Shoot From The Hip: Loops

Loop #2: Continued Chapter 4

*Rebecca's P.O.V*

"What do you mean, you recognize her?" Sam asked, a confused look on his face. 

I looked at them all, and shook my head. "I-I don't know. It's like...it's like my brain remembers her from SOMETHING, but I don't know what. I-It's like when you have moments of deja vu!" I exclaimed, and they nodded.

"W-well, sorry to be mean, but...how does that help us? If you don't know why you remember her?" Tom said softly.

I nodded again, my entire body shaking. I looked at the floor sadly.

"Y-Yeah. Right. Sorry. J-Just trying to help."

All of them looked guilty, and AJ bent down in front of me, grabbing my shoulder gently.

"Look. I'm really sorry, but...we're just scared. We don't know anything, and we just want to know what's going on. Same as you, probably. Right guys?" 

The other guys nodded adamantly.

"It's not that we are trying to be mean. We just are really confused right now. About all of this," Tom explained, a guilty look on his face as well.

I start tearing up. "Don't you think I want to know what's going on too?! I mean, I'm living today over and over again! I'm having VISIONS that come true! I-I want to know too! Probably more than you guys!" I cry out, frustrated with the lack of empathy from everyone.

They nod, Sam and Luke running their hands through their hair, stressed.

"Look, we're sorry, okay? We're going to figure this out. I promise. Even if it takes us ten loops. Or even twenty. We're just terrified of getting hurt again. Or seeing each other hurt." Luke says softly, but determinedly.

I take a shaky breath in, but nod at Luke, then close my eyes. "Maybe if-if I try really hard to remember something about this woman, something will come to me."

Silence for a couple minutes, then finally I realized how I know her.

"Any ideas?" Sam asked softly.

My eyes light up with excitement as I nod adamantly. "She...she gave us coffee yesterday. She said that she made it herself." 

I narrow my eyes in confusion. "Wait, does that mean she like, put something in our coffees to make us have this time loop? That doesn't make sense at all!"

The guys have thoughtful looks on their faces, also being confused. 

"There are some drugs that make you have hallucinations. Maybe this is all one big hallucination?" Tom adds, but immediately dismisses this idea, shaking his head.

"No, because we're feeling the pain. That theory would make sense if we weren't feeling the pain of the visions. But we are. So it's probably not the coffee. So why am I only remembering that?" I ask the group, super confused.

The group looks confused as well, shaking their heads. Sam and Luke rub their hands through their hair, with thoughtful looks on their faces. Tom holds a glass of water in his hands, sipping it occasionally, while AJ crosses his arms against his chest.

Silence for a couple of seconds, then AJ's eyes light up with an idea.

"What if it's not the coffee? What if it was the woman? What if she...like, I don't know. Put a hex on us? Or a curse? She might be a witch who practices Black Magic."

We all nod our heads, what AJ is saying making sense. If it wasn't the coffee, then it must be the woman's fault we're here. I mean, she is the one torturing us in the visions. It only makes sense that it would be her doing.

"AJ, you're a genius! That totally makes sense! Okay, what, If anything, do you guys remember about this woman? Any distinguishing features about her that stood out to you?" I ask, getting up from off the floor. 

I felt a lot better than I did after the vision, but my eyes still go blurry, and AJ and Luke go to keep me standing. I chuckle, grabbing their arms to balance myself.

"Thanks," I say, blushing. I'm a little embarrassed that I had to have help standing, so I  let go of their arms, looking at the floor.

"Um, I...I think I remember her being...maybe a stage manager? But...But we know everyone who works at this venue! I mean, we have been doing improv here for years!" Sam says, stuttering.

I put a finger to my lips, thoughtfully trying to come up with a reason why we can't remember this woman.

"What if...what if she lied? Saying that she was a part of the stage crew? Then we would kind of immediately trust her, right? And so then she learns our routines, what we usually do before a show, during a show, then after, and then she slowly started talking to us, gaining more of our trust?" I pause. "Eh, maybe I just watch too many true crime shows. That would be crazy if that was actually what was happening. Right?" 

We all think, but nobody disagrees with me. A pit forms in my stomach as I realize that what I thought was a far-fetched theory might not be so far-fetched after all.

Then, I feel the vision forming again. I look at them in fear. 

"G-Guys? I-It's happening again! I'm h-having another vision!" My voice trembles, and as we all sit down on the carpeted floor, AJ grabs my arm, wrapping his arm around mine tightly, grasping my hand.

I squeeze AJ's hand, my whole body shaking, and we wait for another vision to start.

My eyes roll into the back of my head, and the vision starts to form.

*VISION: TRIGGER WARNING FOR STRANGULATION*

AJ lays on a metal table, his wrists and ankles restrained. His head is also strapped down so he can't move. 

"P-Please! D-Don't...Don't hurt me!" AJ trembles, tears streaming down his face. 

The woman in the vision ignores him, and starts getting on top of the table. 

"No no no! No! P-please!" AJ sobs, but again, the woman ignores him, looking at him and enjoying the power trip she has. 

She then takes both of her hands and wraps them around AJ's throat, squeezing hard. AJ starts turning purple, but then she lets go, AJ coughing violently.

*IN REAL LIFE*

AJ starts choking, letting out a squeak of terror, then starts coughing, almost heaving. He holds my arm tighter, but I somehow don't mind, also making choking noises and coughing. 

Then the vision ends, and for some reason, even though I didn't stop the vision, I feel exhausted. Wasted.