Fragments Of Past - Forgotten Promises

Chapter 4 - new life begins

The world around me spun violently, a whirlwind of sound and sensation tearing at the last threads of my sanity. Mom's lifeless body lay crumpled on the ground, blood pooling into the gravel. I could still feel the cold weight of the knife in my hand, sticky with her blood. I blinked, hoping this was just a nightmare, something I could wake up from. But the cold air, the metallic scent of blood, the distant wail of sirens-all of it told me the awful truth.

"Drop the knife!" A voice, sharp and commanding, shattered through the haze in my mind, yanking me back into the brutal present. My fingers slackened, and the knife slipped from my grip, hitting the ground with a hollow clatter. The morning light caught the blade, making it gleam as if mocking me.

The shouts of police officers grew louder, their urgency crashing over me like waves. I couldn't move. My legs felt like they were cemented to the earth, frozen by fear and disbelief. My mind screamed at me, urging me to run, to get away, but my body refused to listen.

Run, Yuki. You have to run.

That thought, so sharp and clear, cut through the fog in my brain. My feet responded before I could fully comprehend it, and suddenly, I was sprinting. My heart pounded in my chest like it was about to explode, the sound of my own pulse deafening in my ears. I bolted toward a narrow alley, barely noticing the cold air biting into my lungs.

Everything was a blur-buildings, faces, the gray sky above-but I had no time to think. All I could focus on was escape. Up ahead, the dim lights of a subway entrance flickered like a beacon, and without hesitation, I veered toward it. Down the stairs, two at a time. My breath came in ragged gasps, each one burning my throat as the rumble of an approaching train echoed through the tunnel.

Please, just let me get away. Just let me make it.

The platform was nearly empty, save for a few commuters who had no idea of the nightmare unfolding just above them. I didn't look back. I couldn't afford to. My only hope was that train.

The doors were closing.

With every ounce of strength left in me, I hurled myself forward. The metal doors slid shut just as I stumbled inside. The train jolted into motion, and I nearly collapsed, catching myself on a nearby pole. My chest heaved, and for a moment, the terror of the last few minutes gave way to the harsh realization.

I'm safe. For now.

But the momentary relief was short-lived. I glanced around and saw the looks of horror on the faces of the passengers around me. Their eyes darted to my bloodstained clothes, the wild look in my eyes. A woman gasped, clutching her handbag as if I might attack her next. I felt sick. The bile rose in my throat.

They know. They're going to call the cops.

Panic surged through me like a tidal wave. I needed to stay calm, needed to think, but my mind was a chaotic mess. My thoughts tangled together, each one screaming louder than the last.

Then, the train's loudspeaker crackled to life. "Emergency stop at the next station. Authorities have been alerted."

No. No, no, no.

I could feel the train slowing, the station coming into view like the mouth of a trap. My breath hitched, and my pulse raced. The police would be waiting, ready to drag me off the moment I stepped out. I glanced toward the exit. It felt so far away, but it was my only chance.

The doors slid open. Without thinking, I bolted, shoving my way through the sea of commuters. Faces blurred past me as I barreled toward the distant exit, my only hope of freedom.

But then I heard it-a voice that cut through the crowd like a blade.

"There he is!"

I turned and saw them: police officers, weapons drawn, their eyes cold and determined. They closed in from all sides, their footsteps pounding like the end of a countdown.

There's no way out.

The truth hit me like a fist to the gut. I was trapped, cornered. But just as despair began to take hold, a sharp pain tore through my skull, so sudden and fierce that I cried out. My vision exploded into a white-hot blaze, my body convulsing as the pain intensified, each second worse than the last.

What the hell is happening?

I clutched my head, the world around me dissolving into blinding light. The subway, the officers, the terrified passengers-they all faded, swallowed by the searing brightness. I could feel it ripping through me, every nerve screaming in agony. It was like my mind was being torn apart from the inside.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't met with the harsh white light of the hospital room. No, it was something far more familiar-the soft glow of my old bedroom, drenched in the warmth of summer. The smell of sun-dried wood filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of the outside breeze.

I blinked a few times, sitting up slowly, my pulse quickening as I scanned the room. My bed, my cluttered desk, the posters on the walls-it was all just as I remembered it. It was like I'd been yanked back in time to a moment before everything spiraled out of control.

This can't be happening.

My legs felt shaky as I swung them over the edge of the bed and stumbled toward the calendar hanging on the wall. My heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the date. June 20, 2006.

What the hell...?

I caught my reflection in the mirror next to the calendar and froze. My right eye stared back at me, completely white-blind.

No. This isn't right. This isn't how it's supposed to be.

I staggered back, my mind spinning. I knew this day. I remembered it too well-the day before everything went wrong, the day before the murders. But this eye... this was new. I hadn't been blind before.

What changed? What the hell is happening?

Thoughts swirled in my head, but one thing slowly began to crystallize in my mind. This wasn't just another time loop. It wasn't like the other times when I'd jumped back for a few minutes or hours. This was something bigger.

This was my second chance.

I had been sent back-not just to relive the past, but to rewrite it. To stop the murders. To save my mother. But this time, it wasn't just about surviving the loop. It was about changing everything.

I clenched my fists, feeling a spark of fierce determination ignite in my chest. I wouldn't let things play out the same way. I couldn't. This was my only shot to make things right.