No sooner had she ended the call with Janice than a sharp sound echoed from downstairs—the distinct click of the front door unlocking, followed by the creak of it slowly swinging open.
Elara froze instantly. Every nerve in her body snapped to high alert.
She grabbed the baseball bat she had left leaning against the wall, gripping it tight with both hands. Her knees shook violently, and her heart hammered so hard against her ribs she could hear it pounding in her ears.
Who is it? Are they here already?
Taking a deep, shaky breath to steel her nerves, she forced her legs to move. Step by agonizing step, she crept down the stairs, ready to face whatever intruder had dared to break into her home.
She searched every corner, every shadow, but the house was empty. There was no one there. Nothing seemed out of place… except for the front door, standing wide open to the outside world.
A cold chill ran down her spine, freezing her blood. Her mind raced with a thousand terrifying questions, none of which had answers.
"What the hell is going on?! Who did this?!" Elara screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking with sheer frustration and fear.
She couldn't take it anymore. With a cry of rage, she hurled the baseball bat as hard as she could against the wall. It struck with a loud THUD, leaving a deep dent in the plaster.
"DAMN IT!" she roared, tears of anger stinging her eyes. "STOP PLAYING GAMES WITH ME! IF YOU'RE HERE TO KILL ME AGAIN, THEN JUST FUCKING COME OUT! STOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH AND GET IT OVER WITH!"
Suddenly, Jake appeared right in the open doorway.
"What happened? I heard a loud crash!" he exclaimed, feigning genuine concern as he stepped right past the threshold and began looking curiously around the inside of her house.
"Who gave you permission to enter?! I don't even know you!" Elara snapped, her voice ice cold and still shaking with rage.
"Oh! Right! My bad," Jake said sympathetically. He slowly stepped back outside onto the porch, but his eyes never left hers, locking into an intense, deep stare.
"To tell you the truth, Ms. Elara... I find you absolutely fascinating," he said, sounding sincere, yet his words carried an underlying weight that sent a chill down her spine. "I want to know what keeps you in the light... and what lurks in the dark."
"Well, let me be honest with you too, Mr...?" Elara replied, her tone calm but deadly serious. "I find you extremely suspicious. Who are you really? And why do I get the feeling that you are deliberately meddling in my life?"
She took a step forward, her glare sharp.
"You had better stop it right now. More than anything else, I have absolutely no time for games at this moment."
"Oh, what a cute coincidence… neither do I."
Jake's voice dropped to a cold seriousness, his eyes gleaming with arrogance and twisted pleasure.
"Well, you said you were a photojournalist, right?" Elara sighed, exasperated, trying to keep her composure. "Then why don't you focus on your job instead of poking your nose into other people's business?" She took a step closer, her tone turning sharp and icy.
"I like women who know how to handle themselves," Jake chuckled softly, clapping his hands together in delight. "You fascinate me even more! You'll have to share your stories with me next time… especially about that mysterious phenomenon you were talking about."
His expression turned mocking and deadly serious.
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked back toward his own house.
"Hey! What do you mean by that?! Hey! Get back here!" Elara shouted, panic rising in her chest as she tried to chase after him.
But he was too fast. The door slammed shut in her face with a definitive click.
What did he mean? Why do I feel such dread? Does he know about the loop? Is he aware of everything? Or… is he one of them?
Elara violently shook her head, unable to bear the thought. Instead, she slammed her fist against the wall, channeling all her anger and fear into the impact.
This can't be happening! Who the hell are you really, Jake Matthews?!
Breathing heavily, she forced herself to turn away. She had no choice but to put this aside for now. She walked back into her house, steeling her nerves to prepare for her meeting with Janice.
"He's just trying to mess with my head," Elara muttered under her breath, her brows furrowed deeply in confusion and irritation. "What does he really want from me?"
Internal Monologue (Elara): More importantly… who actually opened my door? Was it the killers? Are they trying to mess with my head now?
No, unlikely. In the last five loops, whenever they appeared, they went straight for the kill. If they weren't ready to finish it, they would still show themselves clearly just to break my spirit. That's how they operate. But… I can't rule it out completely. Not with those monsters around. Anything fucked up is possible.
Letting out a heavy sigh of frustration, she stepped back inside and headed upstairs to get ready.
"I need to put that aside for now," Elara muttered to herself, determination flashing in her eyes. "What matters most right now is meeting Janice and finding out what happens next and protect her."
She took a deep breath, steeling her resolve.
"I'll do whatever it takes. This time… I'm going to win."
In the dark alleyway nearby…
The two masked figures stood hidden in the shadows, watching the scene unfold.
"Whew! What a lovers' quarrel!" the female killer sneered, letting out a chilling, sadistic giggle.
"You still have the audacity to laugh?" her partner snapped coldly and authoritatively. "You let your guard down and let her see your profile! We are supposed to remain hidden!"
"I know, I know…" she admitted sincerely, her tone shifting slightly. "I admit, I underestimated Janice back there."
"But what do we do now?" she asked curiously. "Is Janice still considered a threat in this loop?"
"That is what we are going to find out," the male killer replied icily. "If she proves to be dangerous again… we will eliminate her first, before we touch Elara. Just like we planned in the last loop."
"And what about what just happened earlier?" the woman asked mischievously. "That neighbor…"
"It seems we have another variable to watch out for," he said darkly. "That person is bad news for our cause. If they meddle too much… we'll get rid of them too."
"I like the sound of that," she purred, a cold smile hidden behind her mask as she sharpened her blade.
Inside Jake's house…
"I've successfully set up the first phase of the plan," Jake muttered to himself. "Now… on to the second."
A cold, arrogant smirk spread across his face.
"You're going to be my new subject, Elara Blackwood. A brand new story to tell. You should feel nothing but gratitude."
He let out a low, controlled, and utterly sinister laugh.
After spending half an hour getting ready, Elara finally stepped out of the house.
"We'll see if we run into Jack and Yumi along the way," she muttered to herself. "That's how it's supposed to happen, right?"
Taking a deep breath, she started walking forward, hoping desperately that this time, things would finally change for the better.
As she walked further down the sidewalk, a sudden, prickling sensation washed over her. It was unmistakable—the heavy, piercing feeling of a gaze fixed firmly on her back.
Why do I feel like I'm being watched again? Elara wondered, her heart skipping a beat. What is going on? Am I just being paranoid again?
Lost in her swirling thoughts, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly, she collided softly with two figures walking right in front of her.
She looked up, startled, and recognized them immediately. They were two of her childhood friends—Yumi and Jack.
(from the auxiliary chapter).
"Yumi? Jack? Is that you guys?" Elara asked, a mixture of surprise and curiosity coloring her voice.
"Oh, Elara?!" They said in unison, their faces etched with identical surprise. All three of them laughed, a shared joy that momentarily quelled the lingering anxiety in Elara's heart.
"Actually, we were just about to go to your house to surprise you," Yumi said, her enthusiasm momentarily dampened. "But it seems like you have some plans today."
"Yes, unfortunately, I have some plans today," Elara replied, "I have to meet some friends of mine. Wait, what if you two go with us tomorrow at 8 PM? We'll watch the fireworks display!" Her voice, infused with excitement, welled with a sense of possibility.
"That sounds like a good idea, alright, we're on! We'll bring lots of food made by Mom, too, like old times," Jack smiled. A warm, comforting familiarity enveloped Elara as she pictured the hearty dishes from his mother's kitchen, a treasure trove of shared memories.
"Yes, I miss Auntie's cooking, and I miss you two so much! Anyways, I really have to go now. See you guys tomorrow!"
After that encounter she continued on with her journey.
Internal Monologue (Elara): That's also exactly how it went in my first two loops. Luckily, I still remember the exact words that I have uttered. My theory is somehow proven half true, the timeline won't change as long as I didn't actively tried something new that might trigger a new event from happening.
"But why do I still feel like I am being watched somewhere?" Elara whispered to herself completely confused and anxious now before continuing to walk.
After saying her goodbyes, Elara continued on her way.
That went exactly the same way it did in the first two loops, she realized. Luckily, I remembered every single word I was supposed to say. It seems my theory is half correct: the timeline remains unchanged as long as I don't actively do something different to trigger a new event.
"But why..." she whispered softly to herself, her voice trembling slightly, "why do I still feel like eyes are burning into me from somewhere?"
Confusion and anxiety washed over her again as she kept walking.
On a nearby bench…
Someone sat perfectly still, watching her every move with intense, unblinking focus.
— TO BE CONTINUED —