Chasing Time, Vol.1

Vol.1 Chp 2: The Warden Choices

The silence of the void hung thick around Aaron, wrapping him in a cocoon of uncertainty. He could feel the weight of the bunny's gaze pressing down on him, demanding his attention. "What do you want from me?" he finally asked, his voice a whisper lost in the vastness.

The bunny stepped closer, urgency flickering in its eyes. "I wonder why she remembers you in this new timeline. Why is she here? What is she doing here? The timeline has been erased, and—"

Aaron's heart raced as he tried to process the bunny's words. "Anomaly," the bunny murmured, its tone shifting to something darker.

Confusion washed over Aaron. "What do you mean? You can't just—"

"You must kill her, Aaron," the bunny said, its seriousness now piercing through the haze of uncertainty. "She's interfering with the timeline."

"What?! Why?! She's not doing anything!" Aaron exclaimed, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Just do what I said, Aaron. Or you'll face the consequences—your fate will be sealed," the bunny warned, its voice fading into an echo as if the very air around them was dissolving.

Before Aaron could respond, the void around him flickered, and everything went black.

He gasped as he jolted awake, disoriented and gasping for breath. He heard a loud thud from downstairs. Alarmed, he rushed to the door and stumbled down the hallway.

Luna was standing in the kitchen, her expression a mix of concern and relief. "Aaron! Are you okay? I heard something fall and rushed up to check on you."

Aaron blinked, trying to gather his thoughts. "I... I saw a rabbit. It was standing there, wearing a tuxedo."

Luna raised an eyebrow, confusion etched on her face. "A rabbit in a tuxedo? Seriously?"

"It sounds crazy, but... I have the power to control time," Aaron confessed, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself.

Luna's eyes widened in shock. "You can control time? Is that... is that going to be okay?"

He hesitated, the weight of the bunny's warning pressing down on him. "The rabbit said if I don't do what it asks, I'll be erased from history like I was never born."

Luna's expression shifted from shock to fear. "What did it ask you to do?"

Aaron took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "It told me I have to kill you."

Luna recoiled, fear flashing across her face. "Aaron, please don't—"

"Rest assured, I won't do it!" he rushed to say, gripping her shoulders to calm her. "You're my friend. I would never hurt you."

That night, after Luna had gone home, Aaron lay in bed, his mind racing with thoughts of the day's events. He finally fell asleep, but the tranquility didn't last long.

In his dream, he found himself in a strange office-like space. Clocks and hourglasses floated around him, suspended in mid-air. In the center of the room, the bunny paced in a repeating pattern, lost in thought.

When the bunny noticed Aaron, it charged at him, knocking him down. It stood over Aaron, eyes blazing with frustration. "What were you thinking?! Telling our secret to the anomaly? Are you insane? You'll be killed by her!"

Aaron struggled to speak, but it felt like a shadowy hand was closing around his mouth, silencing him. "I'm sorry, Aaron. I'm desperate... I need your help," the bunny said, its voice softer now, revealing a hint of vulnerability.

Suddenly, a glowing, knife-like object thrust through the bunny from behind, and Aaron's heart raced at the sight. "!?" he gasped in shock.

From the shadows emerged a woman-like figure, her laughter chilling as she grabbed the bunny's lifeless body and vanished into the darkness.