Chapter 8: An Unexpected Guests

"I – I still can't believe it." [Sara stammered, her voice trembling with emergency.] "If what you said is true, Ethan, then we need to save those people inside of WINGS HOTEL."

 [Alicia nodded; her expression serious.] "She's right. We need to act now. We need to save those people."

 [Ethan glanced at his mother, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach.] "But how will we save them? Even if we talk to the government or the police, they won't believe us…" [His words hung heavily in the air, creating a stark contrast to the hope he desperately wanted to convey.]

 [Alicia's concerned gaze met his, urging him to continue.] "And don't think we can save them alone. You didn't encounter him. He's far more dangerous than we think. His body…" [He felt goosebumps and started trembling, but he continued.] "You don't know how I saw Emily's lifeless body, torn apart by that monster…" [He stopped and looked at Emily, knowing his words were dangerous to hear.]

Emily's eyes filled with tears and she began to cry. If what all he said was true, then indeed the monster was too dangerous for them to handle alone. Alicia noticed Emily's sobbing and sat beside her, patting her back with a motherly gesture to reassure her that she was safe right now.

 "All that happened in Ethan's imagination, but if that imagination is a glimpse of future, then... I still can't believe what he said is true or not. But deep down, I think he's telling us the truth. And if this is the truth then all people right now are in danger." [Alicia thought.]

Ethan caught the worry etched on his mother's face and felt a surge of determination. Just as he was about to speak, the doorbell rang, interrupting the tense moment. All heads turned toward the sound and Alicia's eyes widened with concern as Ethan approached the door.

 "Who could it be at this hour?" [Alicia wondered.]

Ethan opened the door slowly, his heart racing. Standing before him was Ava Stanford, her trembling hand resting on the doorframe. In her stunning red dress, she looked both elegant and terrified, her blue eyes reflecting a depth of fear that made his heart ache.

 [Ethan's voice trembled as he spoke.] "Ava... What—how are you here?" [His mind raced. Was this part of the dream? Or was it something worse?]

As soon as she heard her name, Ava rushed forward and enveloped him in a tight hug, burying her face in his shoulder. A sob escaped her lips, and Ethan was taken aback. In that moment, he understood he wasn't the only one haunted by those dreams. Now it was clear to him: time had somehow rewound for both of them, along with their memories. If time had only rewound for him, Ava wouldn't have recognized him.

 "D – did you too …?" [He asked with a trembling voice.]

Ava nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. Her breath hitched as she clung to him again, fighting to maintain her composure. But the pain, the terror, the confusion—it all crashed down on her, and she couldn't hold it in anymore

 "I saw it too, Ethan. I – I remember everything." [She whispered, her voice trembling.] "The monster, the pain... It was real. And now, we're back."

Instead of pulling away, Ethan wrapped his arms around her, offering comfort and protection. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, lost in their shared fear and understanding.

Alicia came to see what had happened but was stunned by the sight before her. Ava Stanford, the renowned beauty queen and celebrity, was embracing her son Ethan tightly, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

Sara, Emily, and Lily also came to see what was happening, their jaws dropping at the unexpected scene. Emily crossed her arms, her brow furrowing as she watched Ethan and Ava. She couldn't help but wonder why Ethan was so important to this woman, especially when they'd only just met

 {Author's Note: The conversation between Ethan and Emily did take place, but only Ethan remembers it. For Emily, it never happened in her reality}

 "Ahem" [Alicia cleared her throat softly, trying to draw the attention of the two back to her.]

They both startled at the sudden interruption and immediately pulled away from each other. A blush spread across their cheeks as the moment was broken. Ava awkwardly smoothed down her dress, while Ethan avoided eye contact, his gaze wandering aimlessly around the room.

Alicia noticed their reactions, and a smile tugged at her lips. She couldn't help but observe how flustered they were by her unexpected intrusion. Clearing her throat once more, she said,

 "If I'm not mistaken, you're Ava Stanford, right? The famous celebrity and beauty queen…" [Her voice brimmed with excitement.]

 "Y – Yes, Mrs. Blackwood." [Ava stammered; her cheeks still rosy.]

 "Oh wow, please – please step inside. It's not every day that a celebrity visits my humble abode." [Alicia said, gesturing for Ava to enter.]

Ava stepped fully into the house, casting a brief glance at Ethan. Almost instantly, she turned her gaze away, a soft blush creeping onto her pale cheeks. Ethan noticed the rosy tint and felt his heart begin to race.

Memories of the time they had spent together at the Wing Hotel flooded his mind—how he had saved her and the bond they had forged during those moments. The connection they shared felt deeper than anything he had experienced before.

As Ethan moved to close the door, a sleek black limousine pulled up in front of his house. His breath caught as he watched Clara and her family step out of the car. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Ref and Roman Schitzwit follow closely behind, their presence instantly heightening the tension in the air.

 [Mr. Henry Caldwell approached Ethan with a gentle smile] "Can we come inside? We're here for some… discussion." [His voice wad calm, but there was an underlying authority in it.]

Ethan nodded, still trying to process the situation.

 "Why are they all here? Even Roman Schitzwit? Did they all come back in time, just like me...?" [Ethan mind swirled up with thoughts as they all entered one by one]

Ethan glanced outside, curiosity driving him to check if anyone else had been left behind. Seeing no one, he finally closed the door and made his way toward the living room.

As he walked towards the room, Ethan noticed his mother sitting beside Ava. Ava explained that she knew Ethan because her memory had returned as well. Alicia's gaze softened in realization, and the pieces of the puzzle finally clicked into place.

 If Ava had the same memories as Ethan, then it all made sense. This was why Ava knew him and shared such a strong connection with him. Ethan's words were true all along.

Ethan felt a wave of emotions stir within him as he watched everyone. His gaze drifted to his humble house, wondering if they might find it too small or unworthy of their status. He quickly pushed aside those thoughts and noticed an unfamiliar face—Lilia Caldwell, Clara's mother and Mr. Henry's wife.

Suddenly, the image of Mr. Caldwell's tear-streaked face flashed in his memory. He remembered the last time at the Wing Hotel, when he couldn't save her from the monster. This was the first time Ethan had laid eyes on Lilia. She was a strong, capable woman in her 40s, with blonde hair. Despite her commanding presence, she radiated kindness and gentleness.

Ava couldn't help but keep looking at Ethan. When their eyes finally met, he gave her a warm, gentle smile that made her heart skip a beat. Flustered, she quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Ethan stepped fully into the room, and instantly, all eyes were on him, as if he were the main character of some novel. He felt the weight of their gazes, a flutter of emotions rushing through him. He flinched slightly but quickly composed himself, not allowing any of them to see his discomfort.

Mr. Caldwell was the first to speak, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the room,

 "We apologize for an unexpected visit." [He began, his voice authoritative.] "But Ava told us something horrible."

Before he could finish, Ethan interrupted,

 "She told you the truth, Mr. Caldwell." [Ethan said, glancing at Ava before turning back to Mr. Caldwell.] "She mentioned the incident that's going to happen at the WINGS HOTEL, right?"

Mr. Caldwell seemed taken aback at first, but then nodded in agreement.

All their faces turned pale as Ethan's words hit them hard. He understood the situation with chilling clarity.

"I told you, Mom, I'm not lying. Even Ava saw it. It felt so vivid, so real. And the next thing we knew, we were here, back in time. It's like nothing happened… but it's going to happen again." [Ethan's gaze met his mother's, and she nodded, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.]

"Then why don't we remember anything? Why do only you and Ava remember everything about the monster and the outbreak?" [Clara asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.]

"I… I don't know," [Ethan replied, struggling to find the right words.] "But what I saw was real. The pain I felt, it was real. And then suddenly… it was like time rewound, and I came back, but with all my memories intact." [He paused, trying to gather his thoughts.] "It's like we're stuck in a loop, and I have to stop it."

[Ava's voice trembled as she spoke up.] "He's right. I felt the same. Like someone just rewound time, and everything went back to normal. But… it doesn't feel like it's over. The monster attack… the outbreak… it's going to happen again." [Her hands shook as she spoke, fear evident in her eyes.]

The room fell silent as everyone exchanged uneasy glances. It was hard to believe one person's story, but now two people were saying the same thing—both victims of the monster outbreak.

[Before Mr. Caldwell could speak, Clara interrupted, her tone skeptical.] "But how can you be sure the monster outbreak will happen again? I mean, you can't just say that because of a feeling, Ava…" [She added with a hint of a teasing smile,] "I mean, you can't just rely on your feelings, Avy…"

Ava's cheeks flushed at the sound of her nickname. It was a secret she hadn't shared with anyone, but Clara had just let it slip in front of everyone, especially Ethan. Her blush deepened as all eyes turned toward her, waiting for a response. Ethan's gaze was fixed on her, making her even more flustered, and she found it hard to find her words.

"It's not just a feeling, Clara," [Ethan interjected, stepping in to help Ava stay calm.] "She knows because everything's following the same pattern. You remember when Sara called you about your dress? I had already told her about it. She just needed to double-check with you to make sure. And guess what? You wore the same dress I mentioned. Not just you—everyone did. The same clothes, the same destination for your party. Everything is the same. Nothing's changed. The only thing that's different is the future."

The room fell silent again, everyone exchanging worried glances. Ava nodded in acknowledgment, her heart racing at Ethan's words.