Endless Friday

LXV

     I didn't wake that time around. Instead, as I began to come back slowly, I was yanked up and out awake. A bucket of water hit me once I was pulled to my feet and I tried my best not to shake in surprise. I couldn't open my eyes because of the water and a sack was placed over my head before I could dry off. I was then carried by, I am guessing Samsy because he was the biggest in the gang. All I could hear was evil laughter and things around me being destroyed. They must have been trashing my house while dragging me out at the same time. I hoped that things would settle down but once I heard the front door open all I could hear was distant screaming and fire. Gun fire too. It sounded like an all out war out there. I was then afraid to open my eyes. Perhaps this really would be my worst nightmare! 

     I was dragged around a little more until I could hear Devix's uneasy breathing pattern. I was set down harshly on my knees and the sack was taken off my head. What I saw horrified me. My entire neighborhood was ablaze and it looked like Devix's gang had multiplied by over fifty. And all around, all those who had no recollection and would continue on that way, were dead on the floor. Including my parents. I teared up at the sight. It was complete chaos. 

     "W- what?" I breathed with disbelief. No one could be so crule! 

     "You see? There is indeed hope for us.. Me and the other ones who like our journals have teamed up while the majority of the Understanding have been moping around. We have created a revolution, and we will keep our stand FIRM on what is rightfully ours! This time-warp is ours, and we will keep it that way, even if we have to do this, again, and again, and again, and AGAIN." Devix informed with pure evilness in his tone.. "These journals of ours, they're special. Built in with the timeless power to live forever and to do whatever we want. We could rule the world." 

     "Not worth it if it's just for one day." I pointed out with an attempt at a smirk. 

    "Perhaps, but the ruling part is never fun. The conquering is what I like the best." He said in return. He made a point I couldn't disprove, so I just decided to lower my head even more and look at the bloody floor. I hadn't even noticed the redness before. "Awww, why so sad?.. You are still here. Not dead, not forgotten, not forgetting. Still here. Winning. You, you are winning.." Devix hissed almost. The words hurt my ears. 'What did he even mean by me winning?! I am still here! This isn't winning! This is losing!.'

    Then I looked at the floor at all those Mindless scattered about. 'A- a- are, THEY, winning..?' I wondered. The thought hurt since I had decided against it a while ago, but. They wouldn't remember all this. The Mindless.. They would just wake up the next day as if nothing ever happened. They would continue living however they had been before all the journals and crazyness. Whether it be, happy, sad, mad, depressed, they would still, be winning. They would still be moving on even if they didn't remember. All this time I had seen The Mindless as the ones missing out. The ones losing something. But no! I had it all wrong! These people were the ones gaining the next life, another chance, a new hope, something, anything.. And all with a new fresh start... No. I wasn't the winner.. They were...

     "You're wrong.. We aren't the winners, they are." I stated, looking at the Mindless. More like the "Hopeful." I then did what I would never have done before. I sacrificed my extra life for their hope. It was the only way out of the time loop and I now knew how and why. 

     This wasn't some test of endurance, to see who would last the longest. It was a test of sacrifice, to see who would be willing to forget so they could live once again. To forget about the past and just move on. Even though memories are precious, there are ones that must be let go.. And I finally understood. 

     Before anyone realized what I was doing, I stood, grabbed my journal, and threw it into the flames. I watched as it vanished along with the false hope I had once believed in. 

     "What did you just do?!?" Devix screamed at the top of his lungs in anger at me. I was finally able to turn towards him with a smirk on my face.

     "Getting outta here." I said smugly. Then, to make it literal, I sprinted off into the nearby forest. After a while I realized no one was behind, so I stopped to take a break. 

     I climbed to the top of a large old tree with large easy branches to climb and sat on a thick branch and leaned against the branch it was off of. It was so peaceful. And the sun was already in the center of the sky, which gave me plenty of time to think. 

     I thought about all I would be forgetting the next time around, if I was actually going to go around at all. Maybe, I really was leaving the time loop. Either way however, I knew I would be happier that way. Remembering all I had done since time began looping, I was glad I would be forgetting all that crazy random and sad stuff. I had been so mean, so anti social, so quick to snap at others just because I felt they didn't understand. I had been so down, literally living the same day over and over again. Countless attempts of trying to escape. And all I had to do all along, was forget. 

     I thought and thought, until my thinker was sore. 'Welp, I guess this is it.' I sighed slightly in relief in my head. A part of me worried that I had made the wrong decision. A part of me worried that the journal hadn't been burnt well enough and I would just continue on. I guess I would just handle it then if time came around. Finally, I sat as I watched the sun peacefully set past the horizon. After all this time, I had never stopped to just watch the sun set. It was beautiful. I finally fell asleep on the large branch..

What do you think happened?