Time Loop

10 - A Gamble With Time

[From here, Silas' POV begins again]

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I sighed and glanced at the time again. "Why do you keep checking the time?" Adan asked, still focused on his video game, his fingers moving rapidly over the controller. "No reason," I replied, trying to sound casual. The truth was, I was waiting for Killian. He still hadn't arrived, and I was starting to get restless. Maybe he was here already, and I just hadn't noticed. I turned to Adan and asked, "Where's Killian?"

Adan shifted his gaze toward the classroom door before nodding in that direction. "There he is." I followed his line of sight and saw Killian walking into the classroom. Without a word, he made his way over and took the empty seat behind me. "You're late," I muttered, turning slightly to look at him.

"Sorry," he said, sounding a little out of breath. "Something held me up." We had originally planned to leave before seven for a meeting, but since Killian had arrived late, I hadn't gone because I didn't know the location. "We'll go later," Killian assured me. I simply nodded in response.

"Where are you guys going?" Adan suddenly asked, eyeing us suspiciously. "Nowhere," I said quickly. Adan raised an eyebrow before smirking. "It's definitely somewhere," he said before turning back to his game. "What is it that you're hiding from me?."Killian leaned back in his chair. "It's something you don't need to know." Adan grinned knowingly. "Oh, I get it. You guys are planning my birthday party, aren't you?"

That's when it hit me his birthday was coming up in a few days. But what was the point? That day would never come. No matter what, it was still March 7th, repeating over and over again. "Yeah, we were planning for that," Killian said smoothly from behind me.

Before Adan could say anything else, the teacher walked in, forcing us to drop the conversation. Since we couldn't leave during class, we had no choice but to wait. The moment the first period ended, we had a twenty-minute break. Without wasting time, Killian and I got up and slipped out of the classroom. I followed him down the hallway, my curiosity growing as he led me into another classroom. Inside, Jasper and Dante were already there, waiting.

On the table in front of them was a pile of locks and keys more than I could count. Dante glanced up at us and said, "Get to work. We only have twenty minutes before the break starts." Without hesitation, we each grabbed as many locks and keys as we could and got to work.

I bolted out of the classroom, my heart hammering against my chest as I sprinted down the hallways. My footsteps echoed through the corridor, but I didn't stop. I had no time to waste. Bursts of confused chatter filled the air as I barged into one of the classrooms. The students inside turned to look at me, startled.

"Stay inside!" I ordered, my voice sharp and urgent. A few of them blinked at me in confusion. "What? Why?" someone asked. "No time to explain. Just stay in the classroom!" I said, stepping back and slamming the door shut behind me. I fumbled with the lock, twisting and securing it into place. The students inside immediately erupted in protests.

"What the hell?!"
"Why are you locking us in?!"
"open the door!"

I ignored their shouts and hurried to the next classroom, my pulse racing. I shoved the door open and stepped inside. "Everyone, stay inside. Don't leave this room," I commanded. "What are you talking about?" a girl near the front asked, frowning. I didn't answer. Instead, I rushed back out, slammed the door, and locked it. The yells started almost instantly.

Their pounding fists slammed against the wood, but I forced myself to tune them out. I couldn't afford to hesitate. One by one, I ran to every classroom, throwing open the doors, shouting for the students to stay inside before locking them in. Some resisted, trying to push past me, but I was faster.

I ignored every question, every demand and did just what we planned. By the time I reached the last few classrooms, the shouts had turned into desperate yells. Some students were banging on the doors, shaking the handles. Others tried to pry the windows open, but they wouldn't budge. As the final door clicked shut, I exhaled sharply, sweat beading at my forehead.

This was our plan. And I had locked all the classrooms on this side, just as Dante had instructed. I remember Dante's words clearly. He had said:

"So, here's the thing. In my opinion, this time loop will only end if we manage to save everyone from the explosion and like from dieing. So, our first step is to lock all the classrooms twenty minutes before break time. That's when we have a short period where a teacher comes in to give a lecture about cleanliness, hygiene, and similar topics. But since the teachers for this period don't show up for our classes, those twenty minutes will be completely free for us to lock all the classrooms, staff rooms, and even the principal's office.

Once the break bell rings, no student or teacher will be able to go near the canteen meaning no one will die. And yes, we'll also have to lock the canteen because, after the explosion, the masked men will enter the school. But if the canteen is locked, they will have no other option but to retreat. If they don't, we'll call the police right then and there.

But for now, calling the police isn't a good idea until we get things under control, because if we mess this up, we'll get caught in it ourselves even if the loop ends. Now, let's see what happens..."

That's what he said. He is like a mastermind. He had also assigned us tasks. My job was to lock the classrooms in this building, while Killian was responsible for the other building and the canteen. Jasper's task was to lock the staff rooms in both buildings, as well as the door to the canteen kitchen so that the cooks wouldn't be able to enter. He also had to lock the principal's office.

As for Dante himself... I have no idea where he is. I did my part. Now im waiting in the hall for the others to appear.

Jasper and Killian entered the hall, and right behind them, Dante followed. "You all finished your tasks, right?" Dante asked, scanning our faces. "Yes!" we all responded in unison. Killian glanced at his watch. "Just two minutes left until the explosion," he announced.

We all stood there in the hall, waiting for it to happen. The air was thick with tension.

"I swear, I can't take this anymore," Jasper groaned, shifting on his feet. "I just want this loop to end already so we can go back to living normal lives!"

Dante crossed his arms. "You do realize there's no guarantee this will work, right? I literally just guessed that this might be the way to end the loop. So... let's see what happens."

I checked my phone. "Twenty seconds left," I muttered, my heartbeat quickening.

Time kept ticking.

Four seconds were left.

Three.

Two.

One.

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Thanks for reading!
Love You!

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Hey everyone! I didn't have much time today, so this chapter is shorter than usual. I tried to fit everything into this part, so I hope it still keeps you engaged! Let me know your thoughts, I’d love to hear your feedback.🌷