Stuck In A Time Loop

I used to think it was all just a dream, then I realised everything felt way too real.

Imagine going through the same events everyday, stuck in a time loop, let me tell you it isn’t a good experience. Yes, I’ve been stuck in this loop for ages trying to figure out a way to break it. So here I am starting the loop of event all over again, perhaps maybe this time I’ll untangle the knot.

I sit in a bus, the one that travels through our local area, and who knows where this bus was taking me. By now I’ve memorized all the faces of the people sitting around me, from the grandma wearing a knitted hat in front to the whining kid at the back. And right about now I should be getting a call from my mom. Correct.

I pick up the call, the ringtone was now starting to get on my nerves. “Ryan, be sure to make it back home soon,okay?”. “Sure, mom” I reply and hang up. Why do I pick up the call every time? Well in short, I’ve tried ignoring the calI only to suffer a billion more.

I look at my watch, half past four. I suppose the world wants me to do something, perhaps prevent something from happening, changing the course of events. But the question is why me and what exactly does the world want me to do? Believe me, I’ve been through this loop of events a hundred times, tried thrice as much, but still end up back in this bus. I look out the window into the the sky, when was the last time my mind was like the clear blue sky?

The bus stops and I get off. I pace around the sidewalk pondering about things that I could possibly prevent from happening. How am I even supposed to prevent a future that I don’t even know of? I think back to my previous failed attempts in searching for an occurrence I could possibly change, visiting the police station looking for a case of theft or murder, the local shops, streets, alleys and every nook and corner of the town. Nothing. I guess it isn’t as easy as it is in movies.

“Come on! If you really want me to change the future atleast give me a hint!” I yelled bringing my leg to kick a pebble on the ground only to slam my foot into a streetlight pole.

“Ouch” I wince as I bend down to check on my foot. Just then something slips out of the pocket of my jeans- my phone, which now had a huge crack along the screen. If I wasn’t stuck in this time loop I would’ve cared, but sadly I was, eventually I would go back to the time my phone never felI down, back in the bus and my mom calling me...my mom...calling...come home.

How big of an idiot am I! I‘ve been overthinking things when the answer was infront of me the entire time. I slip the phone back in my pocket. “Taxi!!” I call, waving my hand. I get in and head back home.

I get out the car. The air weirdly smelled of ash and smoke. I noticed a crowd gathered on the street of my house, had something happened? On a closer look, to my horror, I saw my house on fire. I push my way through the dense crowd at the same time searching for my mom when suddenly a hand grabs my arm. I turn back, expecting to see my mom but instead it was our neighbour, one of my mom’s friend “Ryan, your mom...she’s still inside, we’ve called for help they’ll be here soon!” she explained with a worried look on her face, still holding onto my arm. I finally found out what the world wanted me to do. Save my mom. I shake my arm free and rush inside the house.

Flames have already covered the room, the air filled with soot and ash. I call out to my mom a bunch of times with no reply. I quickly search around the living room but she wasn’t found. I then run to the kitchen and find my mom on the floor coughing for air. “R-ryan...why..” She could barely speak. “It’s okay mom, I’m going to get us out of here” I manage to lift her up and carry her outside. Just as I emerged out the house, the firefighters and ambulance had reached the scene. “Please save my mom” I begged the paramedics. They nodded and quickly bring a stretcher to carry my mom. My mom squeezed my hand with a smile of assurance before heading off into the ambulance. I take a deep breath as watched the ambulance carry off my mom to the hospital while the firefighters were putting out the fire behind. Have I broken the loop? I checked my watch, a minute to six, the time the loop usually rewinds itself with me in the bus. I definitely did things right this time around, I would finally get to see night fall. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening them.

I used to think it was all just a dream, then I realised everything felt way too real.

Imagine going through the same events everyday, stuck in a time loop, let me tell you it isn’t a good experience. Yes, I’ve been stuck in this loop for ages trying to figure out a way to break it. So here I am starting the loop of event all over again, perhaps maybe this time I’ll untangle the knot......

__

“Doctor, is he getting better?” asks the nurse.

“There’s no sign of improvement. The fire accident and his mother passing away must have seriously affected his psychological state for him to be unconscious for these many months”.