light penetrated through my eyelids. I lay on something soft, a cushion covered in fabric that felt familiar. I opened my eyes and took in the messy clothes on the floor, the open and disorganised closet, and the sweet smell of the air freshener on the other side of the room. Everything was exactly as I remembered.

To my surprise, there was neither a scar nor a wound when I touched the left side of my face with my hand. My eye was functioning perfectly, but I knew that this was only temporary. I was back inside my loop, and in the real world, I had lost all function in my left eye. It was damaged beyond repair. I became enraged and tightly clutched the bed's fabric.

“You will pay for this, Eliora”

I whispered through gritted teeth. I couldn't help but notice that I was still dressed in the clothes I had been wearing when I entered the loop as I got out of bed. I usually wake up in my pyjamas or a singlet and shorts, so this was unusual. My guess was that the configuration set for me in the loop had been erased since I had left, but some parts of it still remained as I was still in bed. This was further confirmed by the absence of any new memories, just like when I entered Eliora's loop, which was not configured for me. I scanned the surface of the bed until I found my phone and looked at the time. It read, “8:04.”

An eerie silence filled the entire house as I left my room. My heart raced as I called out to my family, but there was no response. I frantically searched their rooms but couldn't find anyone. I remembered the last time I saw them—frozen in place. But now there was no sign of that strange phenomenon. I stepped out of the house and into the street, only to find it eerily deserted.

My destination was clear: the school physics lab. It was my way into the infinite intersection, and I had no time to waste. The emptiness around me did not deter me from my mission, and I set off towards the school with a determined stride.

After a while, I could see the school entrance, but my attention was drawn to a large crowd that had gathered there. It was a strange sight, and I couldn't help but feel curious about what was happening. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me, and I turned to see someone approaching. I slowed my pace, allowing him to overtake me, hoping to follow him to his destination. My guess was that he was heading to the school, where the crowd had gathered.

I couldn't shake off the question that lingered in my mind: why were so many people gathered at the school? Whatever was happening, I needed to find out. Although I caught a glimpse of the man's face as he passed me, I was unable to identify him. Most likely, it was for the best.

Once I arrived at the school, I couldn't help but notice the strange atmosphere. As I got closer, I began to hear murmurs and whispers from the people in the crowd. They all seemed worried and concerned about something. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but it was clear that something had happened. As I walked through the crowd, I caught a few stares.

Suddenly, a group of adults approached me. Some of them I knew from my neighbourhood, but some were unfamiliar.

“Elisa Nunez, isn't it?”

One of them asked

“Yes”

The whispers intensified after I confirmed who I was.

“Sorry, I have somewhere to be.”

I said, trying to avoid whatever strange scenario was unfolding here. As I turned around to leave, a man suddenly appeared in front of me, his face contorted with rage and desperation. As he drew nearer, I caught sight of a flash of metal in his hand and realised that it was a knife.

“STOP RIGHT THERE!”

His voice quivered in rage as he yelled. I froze in my tracks, unsure of what to do. The man was clearly unhinged, and the knife in his hand was a clear indication that he was dangerous. I could feel the eyes of the crowd on me, and I could hear them whispering among themselves.

“You are going to tell us how to get out of whatever this is.”

He demanded it, pointing the knife at me. His words caught me off guard. “Get out”—what did he mean by that?

“What are you talking about?”

I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.

“DON'T YOU DARE PLAY DUMB WITH ME, YOU BITCH!”

He roared, taking a threatening step toward me. I could feel my heart racing in my chest as I tried to come up with a plan. I knew that I needed to diffuse the situation quickly, but I also had to take care not to aggravate the man. I could see the fear and trepidation on the faces of those nearby as I turned to look around. They were scared, and they were looking to me for answers.

“What's going on here?”

I asked, hoping to distract the man from his rage, but he wasn't having it.

“You know damn well what's going on, and you're going to tell us how to get out of this nightmare.”

What type of scenario was this?

“ELISA!”

Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the chaos, and I turned to see my mother, Briana, and Louis pushing through the crowd towards me. My heart lifted at the sight of them, and I was relieved to see my father carrying my little brother in his arms. Among the swarm of people were also some of my classmates and teachers from school.

Despite the precarious situation with the knife-wielding man, seeing my family and friends brought a sense of comfort and familiarity to this bewildering ordeal.

“Elisa, thank goodness we found you!”

My mother exclaimed, relief evident in her voice. As she approached me, I could see the concern etched on her face. She took a step closer to the man with the knife, and I instinctively put myself in between them.

“Everyone, stay back. I'll handle this.”

I said it, my voice firm and confident. I had to diffuse the situation quickly because I didn't want anyone else to suffer harm. Though I had no idea what was happening or why this man was threatening me, I knew I had to remain calm and composed to get us out of this mess.

I carefully considered the situation. I had two options: attempt to defuse the man's anger and persuade him to back off, or use force to disarm him. However, given the gravity of the situation, attempting to calm him down would only lead to more confusion and desperation. I realised right away that I had to disarm him. I still wore the Evizot, which offered some level of protection; however, I needed to act quickly and with precision to avoid making him panic and lash out.

“Put away the knife, and I'll try to explain.”

As I took a cautious step forward, my eyes were fixed on the knife that the man was holding, its shiny blade glinting in the dim light. As I made an effort to calm myself down, I could hear my own rapid, shallow breathing. I took another step forward, and the man's grip on the knife seemed to loosen slightly. That was my chance. I took a deep breath and made a split-second decision.

I gathered all my strength and launched myself at him, hoping to catch him off guard. But he was quick, too. He thrust the knife at my abdomen, and I barely managed to block the attack with both of my arms by slamming them into his. He then tackled me to the ground while holding his knife in his hand, using his weight as leverage. I felt the hard ground slam against my back, knocking the breath out of me. I struggled to get up, but the man was too strong.

He raised the knife above his head and aimed it at my face. I quickly raised my hands to defend myself, and the blade went through both of my palms, piercing the skin and flesh and coming out the other side. The pain was excruciating, but I tried to ignore it, focusing on the fight instead. I exerted all my strength to resist as the man pushed the knife down with all his might, trying to drive it into my face. The crowd around us let out a collective scream, and I heard my mother's voice among them. I knew I had to act fast before it was too late.

Just then, a few guys from the crowd rushed in to help me. They tackled the man and pinned him to the ground, giving me the chance to get up. I stumbled backwards, clutching my bleeding palms and feeling the warmth of blood dripping down my arms. Amidst the chaos, I could hear voices yelling out to him.

“What the hell are you thinking?”

One person shouted.

“If you kill her now, we would have to wait until the next reset.”

Another voice chimed in. Meanwhile, my family had rushed to my aid. My mom, dad, and Briana were all by my side, trying to help in any way they could. Even Omar, who had been dropped off with Louis, ran over to check on me.

I felt a sharp pain in my palms where the knife had gone through. The blood was already starting to flow freely down my arms, staining my clothes. In an effort to stop the bleeding, Briana quickly tore pieces of her shirt off and wrapped them tightly around my palms. As I moved my arms, I winced from the agonising pain. The adrenaline that had been keeping me going was now wearing off, and I could feel every ache and pain.

“Elisa”

I looked up to see Louis' grave expression. His eyes conveyed the gravity of the situation. It seemed that everyone else present was feeling the same sense of heaviness.

“Elisa, where have you been?”

Louis' voice was barely above a whisper. Considering what I knew about the situation at hand, the question was both intriguing and perplexing. This scenario was different, and I realised that an honest response was necessary.

“I assume you all know about the time loop.”

I replied, and the murmurs from the crowd confirmed that they did.

“I was outside.”

I continued.

“What the hell is happening?”

Someone in the crowd yelled, and a wave of noise followed, all demanding answers. I rose to my feet, scanning the faces of the people around me, all of them looking to me for answers. But there was no time for a long-winded explanation.

“Elisa,”

I heard a familiar voice calling my name. It was Holly.

“You tried to warn us.”

She said this as she approached me. I was confused. When did I do that? I tried to recall what she meant. Then, a memory from the fourth loop came flooding back to me. I remembered standing in the middle of the school courtyard, shouting about something being wrong. However, everyone had been making fun of me at the time.

“We didn't listen to you back then, but we believe you now. We remember the previous loops too.”

Louis said, and I was in awe. If they remembered, I needed to adjust my priorities. I had to put finding out what was going on here above all else.

“How?”

I whispered to myself.

“That would be because of me”

An ominous voice from an unknown source answered. Fear could be felt in the air as the crowd started to panic. The situation was getting worse.

“It is not noon yet”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“It is her fault; as soon as she arrives, things begin getting even worse.”

Some people from the crowd said this as they pointed at me. I realised that the people around me were aware of what was going to happen at noon. The swirling clouds above us caught my attention, and a figure descended from them. Everyone in the area backed away in terror. I looked back at my parents and friends and urged them to get away from the area.

“You guys should get away from here”

I said urgently.

“But…”

My mother began to speak.

“Trust me, please,”

I interrupted, hoping they would listen. They reluctantly retreated, leaving me in the centre of a large circle with everyone else standing about 15 metres away. I couldn't help but feel that it was still too close. As I turned my attention back to the figure who had descended from the clouds, I saw Eliora touch the ground with her feet, a smirk on her face, and I immediately confronted her.

“What exactly is your plan here? To psychologically damage me?”

I asked.

“You are quick to pick up on things”

I came to understand that, while I was in the loop, this was the only thing she could do to me, but although it was an option, torture had limitations. Whatever method she wanted to use, she was confident in it.

With the knowledge that everyone here remembered the previous loops, I knew it would cause a lot of problems. Given the behaviour of the individual who assaulted me earlier, it appears that their psychological state is unstable. The guilt of not listening to my warnings before would weigh on them, and they would remember the trauma of previous loops.

They are also aware that I had broken free of the loop’s control for some time, which meant that anything I did during that period took advantage of the entire situation. I know that I have not done anything bad to anyone, so I should be okay. It is ironic that, despite the prevailing belief that the loop had no consequences, Reuben would now be hated and ostracised by some for his actions. But what worried me most was Louis. He now remembered our intimate moment, and I wondered how he felt about it.

I had a lot of ideas racing through my head, but I knew I couldn't think about them right now.

“I made them retain their memories and restore the ones from the previous loop.”

As Eliora spoke, a young woman in the crowd was suddenly drawn towards her as if pulled by an invisible force.

“You”

She said that, and the woman screamed and fought to get away. The crowd erupted in screams and panic.

“No one is leaving here”

Eliora said, and she snapped her fingers. I heard the sound of the earth giving way all around us, and I realised that she had created a large canyon to prevent anyone from running away and escaping.

“Every ten seconds, I am going to pick somebody at random and kill them right in front of you until you tell me how you broke out of the loop's control.”

But how could I feel any urgency when I knew that the loop would reset and everyone would be fine? Then I realised what her plan was.

“I am sure you have figured it out already. I am removing the reset ability, which meant that everyone I kill in here would die outside of the loop.”

The reality of the situation hit me like a tonne of bricks, and my heart sank. Eliora's plan would not only cause innocent lives to be lost, but those deaths would be permanent. The idea of losing everyone I cared about all at once was paralysing, and I knew I couldn't let that happen. I desperately searched for a plan, but my mind drew a blank. Eliora seemed to have thought of everything, and her power seemed absolute.

By now, I had expected Yazmin to have begun tampering with the loop, but the time dilation was starting to become problematic. By now, I had expected Yazmin to have begun tampering with the loop, but the time dilation was starting to become problematic. However, the time that had passed in the outside world was only two minutes when the time dilation effect was taken into account. When I first realised the time dilation effect, I instructed Reuben to check in every five minutes to avoid any issues. But now, the time discrepancy threatened to throw everything into disarray.

“Let’s begin”

The woman screamed in agony as Eliora tore her arms apart. The sight of her body splitting down the middle was gruesome and horrifying. Chaos ensued as people panicked and shouted even louder than before. As I watched the gruesome scene take place in front of me, my emotions were out of control. My rage and hatred for Eliora grew more intense by the minute. I clenched my fists and ground my teeth together, desperate to take action against her. The desire to kill her burned within me.

I charged towards Eliora with every ounce of strength I had left. My adrenaline shot up, and for a moment, I forgot the pain of the stab wound I had received. I just wanted to do something—anything—to stop her from killing innocent people. I swung my right arm forward, aiming to punch her square in the face, but I was met with a swift block and counterattack that sent me flying. The force of the backhand was so strong that I rolled several metres on the ground before coming to a stop.

I couldn't help but experience a wave of hopelessness as I lay there, dazed and in pain. This entire situation was getting worse by the second, and I was at a loss for what to do.

“Are you ready to talk?”

The blank expression on her face revealed that she was completely disconnected from the horrific act of violence she had just committed. I knew then that I had to think of something fast. I doubted that Eliora would be satisfied if I just mentioned that Yazmin was the one who broke me out of the loop. She was well aware of that fact but still believed that I had played a part in it.

I was just a regular person; unlike Eliora and the others, I lacked any unique abilities. It made absolutely no sense that she was holding me responsible for something that was out of my control. As my mind swirled with conflicting emotions, I forced myself to focus on what truly mattered: someone had lost their life in this senseless act of violence. A person who had been caught up in a situation that had nothing to do with them.

I felt like I was caught in a battle between my emotions, with anger, hatred, grief, and guilt all vying for control. Each one seemed to be more powerful than the last, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and conflicted. It was an internal battle that I had to fight, and I knew that I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me. I fought to stand up while ignoring the excruciating pain tearing through my body. My fists were clenched so tightly that my knuckles turned white. All I could think about was bringing Eliora down with my bare hands. But as I approached her, she just stood there, unflinching. With a mocking laugh, she turned her attention back to the crowd.

“Next”

She said it calmly, and the crowd reluctantly parted ways, revealing my teacher, Mrs. Jacquelyn, as she was pulled towards her. The sight of her contorted face and the sound of her screams echoed through the air, causing me to wince in horror.

“YAZMIN IS THE REASON I GOT OUT OF THE LOOP!”

I yelled in an effort to save her, but Eliora remained unimpressed and unfazed.

“How did she do it? And why did she choose you?”

Eliora questioned me while maintaining eye contact with me. She seemed determined to make me suffer so that I would tell the truth. With a sickening crack, Eliora ripped Mrs. Jacquelyn in half, and her blood and entrails splattered across the crowd. I stumbled back in horror.

“I am telling you the truth; I was chosen due to pure luck. That is it. I don’t even know how Yazmin broke me out of the loop.”

She stared at me for awhile.

“Maybe you are saying the truth, but how about one more for good measure?”

Then, to my horror, Eliora's eyes fixed on someone in the crowd—my little brother, Omar. I watched in horror as my parents tried to hold him back, but he was drawn inexorably towards her.

“Please no”

I pleaded, my voice quivering. My parents and brother wailed in despair as they desperately tried to hold on to him, but it was no use; she was too strong. I could do nothing but watch in horror as Omar was dragged towards her. I ran towards Eliora once more, and in desperation, I kneeled beside her, begging for mercy.

“Eliora please”

She was deaf to my pleas, and my heart sank as I realised that I might lose everything I held dear. The next few seconds felt like an eternity as my brother's screams were still ringing in my ears, urging me to do something, anything, to save him. Was I really about to watch him die right in front of me? Was I going to allow that?

I launched myself at Eliora, but she kicked me in the centre, sending waves of pain through my body as I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. I couldn't give up. Not now. Not when my brother's life was on the line. So move your fucking body, Elisa, and save your annoying little brother.

I tried to push myself up, but my legs gave out, and I fell to the ground, the pain from my wounds intensifying. I was able to see my brother's fear in his eyes and the tears running down his face. I forced myself to crawl again, my muscles burning with exertion and my breaths coming in ragged gasps.

But then, in a split second, everything changed. A sudden spray of blood hit my face, and I looked up to see Eliora, with a gaping hole in her chest, collapsing to the ground. My eyes quickly shifted to my brother, who was now secure in Reuben's arms, his tears now tears of relief.

“Reuben”

I whispered, my voice shaking.

“Get up, Elisa”

He said so, and I struggled to do so while fighting through the pain and attempting to control my erratic breathing. I glanced over at Eliora, who was now motionless and frozen in place.

“Luckily, Yazmin is a genius and decided to intervene by using time dilation to her advantage. It took her about forty minutes to figure things out, but less than a minute to implement”

Reuben explained as he released Omar, who ran back to our parents, who had been anxiously waiting nearby.

“Eliora was so fixated on you that she left the other loops vulnerable, which allowed Yazmin to seize control temporarily. She targeted Eliora, given that most of her subconscious was invested in this loop. Right now, Eliora is experiencing an overload of information, so it may take a while for her to respond”

I felt a fresh wave of gratitude wash over me as I hugged Reuben tightly. He was initially surprised, but later returned the embrace.

“Thank you both”

I whispered, my eyes brimming with tears as I pulled away and wiped them away. I noticed my parents and my friends were standing close by.

“Reuben, could you please deliver a message to Yazmin? Let her know that Eliora has disabled the reset function in this loop and ask her to enable it again”

I requested.

“Sure, but are you alright?”

Reuben asked with concern.

“I will be. I'll need your help to figure out a way for everyone to exit this area.”

I replied.

“I noticed the canyon she created around us. I'll see if I can build a bridge or something.”

He offered.

“Thank you, Reuben”

I said, feeling grateful for his support. As I turned to face my family and friends, I braced myself for whatever they had to say.

“I'm sorry”

I began, my voice trembling.

“I did my best, but two people still died because of me.”

They rushed over to give me a hug before I could finish my sentence

“You don’t need to say anything, it was not your fault”

But even their kind words couldn't alleviate the guilt that was weighing heavily on my chest.

“I'm just glad you're all safe.”

I said it, my voice barely above a whisper.

“But I was responsible for two people's deaths.”

I pulled away from the embrace, looking at my parents in particular.

“Can I speak to you both alone, please?”

I asked, and my brother clung tenaciously to my mother's leg as we moved a few feet away from the others.

“I know you're worried about me, even though you're trying to hide it”

“Of course we are”

My mom immediately replied.

“You're our daughter, and we love you.”

My dad added

“There's so much I need to explain, but right now, I don't have the time. When I get back, I promise I'll tell you everything.”

My parents nodded in agreement, and I crouched down to hug Omar.

“Stay safe, little guy”

I said, holding him tightly. He remained silent, but he hugged me back. As I held Omar tightly in my arms, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside his head. He was so young, yet he had already experienced so much trauma and danger. It was impossible to imagine what he must have been feeling and what kind of impact this experience would have on him in the long run. I felt a sense of responsibility come over me as I got to my feet. I could see my friends waiting for me, and I knew I had to talk to them.

“There is a lot we all have to talk about”

I said, looking directly at Louis, who nodded in understanding. It was a brief interaction, but better than none. But I had a bigger audience to address, and I turned my attention to the people around me. I approached the statue in the middle of the field, grabbing onto it to give myself some height.

“I know you're scared and confused, but I need you to stay calm”

I said, projecting my voice as loudly as possible.

“I promise to get every single person out of here, no matter what.”

I wasn't sure if they believed me, but I knew I had to keep pushing forward. Their safety was my top priority, and I was determined to see it through.

“I’m going now”

I said, feeling the burden of the circumstance on my shoulders. With one last look at Louis, I knew our conversation would have to wait. As I turned away, I saw that Reuben, who had been tinkering with various materials, had fashioned a makeshift walkway out of cars and trees to help people move across the area more easily. I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards him for his ingenuity and resourcefulness.

A tap on my shoulder, however, broke up my moment of thought. I turned around to see the person standing behind me. Her face wore a look of concern that made me wonder what was going through her mind.

“Hey, do you have a minute?”

She asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

“Not really Holly”

I answered, hoping that this would be a quick exchange. Holly's face immediately fell to the ground. I felt guilty for making her feel that way, but I didn't want to delay my departure any further. However, her energy quickly returned, and her eyes sparkled with a newfound energy.

“Regardless, I am going to make this quick”

She was clearly determined to talk to me before I left. Whatever she wanted to tell me, it was clear that she was eager to get it off her chest. Knowing that I couldn't say no to her, I sighed.

“I know you are not doing okay, that very much is clear”

She said so, and I had to agree with her.

“You are going on a mission that I assume is extremely dangerous just to save us. You managed to keep calm and maintain your sanity despite everything that had happened.”

Holly was touching her arm a bit as she spoke, and I could sense that she was genuinely concerned about my well-being.

“The point is that you are extremely cool, and after all this is over, I would love to know more about you.”

She added, and I was caught off guard by her request.

“You believe I am able to stop this and free you all?”

“Considering everything else and how far you have come, I know you will”

She responded with an air of confidence that gave me a glimmer of hope.

“I…”

I began, but she quickly interrupted me.

“There is a lot you want to get off your chest. As a member of the mental health group, I look forward to hearing everything you have to say.”

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I wanted to open up to her, but decided I should.

“Well, there is quite a lot”

I said, finally deciding to share my burden with her.

“Naturally there is”

Holly replied, nodding in agreement.

“How about this? When you come back, I'll tell the story of how I got this”

She said this as she grabbed my hand and placed something gently on my palm, probably not to cause any pain due to the stab wound I had suffered there. I looked down and saw that it was a charm bracelet.

“It was an epic adventure filled with several plot twists, a heartfelt betrayal, and an epic love story to boot. Who knows, it might even prove to be better than yours”

Holly said it with a playful glint in her eye, and I couldn't help but laugh at her comment. It provided a much-needed diversion from the seriousness of my situation.

“Managed to make you laugh”

She said this as she smiled softly. I realised that Holly had probably intended to make me laugh all along. Even though I was still concerned about the mission at hand, I was grateful to her for doing this.

“Thank you”

I said, sincerely.

“There is no need for you to say that. Just make it back here safely.”

She replied with a genuine concern for my safety.

“I will, and that story better be epic”

I responded with a smile, feeling better than I had in a long time. Holly turned and walked away from me, but I noticed her occasionally looking back at me. I knew that she, like the others, was worried about my safety, but her kindness and humour had given me a newfound strength that I would carry with me on this mission.

I was standing there thinking as I heard footsteps coming up behind me. I turned around to see Reuben standing there.

“Are you ready now?”

He asked in a steady, soft voice. I inhaled deeply and nodded, grateful for his presence. He had hung back to give me space to finish my conversation with Holly, and now he was here to support me in whatever lay ahead. As I gazed at him, he gestured toward his cheek.

“You've got a little something.”

I reached up to my face in confusion and felt the dampness of my tears. I quickly wiped them away, embarrassed, and tried to compose myself.

“Thanks”

“I think you have been saying that a lot lately"

He said this, smiling gently.

“I have, and I mean it every single time.”

I replied, returning his smile. After a moment of silence, I signalled to Reuben that I was ready to go. He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. My heart pounded with anticipation as Reuben hovered off the ground, and I held onto him tightly as we soared through the air towards the physics lab. As we landed, I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I knew what I had to do, but I couldn't help feeling a sense of trepidation.

I had caused the entire loop to fall apart the first time I entered these tears, and I had no idea what would happen this time. I approached one of the tears on the ground with caution as a mixture of dread and excitement bubbled up inside of me. As I sat down with my legs inside the tear, I looked back at Reuben.

“I guess I'll see you later then”

I said, my voice wavering slightly.

“Stay safe”

He replied, his concern evident. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes, leaped down through the tear, and fell into the unknown, the hole I had come through shrinking rapidly until it disappeared completely. I was enveloped in darkness and unsure whether I was falling or merely floating in the endless void.

“Time to begin.”

I whispered to myself as I closed my eyes and focused on the technique Yael had shown me. With a sudden burst of energy, a blinding flash of light exploded through the darkness, and I was hurtled forward through the void. It was like this for a few seconds before I came to a stop, and again, everything went black.