The Second Visitor

Cael froze as the knock echoed through the house, his heart pounding in his ears. He couldn't move. The weight of the diary in his hand, the cryptic message scrawled on its page—"He's coming"—and the sudden knock at the door all seemed to press in on him.

His mother's voice called from downstairs, as if nothing was wrong. As if this was a normal morning.

"Cael! Can you get the door? I'm busy with cooking and you're sister went to school"

Every instinct screamed at him not to open it. The man from the previous loop had warned him. But he had no choice. Slowly, cautiously, he set the diary on his desk and headed down the stairs, every step heavy with dread.

As he reached the front door, he took a deep breath and gripped the handle. He could feel the cool metal beneath his palm, anchoring him to the moment. He turned it.

The door swung open.

Standing there was a girl, about his age. She had striking green eyes, long, dark hair, and wore a casual black t-shirt. Her presence felt immediately different—like she, too, didn't belong in this world. She had a sharpness to her, much like the stranger, but there was also a softness, a familiarity Cael couldn't place.

"Cael, right?" she asked, her voice calm but urgent. She didn't wait for an answer before stepping inside, brushing past him and glancing around as if looking for something. "Where's the diary?"

Cael blinked, stunned by her boldness. "Who are you? How do you know about—"

She turned to face him, cutting him off with a look that was both intense and impatient. "I don't have time to explain everything. I'm here to help you, but you need to listen. The stranger—did you meet him? Tall, handsome, looks like he walked out of a movie?"

Cael's stomach twisted. She knew. "Yes. He said I'm stuck in a loop, that I'm losing parts of myself every time I die."

Her expression darkened. "He's right. But he's not telling you everything. You're not the only one stuck here." She pulled something out of her jacket pocket—a small, beaten-up notebook, much like his own diary. "I've been through this loop too."

Cael's mind raced. He hadn't even considered the possibility that someone else might be trapped in the same cycle. "What's going on? Why are we stuck?"

"I don't know everything," she admitted, her voice dropping. "But I know the loops are connected. You, me, and that man you met. We're all part of this. And if we don't figure it out soon, we won't be able to get out. Ever."

Cael's pulse quickened. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to form, but nothing made sense yet. He glanced toward the diary on his desk, feeling a sudden pull toward it.

"What about the diary?" he asked.

She nodded. "It's important. I have one too. Somehow, they're connected to the loop. They remember what we forget. But there's more." She hesitated, looking conflicted. "I think… the diaries are keeping us here."

Cael frowned, his heart sinking. "What do you mean?"

"I think we're being watched," she whispered. "Controlled."

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind them, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. The girl's eyes widened, and she backed up slowly, her body tense.

"He's here," she whispered.