The Bullet and the Voice

Ash's Perspective

Location: Bus, Forest Outskirts

Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always.

"You try so hard to disappoint me,"

the voice snarled,

"and now look at you… you even lost your right eye."

It was drilling through my brain like glass dragged across a chalkboard.

I wanted to reply, scream, fight back.

But what's the point?

I already knew—

I died again.

Or… did I?

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no—"

The voice cackled, the rhythm of its laughter pounding into my skull.

"Not this time, my dear Ash. You haven't died."

I woke up gasping.

Pain.

So much pain.

My head throbbed violently. My right eye felt like it was on fire even though I couldn't see through it — it was wrapped tightly in cloth.

My clothes were torn, soaked with dried blood. My hair—

all white now.

Like snow in the apocalypse.

I was lying in the middle of the bus aisle, a crumpled mess of flesh and trauma.

No one said anything.

Not a word.

Only silence and shame in the air.

Bram and Ryn were the first to move. They helped me sit upright.

The bus had stopped.

Jace and the driver were outside, gathering supplies.

I scanned the faces:

Kai and Theo looked like ghosts — staring into nothing.

Tessa was asleep, tears crusted on her face, clutching Jun's arm like a lifeline.

The Old Man... wasn't here.

Lumi sat near the front, quiet. Distant. Alone.

I limped forward and sat beside her.

"Lumi… what happened… while I was out?" I whispered.

Her voice trembled as she leaned in, close enough that I felt her warmth but also her fear.

"When you fell… they came. The three monsters chased us. Grandpa and big brother Jace stayed behind. Aki carried you into the bus… Grandpa held them off, Ash. He…"

Her voice cracked.

"…he sacrificed himself."

Her tears hit my cheek.

I nodded, too broken to cry.

Jace returned with supplies — food, water, medical kits.

Yuki stepped out. I could see her, Jace, and the driver talking in hushed tones.

But I wasn't listening.

I was battling a storm inside.

What if…

What if I just died again?

What if I looped again — but this time did it right?

What if… I could still save them?

Not just Lumi.

Not just Jace.

Everyone.

I stood up.

Walked straight to Theo.

His eyes were hollow. A man stripped of everything he ever loved.

"The gun," I said.

No response.

But he handed it over, like a machine running on leftover commands.

I sat back in my seat.

Loaded the gun.

Pressed the barrel to my temple.

"I'll fix this," I whispered.

BANG!

Laughter.

Twisting. Inhuman. Demonic.

"Hahahahaha… Hahahahaha… Hahahahaha…"

"Oh, Ash…"

The voice was louder than ever, booming in every direction inside my head.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?"

"But I— I am the showrunner here."

"I can rewind your tragedy again… and again… and again…"

I gasped awake.

Same bus.

Same torn clothes.

Same cloth over my eye.

Same spot.

Lumi was just returning to her seat, sliding quietly past me.

What…?

No one reacted.

Nothing had changed.

My body trembled.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

I whispered.

Time hadn't reset.

Only I had.