Chapter 12: The Road to Hope

The car moved steadily down the familiar road. John's expression was unreadable as he gripped the wheel. Adex was lost in thought as he gazed out the window. There was no communication between them. The silence between them felt heavy, almost intentional.

Adex watched the trees and road signs rush by, his thoughts tangled. This road was familiar to him; it had taken him to a place he never wanted to return to—the crash site. He felt a cold, sharp memory gripping him. He tightened his fists in his lap and breathed deeply, his stomach twisted. They were returning to the crash site, and he felt confident about it. His heart grew heavy.

John made an unexpected turn off the main road. Adex's eyes shifted towards him, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Where are we going?" His voice cut through the quiet, firm but cautious.

John glanced at him briefly. "We'll be there soon." His tone was steady.

The drive continued in tense silence. Adex grew more uneasy as the expected route was replaced by unfamiliar turns and streets. He looked confused. John finally slowed the car as he was about to approach a hospital building. 'Was he heading to the hospital?' Adex wondered internally.

John pulled into the hospital's parking lot and turned off the engine. "We're here."

He stepped out of the car and waited for Adex.

Adex hesitated before getting out of the car. His legs felt strangely heavy, like they didn't want to move. He followed John through the hospital entrance, his mind running in circles. The air was filled with the sharp, clinical scent of antiseptic. The fluorescent lights created an almost unnatural brightness. The place was alive with quiet activity as nurses moved between rooms and doctors discussed cases in hushed voices.

They walked past the reception desk and down a long hallway. Their footsteps tapped softly against the tile floor. Adex's stomach knotted tighter with each step. He didn't know what he was walking into, but something felt wrong.

John paused at a door and pushed it open. Adex entered, his eyes scanning the room.

Seun and Neyo stood beside the hospital bed, their expressions unreadable as he entered. However, Adex barely noticed them—his gaze was locked on the person lying on the bed.

It was Lydia.

A nurse was attaching an IV to her arm.

His breath trembled. He stepped forward, feeling his heart slamming against his ribs. Her skin was pale, and her body was calm except for the gentle movement of her chest. The machines beeped softly, keeping an eye on her vitals. The IV drip delivered a clear liquid into her arm, with the faint sound of a respirator filling the silence.

Adex gulped, and his throat turned dry. He reached for her hand, eager to feel something real. Before he could speak, the nurse gently placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Easy!" the nurse said. "She needs to rest. The treatment is working, but she's still recovering."

Adex reluctantly pulled his hand back as his mind raced. He shifted his attention to Neyo and Seun, his face filled with confusion.

"What happened to her?" His voice sounded hoarse.

Seun exhaled and grasped Adex by his shoulder with one hand. "There was an accident," he said. "It was bad. Lydia was fortunate to survive. She has been in recovery since then."

Adex's stomach rumbled as he attempted to comprehend everything. He felt nauseous and struggled to grasp what was happening. Everything felt unreal to him—John's sudden arrival with news of her death, Lydia lying on his bed without a reflection, and then seeing her alive again, undergoing treatment.

It was all too much for him to handle. While he might have seemed insane, he desperately tried to make sense of the situation around him.

He wanted to share his thoughts with his friends, but he feared they'd think he was crazy—just like when he tried to explain it to John earlier, and John didn't believe him. He was trapped in a time loop but had no idea what caused it or why it kept happening.

"No!" he muttered, shaking his head. "That's not possible." He paused and gazed at John.

"This is crazy, John. Something is happening to me." Adex paced around, looking confused.

John stepped forward. "Adex, listen—"

Adex's voice was enraged as he interrupted him before completing his sentence.

"No! Don't tell me to listen!" Adex snapped, his hands trembling.

"Someone needs to start making sense, or I swear—" He stopped himself, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he suddenly went silent and tears filled his eyes.

Neyo stepped closer and gently touched his back, soothing him gently.

"Whatever you're going through, my friend, Lydia is alive and healthy." His voice was calm and firm. "And that's all that matters at the moment." His tone remained steady and reassuring.

Adex stared at him, his eyes burning with frustration. "You don't get it," he said, his voice tense. "Just a few days ago, John showed up at my door and took me to the accident scene where Lydia's car was completely wrecked."

He paused and locked eyes with Neyo, searching for confirmation that he was making sense. Then, he continued. "You were there. You told me she was dead."

He exhaled a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. "At first, I couldn't wrap my head around it, but then I went home and found the note she left for me. That note was enough to make me believe she was gone. My whole world fell apart."

He paused as his voice wavered, and his chest tightened. He continued. "This morning, John knocked on my door again and brought me here to see Lydia, alive, fighting for her life."

His eyes darted around, searching for something to make sense of everything. "What is happening to me?" His voice rose, a mix of anger and fear creeping in.

John raised his hand and patted Adex reassuringly to calm him down. "Listen, there's something you need to know. It happened last night." He spoke slowly, trying to keep Adex calm.

"I got a call from a neighbor who had seen her with me. I rushed to the scene, and we managed to get her to the hospital just in time. Two cars were involved in the accident, but the other driver did not survive."

Adex gazed at him; his chest constricted as though the room was closing. He felt his heartbeat in his ears.

"Last night!" He exclaimed, his voice ascending in shock. He shook his head wildly and stepped backward.

"No! No! John, it can't be! This happened last week!"

He started breathing unevenly as he ran his hands over his hair, his hands shaking.

"You came to my apartment. We'd just celebrated my birthday. We talked— I remember it clearly!" He snapped a finger and continued, "You took me to the crash site, where I found Lydia's car wrecked."

His voice broke, and his eyes darted back and forth between Neyo and the ground as though he were trying to solve a puzzle that refused to fit. "All this happened a week ago!" His heart was racing in his chest as he gazed at John.

"Why can't you remember, John?

John was confused, causing his brow to furrow. "Adex, your birthday was yesterday."

The words persisted in the air, causing a heavy and suffocating feeling.

Adex felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "That doesn't make sense," he whispered. "None of this makes sense either. Did you say my birthday was yesterday?"

"Yes," John replied with a confident expression.

He paced around the small room, feeling like the space was closing on him. He kept replaying the conversation, searching for clues that might help him make sense of the situation that had just turned everything upside down.

John approached with a serious but anxious expression. "Adex... are you sure you're alright? You've been acting strange even before we arrived, and it is getting worse."

Adex inhaled slowly and unsteadily, uncertain of what to say anymore. No matter how hard he tried to persuade them, they would never truly understand his feelings. His gaze turned to Lydia, who was still in bed recovering. A moment later, the nurse attending to her quietly left the room.

He slumped down in the nearest chair, covering his face with his hands. "I don't know what's real anymore," he confessed. His voice was calm.

John sat beside him and said, "Shock can do crazy things to your mind. When something traumatic happens, the brain sometimes copes in ways we can't comprehend."

Adex did not respond. He lifted his head, looking at Lydia's peaceful face. Her breathing was steady.

John's voice was full of reassurance and urgency. He gently said, "Look, man," his tone firm yet gentle. "The good news is Lydia's alive, and we'll all stand by you through this difficult time to make sure she has fully recovered."

Adex took deep breaths and nodded, despite the uncertainty in his mind.

Neyo crouched beside him. "You need a break. You look exhausted. Take a moment to rest and clear your mind."

Adex chuckled in a small, tired manner. "Thank you, guys. I truly appreciate your kindness."

He looked back at Lydia, feeling a small comfort in her presence. Despite being trapped in a dream, the knowledge that she was still present reassured him. Even though he had doubts about existing in multiple time loops, he believed the answers he sought would eventually come to light.