The kettle whistled.
Connie barely heard it over the pounding of her own heartbeat.
Her grip on the kitchen counter was tight, her knuckles white as she struggled to steady herself. Her body still trembled from the sudden reset, her mind racing to catch up.
The door.
A man had been at her door.
He had knocked, then tried to break in.
And time had reset before she could see what would happen next.
Her stomach twisted.
The train incident had made sense—she had died in that loop. But this… this wasn't the same. She hadn't even seen the man's face before everything rewound.
So why had it triggered?
She exhaled shakily, forcing her mind to focus.
The answer was obvious.
She had no way of stopping what was about to happen.
It wasn't just death that caused time to rewind. It was when she had no way to change the outcome.
Which meant—
If she did nothing, that man would try again.
And if she failed to prevent it, the loop would just keep happening.
The thought sent ice through her veins.
She couldn't just sit here.
She had to act.
Her hands clenched into fists as she took slow, measured breaths, her mind working furiously.
The first time, she had reacted normally. She had hesitated, asked who was there, and by the time she realized the danger, it was already too late.
This time, she knew it was coming.
And she wasn't going to waste a single second.
---
The moment the knock came, she was ready.
A sharp three raps against the wood.
Connie forced herself to stay calm, her entire body tensed like a coiled spring.
She ignored the knocking. She didn't respond.
The peephole. She had to check the peephole.
She crept toward the door, pressing herself against the wall beside it. Her fingers brushed against the chain lock, but she didn't make a sound.
Slowly, carefully, she leaned forward and peered through the peephole.
The man was there.
Same hoodie. Same posture.
His face was obscured by the hood, shadowed under the dim hallway light. He wasn't holding anything—not that she could see—but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.
Another knock. Harder this time.
Connie's breath hitched.
What did he want?
She bit her lip, her mind running through possibilities. If this was a robbery, why her apartment? She wasn't wealthy. She didn't have anything valuable. And if he was a random criminal, why was time looping just because she failed to stop him?
No.
This wasn't random.
Her heart pounded as she slowly backed away from the door.
Think, Connie. What's different?
The kettle whistled louder behind her, a piercing sound that made her flinch.
Wait.
The kettle.
The first time, it had been whistling when she opened the door. Had the sound covered the moment he tried to break in?
Another rattle.
He was testing the doorknob.
Her pulse spiked, adrenaline flooding her veins.
If she did nothing, if she waited again—
The world would reset.
And she wouldn't gain anything.
Her fingers trembled as she reached into her pocket and gripped her phone.
Call someone. Call the police. Just do something different.
She unlocked the screen with a swipe, quickly dialing emergency services.
The phone barely rang before—
Click.
The call cut off.
Connie's stomach dropped.
Her screen was still on, but there was no signal.
What? That wasn't possible. She had full reception earlier. How could—?
She stared at the phone in horror.
Her building's signal was jammed.
A chill ran down her spine.
Whoever was at her door… they had planned for this.
The doorknob twisted.
A surge of panic shot through her. Not again—!
The lock clicked.
The door creaked open.
Connie's blood ran ice cold.
The chain lock held, but the small gap in the door was wide enough for a hand to slip through.
A gloved hand.
Her body moved on pure instinct.
She lunged forward and slammed the door shut, throwing all her weight against it.
The man grunted in surprise, but he didn't leave.
Connie's breath came in short, frantic gasps. She gripped the doorknob with both hands, pushing against it with all her strength.
She was weak. She knew she was weak.
But she couldn't let him in.
Another shove from the other side made the entire door shake.
A sharp, piercing fear dug its claws into her mind.
She wasn't strong enough to keep this up.
She had to think of something—she had to—
The world blinked.
---
Connie was back in her kitchen.
Her phone was in her hand.
The kettle whistled.
Her breath came out in ragged, uneven gasps.
She dropped to her knees, her body shaking violently.
She had failed again.
And there was no message.
No points.
Because she hadn't resolved anything.
Her throat was dry, her mind reeling.
She was stuck.
Every time she failed, the loop reset to this exact moment.
If she didn't find a way to stop him, the break-in would keep happening.
Her stomach twisted painfully.
How long would this go on?
Would she be stuck in this loop forever if she couldn't find a way to resolve it?
The thought made her head spin.
Connie forced herself to stand, gripping the counter for support. She had to do something differently.
If she tried to physically stop him, she would lose. She wasn't strong enough.
If she called for help, the signal was jammed.
So what could she do?
The knocking came.
Three raps.
Same as before.
Connie clenched her teeth, her breath shaking.
She refused to let this happen again.
This time, she would try everything.
If brute force wasn't an option—
Then she would outsmart him.
She had one advantage over him.
She knew what was going to happen.
Slowly, she backed away from the door and looked around the apartment.
She needed a plan.
Fast.
Before time reset again.