A RIPPLE IN TIME

The Truth

The two girls then begin to sprint, determined to locate her. They go from house to house, asking residents if they know Lori James and if she is in danger. Most people are unaware, but at one house, August answers the door. Britney asks him if he knows Lori James's whereabouts, and he confirms that they are friends. Britney urgently tells him that Lori is in danger and requests her address. August provides the information, but before he can ask any questions, Britney and Ella express their gratitude and dash away. Britney and Ella consult Google Maps, which indicates a 7-minute drive and a 14-minute walk. They decide to run to the address provided. As they approach the house, they are alarmed to see smoke billowing from it. Upon getting closer, they discover Gary lying dead in the patio area. Britney exclaims in shock, realizing that Gary White was the first victim, not Lori James. Suddenly, they hear screams emanating from the front of the house, prompting them to rush around to investigate. To their horror, they find Lori James hanging from a tree, with her parents in distress. Both girls scream but quickly take cover on the side of the house. Britney laments that they are too late, while Ella insists they can go back in time to save her. Britney expresses doubt about their ability to do so, but Ella argues that it's worth a try. Britney retrieves a pocket watch, and they turn back the clock by a few minutes. They then experience an out-of-body sensation as a beam of yellow light radiates from the watch, causing them to scream as everything fades to white. Moments later, they find themselves in darkness, breathing heavily and questioning their whereabouts. They grab their phones, activate the flashlights, and wonder what has just occurred. They suddenly find themselves inside a portable restroom and quickly exit, emerging near the bleachers of a high school. Britney and Ella come to the realization that they have traveled back in time to their initial time-traveling experience. Britney then inputs Lori's address into her map, discovering it is a mere 28 minutes away, prompting both of them to sprint towards the location. Upon reaching the house, they notice the patio is empty, leading Britney to believe they might have arrived just in time. They circle around to the back of the house, where they spot Lori James talking on the phone inside. Britney exclaims that Lori is still alive and warns that the killers are likely hiding at the rear of the house. They ring the doorbell, and inside, Lori, while making popcorn and conversing with the killer, hears the chime. She approaches the door, where Britney and Ella urgently inform her that her life is in jeopardy. Confused, Lori questions their intentions as they try to pull her outside to safety. Britney insists that Murray and Ash are the murderers and are on their way to initiate a killing spree. Lori inquires if they are being serious, to which Britney responds that they have evidence. Convinced, Lori exits the house alongside Britney and Ella. As they flee, Ella suddenly halts, realizing the situation regarding Gary. Britney curses and Lori questions how they know about Gary. Britney reveals that Murray and Ash were responsible for Gary's death before they targeted Lori. The trio then rushes to the patio area, where they activate the lights and discover Gary bound. Lori screams as they spot the killer lurking behind him. The killer proceeds to murder Gary, prompting the girls to scream and flee. They sprint down the street, putting considerable distance between themselves and the house. Ella insists to Britney that they must return to save Gary. Britney argues that it's too dangerous, emphasizing that they have already rescued Lori, who is left crying and bewildered by the conversation. Ella insists they can rectify the situation and save both Gary and Lori, but Britney maintains that the risk is too great and that they should focus on Lori's safety. Frustrated, Ella declares they should go for it, while Britney tells Lori they will clarify everything later. Britney then asks Lori for the location of the nearest police station. Later that evening, in a pink room adorned with pop culture-themed wall art and an abundance of teddy bears, Diane is seated at her computer, engaged in a conversation with her friends on MySpace. Suddenly, she hears a noise from outside her window. Curiosity piqued, she approaches to investigate, only to be startled as Murray unexpectedly appears, causing Diane to scream. He quickly reassures her to calm down and manages to crawl through the window. Diane warns him that her father is in the adjacent room and that she could face consequences. Murray insists he will only be there for a moment when, unexpectedly, the bedroom door swings open. The doorknob gets caught on the closet door behind it, jamming it and preventing it from closing. Murray swiftly hides behind the bed as Diane opens the door to her father, who inquires about the commotion. Diane assures him that everything is fine, but Jimmy mentions he heard screaming. She insists he must be mistaken, and he concludes that he's probably just tired, having not slept well. He informs her that his flight departs early the next morning and that he won't return until Sunday due to the weekend expo. Handing her a stack of cash, he advises her to stay safe and to call if she needs anything. She agrees and gives him a goodnight kiss. Murray then reappears, and he and Diane begin discussing their relationship and the possibility of taking it to the next level. Diane feels unprepared, but Murray leans over her, kissing her passionately. As they continue to kiss, he starts to move his hands lower, which makes her uncomfortable, prompting her to ask him to leave. He accuses her of being a tease before climbing out of her window after giving her one last kiss. The following day, [OCTOBER 23, 2024], students are milling about, but the scene is chaotic with six police cars, four news vans, flashing cameras, and large crowds of onlookers gathered just off campus. Diane approaches the school, puzzled about the situation. Renowned news reporter Beverly Lewis is on camera, stating, "A teenage football player from Sunnydale, Gary White, was brutally murdered at the home of his girlfriend, Lori James. Lori managed to escape, but authorities have not yet released a statement. Our sources indicate that no arrests have been made, and the killer may strike again..." At that moment, her best friend August arrives, informing her that TMZ and Juicy Pop are buzzing with news, and he shows her the unfolding drama on his pink flip phone. Diane is perplexed and inquires of August about the recent events. August informs her that Gary White was murdered at Lori's residence the previous night. Diane is taken aback, and August adds that Lori managed to escape, but Gary is deceased. Diane asks if the police have identified the perpetrator, to which August replies that they have not, and they are currently questioning everyone at the school, including teachers, students, staff, and janitors. Diane wonders why the police suspect a connection to the school, and August explains that Lori claims Murray and Ash attempted to kill her. Diane is both shocked and worried, exclaiming, "WHAT?" August then mentions that both Murray and Ash have alibis for the night in question and suggests that Lori may be under the influence of drugs. During class, Diane is seen doodling in her notebook while glancing out the window, where she notices someone wearing a jack-o'-lantern mask staring intently at her. Startled, she continues to observe until the teacher interrupts, informing her that the police wish to speak with her. Diane agrees, but when she looks back outside, the masked figure has vanished. In Principal Gray's office, the police presence is overwhelming as Sheriff Burke questions Diane about her whereabouts the previous night. She claims she was at home with her father and is not permitted to be out after 8 PM. Additionally, she states that she has never had any association with Lori or Gary. Sheriff Bruke expresses his gratitude and dismisses her, prompting Diane to leave. Later that day, in the school courtyard, Diane, Murray, August, Ash, and Charlie engage in a discussion about the murder, while August continues to check Juicy Pop for updates. They begin to debate whether the killer could be female, with the boys insisting that the perpetrator must be male, given that Gary was entirely hollowed out. Diane then inquires about the process of gutting someone, leading to an abrupt silence. Ash proceeds to explain the method, causing everyone to turn their attention toward him. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the courtyard, Britney, Ella, and Lori are walking together. Britney spots Murray and Ash with their friends and expresses confusion over why they have not been arrested. The girls approach Sheriff Keeton to question him about the lack of arrests for Murray and Ash regarding the murder. Keeton informs them that Murray has an alibi from his father, and Ash has one from his cousin, confirming that they were both at home during that time. Britney is in a state of confusion, insisting that Murray and Ash are the murderers and claiming to have evidence. Keeton advises her to allow the police to handle the situation and walks away. Left in disbelief, Britney turns to confront Diane, Murray, August, Ash, and Charlie, with Ella and Lori trailing behind, attempting to dissuade her. She boldly accuses Murray and Ash of being responsible for Gary's death. The group is taken aback as Britney recounts the details of the murder spree, outlining Murray and Ash's entire scheme. Both Murray and Ash appear shocked yet intrigued by her revelations. Britney continues to detail the subsequent massacres, naming the killers and identifying the victims and survivors for each incident. August dismisses her as insane, but Britney insists she has evidence, presenting an article about the 2007 Sundale massacre, which lists the victims and perpetrators. The group is left in stunned silence, and Diane asks for clarification, to which Britney responds that this article serves as proof of the ongoing murder spree. August expresses skepticism about the technology, to which Britney responds that it is the iPhone 15. Unfamiliar with the device, August is reassured by Britney to focus on the immediate danger posed by the killers nearby. Murray insists he is innocent, with Diane supporting his claim by stating he was with her the previous night. Britney then probes whether that was before or after he murdered Gary, prompting gasps of shock from everyone present. Ash and Murray exchange glances, while Britney writes down her phone number and hands it to Diane, warning her, August, and Charlie to stay vigilant as Murray and Ash pose a threat to their safety. She ominously informs August that Murray plans to kill him at a party and warns Charlie that he will meet his end next year at college at the hands of Murray's mother. When Murray questions how she knows this, Britney, at a loss for words, simply states that she has an intuition about it. August rolls his eyes, dismissing her as crazy, a sentiment echoed by Diane. In response, Murray snatches the number from Diane, declaring it unnecessary. Frustrated, Britney storms off, followed closely by Ella and Lori. Ella informs her that her mother is exceptionally beautiful, to which Britney responds that she is aware. Lori then seeks confirmation about their origins from the future, and Britney affirms this, adding that if they do not wish for her assistance, it does not concern her. She retrieves the pocket watch, preparing to return to 2024, but Ella intervenes, insisting that they must rescue her mother and her friends.