The Loop

Chapter Ten

As soon as the bright light was out of her eyes and she could see again, Scully rushed towards Mulder.

"Mulder, do you remember what happened in the car?" she asked him, wanting to make sure he remembered everything.

"Yeah." he answered.

"So the medical bills were for a women named Melody, but they were addressed a man named Donnie, and you found a letter to Donnie about how he'll be murdered if he doesn't pay back the money he owes to this Charlie guy, and we found that note about someone owing fifty grand by sundown in that man's pocket. So, I think it's safe to assume that Donnie is the man who committed suicide, right?" Scully asked. Mulder nodded his head. "Okay, so did Donnie come here to meet with the man about the money, only he didn't have it, so he committed suicide before he could be murdered?" she suggested, but quickly began to rethink. "That doesn't make any sense though. Why would he come here if he knew he didn't have the money? To kill himself in front of the man as a way to say "you can't catch me!"?" Scully looked at Mulder for answers, but found that he was deep in thought. A few seconds later he lifted up his head to stare at her, his eyes wide with realization and a small triumphant grin beginning to break out across his face.

"What?" Scully asked.

"I get it!" Mulder exclaimed, looking ahead as though he was imagining something. Scully stared up at him.

"What do you get?" Mulder turned his wide-eyed gaze on her. She had to admit, it was a bit freaky, but nevertheless, it was also cute how he got so excited.

"The man! Donnie! There's a horse race today, and people bet on horse races, so I'm betting that Donnie came here as a last resort to make some money, but failed, so he killed himself before the person he owed money to could kill him!" Scully crossed her arms, thinking it over.

"Okay, but why? Why, well... everything?" Scully asked, not knowing how to put it. She was taking in these new possibilities and trying to figure it out, but it seemed that Mulder already knew, and all he needed to do was tell her.

"Those medical bills, Scully, they were for that women Melody, but billed to Donnie. They both had the same last name, so she must've been his wife or kid or someone related to him, obviously, and he was supposed to pay her medical bills, only he didn't have to money, so he had to go to a loan shark to get some. So, once he's used all of the money he borrowed and paid off the medical bills, now he has to pay back the loan shark, but he doesn't have the money. Well, as his due date drew nearer, he must not have made the money, so he came here on the same and last day he had to pay back the loan to try and make the money, but luck wasn't on his side and he lost everything he had. Now knowing that he's going to be killed, he decides to take his own life instead. See now, Scully?" Mulder asked. Scully had been listening intently and was now thinking it all over. Yes, it did make sense. It made perfect sense.

"Mulder, I think you're right." she said, earning a wide grin from him. Suddenly, Scully remember how Donnie was going to commit suicide. "Mulder, Donnie." she said, then, without a second thought, took off towards the bleachers. Her sudden decision shocked Mulder a bit, but he quickly caught on and began to run after her.

As Scully ran she glanced behind to see that Mulder was farther behind than he usually would have been. With how fast he can run, usually he would have already almost caught up with her by now. A few seconds later she glanced back again, seeing that Mulder looked as though he was having a hard time catching up, panting heavily as he tried to run, his body leaning forward as he took in deep breaths. As soon as she got to the bleachers, Scully waited for Mulder, worry beginning to eat away at her conscience. He got to there few seconds later, stopping next to her and reaching out to hold onto the bleachers to support himself as he caught his breath.

"Seriously, Mulder, are you okay? What's going on?" Scully asks, forgetting about the man who was about to jump from the top of the bleachers, but apparently, Mulder hadn't.

"Nothing, Scully, I'm fine." he reassured her, trying to slow down his rapid breaths to prove so. "Come on, if we want to stop him we have to move quickly." Mulder said, pointing up to the top of the bleachers. Remembering Donnie, Scully turned around and began to sprint up the steps, Mulder right behind her. Just as in the past though, as soon as they reached the top, Donnie jumped. They were too late, yet again. As they stared down at the dead body, Scully listened to how hard Mulder's breathing seemed to be. They stood there for a while, Mulder thinking over everything they had just learned and ways of how to end the loop, Scully listening to how deep and ragged Mulder's breathing seemed to be, when suddenly, everything went black.