Chapter 9.4: Groundhog Day

Ace stood in the dark in his room. He was back at his dorm, and the sudden change was overwhelming.

  The air tasted disgusting. Years of toxic pollution made the air smell and taste much more different. The difference was so huge, he started to gag. He fumbled in the room for the light switch and his eyes winced at the lights which seemed too bright.

  He looked around his room, and breathed a sigh of relief. Not much had changed in the time he was gone. Fenton's things were sprawled around the place, and strangely his bed was made. It never was, and Ace noticed that all of his belongings were neatly packed into boxes with his name on it.

Tyreceus and Fenton had packed all his things, having long given up that he would ever return.

  How long have I been gone, Ace wondered. What happened?

He glared at the watch, and hatred filled his veins.

  "You ruined my life," he shuddered. "Why?"

  The watch cackled. I do not like you, it simply said. I only like Tyreceus. How the two of you are related, I have no idea.

   "I'm adopted," Ace said bluntly, out of habit. The watch laughed at him and Ace's head pounded as his loud laughs reverberated inside his head. I love bothering you, the watch giggled. I have never seen someone do the same thing over and over again! You even ignored my warnings! You're a fool!

   "What are you talking about," Ace whispered. The watch cackled as he told Ace how he had decided to teach him a lesson.

  You mortals think you can use our powers as you please, the watch snickered. The only mortal I have met to ask me kindly before he even touched me was Tyreceus.

  I remember, many years ago when you stole me out of his closet for the first time, shoving me into your filthy pocket, the watch snarled. I decided to teach you a lesson.

  "You did it all because you don't like me," Ace shrieked.

   At first, the watch giggled. But then I thought it was a fun game we could play. Every time things went back, I would change one little thing, hoping you would notice, but you never did.

  "Things went back," Ace asked. "What do you mean?"

  Oh, I always send you back to your little friend, the watch mumbled. He sets everything back and we play the same game all over again. Sometimes I do it myself.

  Ace couldn't breathe. His entire life was controlled by a sentient and jealous watch. His life had been upended because it was offended. His life was a game to the immortal being. Ace's entire body shook with rage, as he could never see his son again, that he would never get to hear his first words.

  The watch laughed again, and the walls shook. Ace screamed as its horrible noise filled up every part of him, squeezing him, making him suffer.

"You're worse than Deceit," Ace gasped. "You're so much worse."

I am not, the watch grumbled. You are a thief, son of Prima. You and your filthy family stole the power of the gods. Why should I ever lend it to you?

" I don't know what you're talking about! I never asked to use you," Ace screamed.

Yes you did, the watch mumbled. Your soul and mind tells me things your words never could. You have gone back, thousands of times, and you continue to fail yourself and everyone you love.

Ace took off the watch and it continued to laugh at him as he set it down onto the desk.

"Don't worry," Ace mumbled. "I will never use you again."

  The walls shook and the watch's laughter sounded more like screams. The voices overlapped each other, and Ace screamed at it, just making noise as no words came out.

  You mortals think that you can use me as you please, the watch snickered. You complained every single time about never using me, and this time will be the same.

"No it won't," Ace screeched.

Oh Acheus, the watch sighed. Two days from now, you will use me again, and our fun game shall repeat, for the 3,654th time.

  Ace stared at the watch and felt like the room itself was buzzing, his head vibrating, his eyes twitching underneath the stress of it all.

I need to throw it away, he thought to himself.

That won't work, the watch laughed. Someone else will find me, and I can just play games with someone else. What makes you think that you're so special, that you're my first?

I can hide it, Ace decided.

When you die, someone else will use me, the watch sneered. I do not want you anyway. Bring me to Tyreceus.

Ace ignored it. He stumbled to the bathroom, and screamed when he saw himself in the mirror.

   He had seen himself in many mirrors in the past, but they were not as well done as the ones they had in his own time. They were warped, and at most the best he could make out was if he had anything on his face. He was already filthy, covered in ash, blood, and a strange black tar.

  His hair was almost waist length, as he never bothered to cut it, and it hung in a long single braid down his back. He had a beard and he touched it, upset that it was not as nice as he thought it looked. His skin was darker from the years under the hot sun, he had hairier arms, more muscles, and he even grew an inch.

Ace was no longer a boy, and he did not even realize it until he saw himself in the mirror.

  He took off his clothes and ran the shower. He marveled at how he had hot water in his own home. All the baths he had taken for the past two and half years were mostly cold. He moaned in pleasure underneath the hot shower crying as all the grime slid off of his body, joyous that he could use real soap instead of olive oil or honey.

  He rummaged around one of the boxes with his name on it, and found his clippers. He only used them to clip his sideburns, but today he would get rid of the bush that had grown on his face. The watch mocked him as he shaved, telling him that he was wasting his time.

You should have fun before everything gets worse, the watch chided him. You only have two days left with everyone.

  Ace continued to ignore him and shaved the rest off with a disposable razor. He glared at his reflection and rubbed his chin. His entire body still ached, he was still bruised, and a part of him was scared that nothing really mattered.

   Everything will repeat itself over again, Ace thought. This is Hell. I should give up. Everything he was used to now felt foreign and strange to him. The material on his boxers felt weird, and his pants were too tight after wearing nothing but loose clothing for a long time. He felt strange wearing a shirt, and his toes kept curling because the socks were too stimulating on his feet.

  He dried his hair with the towel and put his long hair up into a bun, not sure what to do with it.

  Ibis always took care of my hair, he thought.

  He cried again, as the watch mocked him, remembering that his son was long gone, his wife as well, and how his body had been violated.

  Take me to Tyreceus, the watch screamed.

  "Fine," Ace shouted. "You can have him!" Ace was about to pick up the watch and then paused.

"Wait. Why does my father own you," Ace asked.

No man owns me, the watch replied. I am a strong and independent watch. I don't need a man.

That is not what I meant you fucking tool, Ace thought. He sighed and glared at it. "May I touch you," he mumbled.

Yes, the watch giggled. Be gentle. I'm a virgin.

  Ace held back the urge to throw it against the wall out of fear that the watch would turn everything back again as he promised. He closed his eyes and tried to go to his father's apartment, but he couldn't. I must still be tired, Ace assumed. I need iron pills.

  Ace went into the medicine cabinet and took two large pills. He left the room, cautiously, expecting people to be in the shared space but no one was. What will I tell people when they see me, Ace wondered. I look so different now.

   He opened the fridge and again cried tears of joy at the sight of food on demand, that was unsalted,not boiled,and wasn't some other fish recipe. He found the quickest meat filled food he could find and put a burrito in the microwave. He felt like the world was vibrating again as he watched it cook inside, spinning, waiting for the familiar beep.

He greedily bit into it, and then spat it out into the sink.

This tastes too strong, he thought. Did I always eat this!?

The watch laughed at him, and then Ace ate his burrito out of spite.

   He looked around the dorm and was confused. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. He was now afraid to leave his dorm, the world too different. The watch however, was not.

  You are weak, it hissed. A little boy. Your hands are soft.

  Ace was easily manipulated by those around him. He was about to go out when he heard faint screams. He looked around, trying to figure out where they were coming from. He followed the sounds to the window. He opened it and heard them get louder, and looked down. People were running, all in the same direction, from something. He looked up into the sky and saw those who could fly away quickly escape.

  It has begun, the watch laughed. Two more days left.   

  Ace heard a loud boom and saw something bright burst into the air. He covered his eyes and then the light faded. Something iridescent was in the sky, but Ace had no idea what it was. Those who tried to fly away now couldn't.

They smacked down, hard into the ground.

"What did you do," Ace whispered.

I have done nothing, the watch grumbled. In fact, this has never happened before. Ace was taken aback. "Please stop talking in short sentences," he groaned. "Tell me what you mean!"

  Loud mumbling filled the room, and the watch was angry. Every time, she kills you differently, the watch sneered. That is the only thing that changes.

"I die," Ace whispered. "Every time?" The watch laughed at him, enjoying his pain.

Just like time, death is an eventuality dear Acheus, it whispered. You will die one day, she is simply helping you. Unlike you, I will live forever as long as time and space continues.

   "I hate you," Ace whispered.

   Bring me to Tyreceus, the watch commanded. You bore me!

  Ace rolled his eyes, and now didn't want to leave. Something horrible is happening outside, and if I leave I will die.

567 times you stayed and died anyway, the watch snickered. You're weak!

  So this isn't a choice, Ace thought.

  He went into his room and opened the closet. His baseball bat was still there, and he took it with him. He searched his room for his back pack and put in various items he thought he would need. Water, a swiss army knife, some beef jerky, a miniature first aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, and a sewing kit.

  "I am not dying this time," Ace declared. "I refuse to."

Sometimes you don't die, the watch admitted. But you still ask to go back anyway.

"That's impossible," he whispered. "Why would I ever choose to go through this again?"

You never remember, the watch explained. You hurt yourself, over and over, never learning from your pain.

I won't die and I won't use this watch ever again, Ace thought.

The watch laughed, but this time, he was interrupted. "Shut up," Invictus grumbled. "You are mean." Ace leaned onto the desk as he got the worst headache in his life, listening to them scream inside his head. Their arguing finally stopped once the power went out.

"Fuck this," Ace grumbled.

  He got out the flash light and walked out of his dorm. He made his way down the eerily quiet hallway, and suddenly the lights came back on. The emergency generators must be on, he realized. Maybe it's not so bad outside. He walked down the stairs and saw that the entrance was blocked by multiple chairs, a dresser, a table, and three sofas.

  "I don't think you should go outside," Invictus whispered. "I don't think I have a choice," Ace sighed.

  He walked around the dorm's ground level, and no one was there. However there was plenty of blood on the floor. He quickly searched for the emergency exit, and found it next to the bathroom. He gripped the handle and sighed. "Everything will be fine as long as you don't waver," Invictus said. "I will never leave you."

His friendly words were of little consolation to Ace, as he had literally died thousands of times before.

Ace opened the emergency exit, the alarms went off and he ran outside.