Eira's Perspective
Disoriented and bewildered, I sat in the car, struggling to comprehend the experience unfolding before me. Déjà vu washed over me, as every conversation with the driver seemed to replay itself. Was I trapped in some kind of time loop? Panic set in as I questioned my sanity. Was I losing my grip on reality?
Desperate for answers, I pinched myself repeatedly, wincing at the pain. This wasn't a dream. So, why was I reliving the past? How did I end up here? The questions swirled in my mind, fueling my frustration and confusion.
The driver pulled over, echoing the events that had transpired earlier. I handed him the cash, feeling a sense of déjà vu. As he prepared to leave, I halted him.
"Wait, do you feel like we've done this before?" I asked, hoping to find some clarity in his response.
He tilted his head, a sly smile spreading across his face. "You're not the first stranger I've driven around, so yeah, this has happened before." His expression turned serious, and with that, he sped away.
I watched him disappear into the distance, scoffing in frustration. That wasn't what I meant at all! His evasive response only deepened my confusion.
Glancing around, I realized I was back in the same unfamiliar location, feeling lost and disoriented once again.
As I pulled out my phone, the blank screen stared back at me, a dead phone in my hand. The familiarity of this moment was unsettling, it was happening again. The same phone died, the same desperation. Last time, borrowing a stranger's phone to call Arin had led to the accident.
Determined to alter the course of events, I made a vow: to avoid calling Arin's number at all costs. But first, I needed to escape this unknown location.
With no clear direction, I stepped into the unknown, my feet carrying me forward.
Where was I headed? I had no idea. But I knew what I had to prevent.
As I walked, my mind couldn't stop thinking about what was happening. How did I go back in time? It seemed impossible. I mean, things like this only happen in movies, not in real life.
I wished someone would wake me up and tell me it was just a dream.
A car horn made me jump. I looked up and saw Arin waving at me from his car. I was shocked. Why was he here? I knew I hadn't called him.
Arin stepped out of his car, beaming with a warm smile. "Arin," I whispered, my heart racing with joy at seeing him safe and sound.
"What brings you here?" he asked, approaching me. "I've been trying to reach you, but your phone's been unreachable. Get in, I will drive you home."
I opened my mouth to respond, but then reality hit me, I had to avoid him.
"No," I blurted, swiftly declining his offer to drive me home.
"Ugh? But I want to take you home." Arin insisted.
I shook my head, continuing to walk away. "No, Arin, just go."
His persistence irritated me. "Why are you being stubborn?" he asked, following closely.
"Leave me alone, Arin!" I urged, picking up my pace.
But Arin kept pace with me. "You can't just push me away!"
Desperate to shake him off, I broke into a sprint. Arin chased after me, his persistence driving me crazy. Why wouldn't he listen? I had to protect him from harm, I had to prevent the accident from happening one more time.
I finally reached the main road, gasping for breath. A glance back confirmed Arin was still hot on my heels. Spotting a vacant cab, I hastily flagged it down and jumped in.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
I gave him the directions, watching through the rearview mirror as Arin was left behind. He looked bewildered, but all this was for his sake.
As the cab pulled away, I exhaled deeply, relieved.
I felt sorry for making him go through the trouble of running after me but what could I have done? If I had gotten into his car, we would both have died.
I stepped out of the cab, relieved to be home. But my relief was short-lived as I reached for my purse to pay the fare, only to remember I was penniless. That blue eyed stranger had taken all my cash.
I hesitated, uneasy, as the driver's expectant gaze turned stern. "Well, sir..." I stammered, "The thing is... I don't have any money."
The driver's response caught me off guard. "Do you think you've overcome it?" he asked, his tone cryptic.
"Overcome what?" I asked, perplexed.
"What is meant to happen, will happen," he said, leaving me even more baffled.
I was trying to explain my lack of funds, but his enigmatic words had me wondering if we were on the same page.
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any money on me," I explained to the cab driver. "Could you wait while I withdraw some cash? It'll only take a minute."
But he didn't give me a chance to finish. He started the engine and sped away, leaving me stunned.
Shaking my head, I entered my house and greeted my roommate, Anna, who was studying in the dining room. "Hi."
She acknowledged me with a nod, her usual brief response.
Anna and I weren't close, and her reserved nature made me uneasy.
As I headed to my room, I paused and asked, "Anna, would you believe me if I said I can time travel?"
Her blank stare made me feel like a lunatic.
No response, just an unsettling silence.
"Never mind," I muttered, breaking the awkward silence with her. As I turned to leave, my supposedly dead phone sprang to life, ringing loudly.
I pulled it out, surprised. "Hello?" I answered cautiously, eyeing the unknown caller ID.
"Hello, are you Eira Erwin?" a voice asked.
"Yes, who is this?" I replied.
"We're calling from the hospital. Arin Gerald, an acquaintance of yours, has been in an accident and is receiving treatment here."
My world came crashing down on hearing the news.
Arin got in an accident?
I thought I would be able to prevent this from happening but it seems I was wrong.