A RIPPLE IN TIME

Time Travel

The story opens with a narration by Britney, who recounts her life experiences. She reveals that her mother, Diana, has endured five murder incidents. The first occurred in 2007 during Diana's high school years, where her boyfriend and his best friend were the perpetrators. The second incident took place in 2008 while she was in college, involving her boyfriend's mother and a friend as the killers. In 2011, a previously unmentioned brother emerged as the murderer; he was a renowned film director and an Oscar winner. The fourth incident happened in 2015 when Diana returned to Sunnydale, where her cousin and her cousin's boyfriend, was the assailant. Finally, in 2020, amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Diana assisted a new group of teenagers in Sunnydale who were being murdered, with the killers being two fans of a film series based on Diana's life, titled "Sunnydale." Additionally, it is revealed that Diane's mother, Maureen, was murdered in 2006 by her ex-boyfriend, Murray, an act orchestrated by her brother, David. Diana mistakenly sent an innocent man named George to prison, believing he was responsible for the murder, which was ultimately a false assumption. In the present day of 2024, Britney, Diane, Jesse, and her younger brother JJ reside together in a luxurious beach house in Hawaii. Diane, a retired model and acclaimed author, shares her home with Jesse, a successful businessman. Britney is a student at Southshore High School, where she enjoys the company of her best friend Ella, along with their friends Evie and Linda, as they cheer for the Sealions. Currently, Britney is in a relationship with Brandon Thomas, the quarterback of the football team. Life appears idyllic until the Sunnydale anniversary on October 22, 2024. On that morning, Diane prepares breakfast for the family while Britney showers and gets ready for school. Afterward, she joins her parents downstairs, where they discuss their plans for the day. Britney mentions her game that evening and inquires if her parents will attend. Diane informs her that she has to work a double shift, and Jesse echoes the same sentiment. Frustrated, Britney asks if she needs to look after JJ, to which Diane reassures her that a babysitter will be there. Britney then comments that the babysitter has a crush on her, prompting Diane to respond that it's sweet and that he is indeed attractive, to which Britney agrees. Britney prepares to leave as she has plans to meet her friends at Dunkin'. Before heading out, she shares a warm hug with her parents. Once outside, she makes her way to the bus stop, takes a seat, and begins to wait for her bus. While scrolling through TikTok, she notices an elderly woman across the street watching her intently. Britney chuckles and chooses to ignore it, but when she glances up again, the woman has vanished. Returning her focus to her phone to check the bus schedule, the old lady suddenly appears beside her, claiming to have a special gift for her. Despite Britney's polite refusal, the woman insists that she needs to accept it. The lady presents her with a stunning clock, explaining that it is a time travel clock that can help her amend past mistakes. She asserts that God sent her to deliver this gift. Intrigued, Britney takes the clock and inquires about its functionality. The woman explains that by setting the clock to a specific time and envisioning a location, she can transport herself there. As the bus approaches, Britney stands up, admiring the clock but expressing her skepticism about magic. As she turns to express her gratitude to the woman, she finds that the woman has vanished, leaving Britney perplexed and questioning her whereabouts. The bus arrives, and in her confusion, Britney boards and takes a seat at the back. She glances out the window again, hoping to spot the woman, but there is no one in sight. Turning her attention to the clock, she regards it with skepticism, still struggling to accept the situation. Meanwhile, at home, Diane and Jesse are engaged in a conversation about his recent promotion when the doorbell rings. Jesse answers the door, only to find it empty except for a letter adorned with a heart. He picks up the letter, which is addressed to Diane. Informing her of its arrival, Diane opens it to reveal a message that reads, "Happy 17 year anniversary." Panic sets in as Diane realizes that it marks the 17th anniversary of the Sunnydale massacre, leading her to fear that something sinister is about to unfold. Jesse urges her to remain calm, suggesting that it may be nothing to worry about. Although Diane is hesitant, Jesse reassures her that everything will be alright and encourages her to take a moment to breathe. She follows his advice and gradually begins to feel more at ease. They share a kiss, and the letter could potentially indicate something ominous. Later at school, Britney, Ella, Evie, and Linda arrive, where Britney is greeted by her boyfriend, Brandon. They share a kiss, and Brandon mentions that his coach pushed him hard the previous day. Britney wishes him luck for his game, and they part ways to attend their classes. During class, Britney is seen doodling in her notebook when she glances out the window and notices someone wearing a jack-o'-lantern mask staring intently at her. Startled, she continues to observe, but the teacher interrupts her, instructing her to focus. Britney apologizes, and when she looks back outside, the figure has vanished. Later that day, in the locker room, the sealions are preparing for their game, and Britney takes out a pocket watch, examining it closely. Ella notices and inquires about what she is doing and if she is alright. Britney explains that while waiting for the bus earlier, an elderly woman approached her, handed her the watch, and claimed it was a time-traveling device. Ella laughs, expressing her disbelief, while Britney admits she feels the same way but acknowledges it was strange. Britney then returns the pocket watch to her bag and inquires if Ella is still planning to come over to work on their project. Ella confirms her plans, and they prepare for the upcoming game. As the football match begins, the crowd cheers enthusiastically, although the Sealions are trailing. During halftime, the cheerleaders perform a routine that boosts the Sealions' morale, ultimately leading them to victory and igniting excitement throughout the town of Honolulu. After the game, the cheerleaders and football players celebrate together, and Britney shares a kiss with Brandon. They then head to their respective locker rooms, where Britney, Ella, Evie, and Linda discuss the game, reflecting on their initial doubts about their team's chances. Britney arranges an Uber for herself and Ella, and they bid farewell as they exit the building to wait outside for their ride. Meanwhile, Diane arrives home and greets her babysitter, Shawn, who informs her that JJ was wonderful and is now asleep. Diane expresses her gratitude and sends Shawn $100 via Cash App. He thanks her before leaving. Diane, feeling overwhelmed, heads upstairs to change when she hears the doorbell ring. Assuming it's Shawn returning for something he forgot, she descends to answer the door, only to be confronted by an individual dressed in a jack-o'-lantern costume. Startled, Diane screams as the assailant lunges at her with a knife. She narrowly avoids the attack, prompting a frantic chase throughout the house. The noise rouses JJ from his sleep, and he ventures downstairs to investigate. Meanwhile, the attacker tackles Diane, attempting to strangle her. JJ, witnessing the horrifying scene from the staircase, is paralyzed with fear and quickly retreats to call the police. As Diane struggles and begins to lose consciousness, she manages to grab a vase and strikes the assailant, stunning him. She then rushes upstairs to find JJ, and they both take refuge in his closet, where she contacts the authorities. The attacker, recovering, ascends the stairs in search of them. Diane turns to JJ, expressing her love and instructing him to remain on the line with the police while they stay hidden. JJ begins to cry, and she reassures him that everything will be alright. She takes his toy car, gives him a kiss, and leaves him in the closet. Stepping into the hallway, she encounters the killer, and a struggle ensues on the stairs. They grapple along the railing, tumbling down until the killer attempts to stab Diane. In a swift move, she seizes his arm and flips him, resulting in both of them falling down the stairs. Meanwhile, in an Uber, Britney and Ella are just moments away from home. Back at the house, Diane and the killer are locked in a fierce struggle for a knife, with Diane even biting the killer's hand. Ultimately, she gains control of the knife and attempts to stab him, but he evades her and tackles her to the ground. Outside, Britney and Ella arrive to find the front door ajar. As they enter, they are horrified to see someone choking Diane. Their screams alert the killer, prompting Britney to deliver a swift kick to his face, initiating a fight between them. Ella intervenes, but the killer manages to knock Britney down and slashes Ella's arm. Ella begins to scream, prompting Diane to leap into action. In the chaos, Ella collapses to the floor while Britney attempts to revive her. The assailant then confronts Diane, overpowering her from behind and stabbing her repeatedly in the abdomen, leaving Britney and Ella as helpless witnesses. Britney is overcome with silent tears as the killer discards Diane's lifeless body. In a panic, Britney and Ella flee upstairs to Britney's room, where they barricade the door and hide in the closet. Overwhelmed with grief, Britney breaks down in tears, and Ella comforts her with an embrace. As the killer searches for them, Britney, in shock, slides to the floor, and Ella sits beside her, equally stunned. Britney expresses her disbelief at witnessing her mother's murder, while Ella remains silent. Refusing to accept their grim reality, Britney insists they can change it and retrieves a pocket watch from her bag. Ella, skeptical, questions the validity of the time travel watch, asserting that magic isn't real and that Britney is losing her mind. Undeterred, Britney declares her intention to use it, and Ella challenges her to proceed, predicting nothing will happen. Their argument escalates, drawing the killer's attention as he begins to pound on the door. Britney declares that she will attempt to turn back time, but nothing occurs. Ella responds with, "I told you so," and suddenly, both of them experience an out-of-body sensation as a beam of yellow light emanates from Britney's pocket watch. They begin to scream, and everything fades to white. Moments later, darkness envelops them, and they find themselves gasping for breath, questioning their whereabouts. They grab their phones, activate the flashlights, and wonder what has transpired. Upon realizing they are inside a porta potty, they exit and discover they are positioned outside the bleachers of a high school. Confused, Britney and Ella ponder their location, with Ella suggesting they have returned to school. However, Britney insists this is not their school, prompting them to flee and investigate the front of the building, where they find themselves at Sunnydale High. Britney is both shocked and frightened, asking Ella what they are doing in Sunnydale. Ella inquires if this is the same Sunnydale where the infamous murder massacre occurred. Britney confirms it is, and upon checking her location, she verifies they are indeed in Sunnydale, California. Britney feels disoriented, and upon checking the calendar, she realizes it is October 22, 2007. Stunned, she informs Ella that their time travel has succeeded, but they have gone too far back to the moment of the first murder in the 2007 Sunnydale massacre. She quietly utters the name "Lori James." Curious, Ella inquires about Lori James, and Britney explains that she was the first victim of the Sunnydale murder spree.