I'm Dying to Tell You Something

Secrets

Restart... The restart of the loop is soon... Just hold on. The voice in the back of my mind says. I hesitantly stand up, blood dripping from my mouth as I stumble towards the table. "Timing is everything... And now it's time for it to rewind..." I whisper, closing my eyes.

Soon enough, I'm at the door of the apartment with AJ, and I make a sigh of relief. "I've got a secret, one I wish I could share with my hardworking husband, who remains unaware. I could tell him tonight, but it's too much to bear. Timing's everything..." I hear from the bathroom. AJ sighs, heading to the sink to make three cups of water.

"I've got a secret that my wife won't believe. My intentions were good, but they served to deceive, and it all appertains to that cold New Year's Eve... Timing's everything..." AJ sighs. He had established in previous loops that he was stuck in a loop, and I always acted like I was shocked every time, as to not make concern.

"I've got a secret, one I don't want to tell... That I've been through all these loops as well. I could explain to them tonight, but I'm already hidden in my shell... Timing's everything." I mumble under my breath, glancing at the knife on the counter. AJ places two of the cups on the table, and holds one. Gwen, his wife, walks out with a gift in her hands, but hides it behind her back quickly.

"Honey, I'm dying to tell you something- a secret I need you to know. But, lies are like weeds, and mine have all started to grow." They say. Gwen throws the gift down on her chair, and takes out two plates of cake. AJ begins to put sleeping pills in Gwen's water.

"Hello, Y/N. Forgive me, but if I had known you were coming over again, I would've made a desert for you as well." Gwen says. "It's alright." I reply. "How was your day?" She asks. "Same as always." We both reply. I'm careful to have the same response as last time the loop happened. No matter what happened, I knew what the ending was...

But I want to change it.

"Uh, did you get the light switch fixed?" AJ asks his wife. Gwen glances at my phone, and smiles slightly. "Oooh, who's Bumblebee?" She asks. "Ah! Just... A friend of mine... She's had a rough time lately..." I say. The two continue their desert and cake, and I sit there silently. "Hey, Y/N, why so quiet?" AJ asks. He hadn't done this before. "Just... Thinking... AJ, did you put something in my water... It tastes off..." I yawn.

I knew from previous loops he'd try, but fail, to have me fall asleep with spare sleeping pills, since I could resist the effects of medicine easily, but it tasted stronger this time. "I know you haven't been getting much sleep lately, so after dinner you should rest. It's just a part of your imagination." He says. "You do look tired..." Gwen comments.

We wait for a moment, before Gwen takes out the gift. "I have a secret, but it may have to wait..." She yawns, falling asleep at the table. "I was secretly hoping I could finish your plate." He says, reaching over to take a forkful of her's. "It's police! Open up!" The officer says from outside the door. Ten seconds late... I think, but begin to act scared. "Y/N, go hide!" He hisses. Suddenly, I think of a better idea.

The loop restarts when I get injured, not him, so injury to him would change how things fall. "AJ, I'm sorry." I sigh. "What-" Before he can get his full sentence out, I punch him the jaw, and he's out cold. "He'll be awake soon... You know that, Y/N." I tell myself as I run to grab the knife, then hide in the closet.

I fight back the effects of the pills as he breaks in. "Searching for some kind of answer... A key to release all my pain... I'm losing myself, but all of my lies remain..." The cop and I say, somehow nearly in unison.

"It's got to be here somewhere! Where's that frickin' light switch?!" He says, looking around for the light. He finds it, and turns it on. Electrocuted, he falls to the ground, unconscious. I pick up his gun, stashing it in the loop of my pants. "I think I'll hang onto this..." I mumble.

"I've got a secret, and there's no one to tell... But this thing that you want, well, I want it as well. Just a chance to contrive how the chips always fell... And timing's everything." I say, looking around for the watch.

"Secrets surround us, the lies we invent. They were made out of love for the time that we spent..." I hear AJ say, walking over. They're all waking up! They weren't supposed to wake up at the same time! Gwen was supposed to wake up first, then AJ, then the cop! That's how it should've fallen! I think, panicked.

"And they led to a watch in a dusty old vent... Cause timing's everything..." I say, taking it out. The cop, thinking AJ found the watch, takes him down, choking him. I hide the watch in my pocket. "I've got a secret that I'd kill you to keep. That my kid's been through cancer, and the bills have been steep!" He says, walking out of the bathroom. Gwen tackles him. "That we're having a baby, but money's been tight!" She says, being thrown off him. "That watch is my way to get back to that night!" AJ says.

I grab the gun, pointing it at the cop. "I know what happens everytime I rewind this blight!" I say. The cop lunges at me, grabbing the gun. I keep a steady grip on it, and Gwen stabs his leg with a fork. Out of shock, the cop shoots the gun, shooting AJ who was behind me. I drop the watch, and Gwen lunges for it.

"So you had the watch!" The cop grumbles, grabbing Gwen and pinning her with a choke hold. He stabs her, and she falls to the ground. The cop stumbles towards the watch, but I grab it first. AJ grabs the gun, and points it at the cop. "AJ, don't do this. I can save everyone. Trust me... Please." I plead.

He shakes his head, and shoots the cop. I pick up the watch, and stash it in my pocket, looking as the life fades from AJ's eyes. "No, no... They're dead, they're not supposed to be dead..." I cry out, falling to my knees. My phone buzzes, and I look at the called ID. It's Bumblebee. I answer, trying to wipe my tears.

"Y/N? Y/N what's wrong?" She asks. "Bumblebee... Your father... He... He broke in... He killed my co-worker's wife... Then my co-worker killed him in his own dying moments... They aren't supposed to be dead, I don't know how to fix this..." I cry. "Hey... Don't cry... What do you mean they aren't supposed to be dead?" She asks.

I wrestle my thoughts for a moment, then decide to tell her. "I'm stuck in a loop... I've got a minute before the clock strikes twelve minutes and it restarts..." I cry out. "He'll listen to me this time. I promise. I'll make sure he listens. Tell me to call him in the next loop." She says. "O-Okay..." I say, as the clock strikes the twelve minute mark.