The new hope

The sky burned a deep amber as the day approached its end. The once comforting hues of sunset now carried a subtle dread — an echo of the fear Ren had tried to suppress. He lingered by the window, watching the last rays bleed over the city skyline. It carried no sound, yet it wailed, screaming as if asking him to be cautious adding to the paranoia.

6:42 PM was nearing.

Yet no weight crushed his chest. No suffocating sense of déjà vu crawled under his skin. Ren tried to believe that this day was just that — a day. But another feeling caught him; what if his body just got adjusted to this curse that it felt normal? What if he is the one who is changing?

The clock ticked.

6:38 PM.

He paced the living room, hands stuffed into his pockets, the walls suddenly too close. Yuki's voice floated in from the kitchen, but he couldn't concentrate on the words. Every shadow twisted with doubt. Every sound reminded him of what might come. The paranoia was eating him alive.

But then, his phone buzzed.

Sora: "Up for a quick chat?"

The normalcy of it was almost unsettling. She wasn't concerned, nor did she mention anything strange. Just a simple text. And yet, his fingers hovered over the screen longer than they should have.

Ren: "Sure, see you in a bit."

He needed to ground himself. The walls of his house were closing in, and Sora's carefree voice might be the only thing keeping him tethered. He felt suffocating, sweating profusely. Maybe going out might help him a bit.

The park was painted in muted colors, the sky now a dark violet. Streetlights blinked to life, casting pale pools of light. Sora was waiting at their usual bench, her back to him as she absently kicked at the gravel.

"Hey," Ren called, forcing a smile.

She turned, her expression brightening instantly. "You're early. That's rare."

Ren shrugged. "Thought I'd surprise you."

They talked about nothing in particular. School gossip, upcoming festivals — even the latest drama in the classroom. Ren laughed when he should, nodded when it felt right. But beneath the facade, his mind whirled. Every moment stretched thin, each second amplifying the ticking of the clock in his head.

Then, Sora's voice softened. "You've been… different lately."

His heart skipped. "Different how?"

"I don't know. Quieter. Like something's weighing you down." She tilted her head. "You know you can tell me, right?"

Ren swallowed. He wanted to. He wanted to scream the truth, to confess the horror that clawed at his sanity. But even if he did, would she believe him?

"I'm okay," he lied. "Just… been thinking too much."

Sora wanted to press further but, she didn't. She simply smiled, though the concern lingered in her eyes.

6:41 PM.

Ren checked his watch as he approached his street. The knot in his stomach twisted tighter. A single minute remained. He braced himself, expecting the inevitable. He was losing himself not minding his surroundings. The nausea, the disorientation — the snap of the loop.

But then…

Nothing.

No darkness. No jolt. The world stayed still. The faint hum of streetlights filled the air.

Ren blinked, his breath trembling. He checked his phone once, then twice. 6:43 PM.

It wasn't a dream. Time had passed.

Sora beside him looking puzzled asked him, "Are you Ok?"

A surge of hope gripped him. He remembered Sora was there.

"I... I am fine", he said.

He then hurriedly said his goodbyes and ran for home. He staggered inside his house, his heart pounding with disbelief. Yuki welcomed him with a warm smile, the day's routine as normal as ever.

"Welcome back, Master Ren. Would you like tea?"

But Ren barely heard her. His mind was too consumed by a single, overwhelming thought.

The loop was broken.

Ren nodded, still trying to steady his breath. The clock ticked on, each passing second reassuring him that this was real. The loop was gone.

For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to believe in the normalcy.

He was free.